The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-05-07
HISTORY OF THE STAMP.
The First One Issued by the Brit
ish Postoff1ce Just Fifty Years
Ago.
Not Adopted by the United States
Government Until the
Year 40.

High Prices for Rare Stamps, Foreign and
Domestic-various Designs and Va
rious Prices for Them.
On the 9Th of May fifty years elapsed
since the British postoffice issued the first
postage stamps for public use. In 1881
Rowland Hill first ADVOCATED the system Of
preparing postage by means Of adhesive
labels. This system was adopted on De-
cember 81, 1889, but it took several months
to get the stamps ready.
If some of the old postmasters who lived
100 years ago or more should come to life
now and see the changes that have beer
made since they had charge of the Office.
they would be wonderfully surprised. Ben
jamin Franklin was once postmaster-gen
eral of the American colonies. This was in
1853, and in 17GO he startled the people by
proposing a scheme to run stage to carry
the mail between New York and Phila.
delphia once week. As late as 1916 for q
letter written on single sheet of paper
of ordinary size ~ cents was charged to
carry it from New York to Poughkeepsie.
The first stamp issued in England was
what is called now the Mulready envelope.
The price of this was one penny. 1t was
designed by man named Mnlready. The
DESIGN covered most of the envelope, small
space being left at the bottom for the name
and address. This was printed III black.
The same design on a blue envelope was
worth two pence. 70 stamp collectors these
envelopes are now worth IS each.
The Mulready envelope did not last long.
It did not answer the purpose for which it
was designed, and the adhesive labels were
soon issued. The first one was the black
penny stamp. It had profile of the queens
and was unperforated. A two-penny stamp
was also issued. This was blue. These
stamps, although they were used 80 years
ago, are now only worth five cents each to
collectors.
In 1871 a new issue was made. The color
was red and the price one penny. These
stamps were unperforated and it was not
until 1854 that stamps were perforated and
printed in sheets SO that they could be torn
off easily. Between 1910 and 1854 eight diff
ferent issues of stamps were made IN Eng
land. In addition to those already men,
toned, there was shilling green stamp, a
brown stamp worth ten pence and violet
stamp worth six pence.
The next country to adopt the postage
stamp system was Brazil. Stamps were
used there in 1913. The first stamp issued
was about an inch and quarter square on
white paper. In the center was large
circle filled in with plenty of ornamental
scroll work and on which was the figure
''3O.' Three stamps were issued, their
values being 30 reis, 60 reis and 30 refs, al
of the same size. In 1874. the size was cut
down to just about one-half.
Switzerland was the next to adopt these
adhesive labels in payment of postage. II
1s45, a small stamp, worth two and u hal.
confines, was issued from Basic by thu
Cantonal administration. Other stamp.
we're issued from Geneva and Zurich. l
was not until 1849 that stamps were used b.
the federal administration.
The most valuable stamp nowadays, that
is to say the rarest stamp to get hold of
is the Mauritius stamp that was issued il
1847. There were two stamps issued tina
year-a penny stamp of an orange color
and two-penny stamp, blue. Each bor'
worth from 81 900 to 81, 800 each. Another
valuable stamp is that of the Hawaiian Is
lands. 1t was issued in 1851, and is a blue
two-cent stamp, now valued at $500.
In 1847 the postoffice authorities of the
United States issued the first postage stamp
worth five cents. It was brown and bore
the head of Franklin. Nowadays, this
stamp is worth 25 cents.
Previous to this time stamps had been
issued " the various cities in the country
These at mps were issued by the postmaste.
of stamp VS. issued from tho New York
postofiice. It was printed on buff paper and
was worth thre, cents. In the center OF
the stamp was Il head around which was
printed Unit d States City Dispatch Post
3 Cts.'' This W issued in 1912, and STAMP
collectors nowad lyS will give 500 for good
copy Of it.
In 1S43 a new stamp was issued printed OF
blue woven paper, and later in the year an
other one was issued ~ glazed paper. Ii
1876 black stamp was issued worth five
cal,s. These were all that We're issued b,
the New York postotlice be ere the genera
issue of 1S47.
One of the rarest stamps o procure now
adays is the New Haven st mp. 1t was is
sued in ls45 and was printe Il. black on al
envelope. The postm -.er ot tho town al
ways Lou o sign ...ese stamps. gooe
copy OF oae ,ncse is worth $500. st
Louis III this aame year issued three stamp
worth . cents, 10 cents and 20 cents Thes,
stamps bore the coat-of-arms of the state
In 1916, two black stamps were issued from
Providence worth cents and 10 cents. Th
same year a black stamp was issued from
Baltimore. 1t consisted of q piece of pape
on which was printed SIS cts, and it had t,
be signed by james NJ. buchanan. who wa
then postmaster of the town. One of thes
stamps would now sell for $500. Brattle
bOrO, VT, III lSf6 issued q neat little stamp
1t was worth five cents, had the letters ''F
o." on it, and in the center the signature 0
the postmaster.
The next year, 1S47, q little while befor
the general issue of stamps was made,
stamp was issued from the Millbury post
office 1t was a round stamp, i'll the cente
of which was n head and outside of tn,
head was printed, "Postotfice. Paid cts.
These stamps all ceased to be of any valu,
when the general issue was made in 1877
In the same year ten-cent stamp wa.
issued in addition to the five-cent stamp
This was black stamp and bore the heat
of Washington. In 1851. a one-cent STAMP
was issued. 1t was blue and bore in an ova
the head of Franklin.
A three cent stamp, red. had q head Of
Washington. tive-cent stamp, brown
had head of jefferson. A ten-cent stamp
green, had a l-caG of Washington, as hal
also a twelve-cent stamp, black. and
enty-four-cent stamp, lilac. The thirty
cent stamp. orange, had n head of Franklin
The twenty. four and thirty six-cent stamps
were issued in 1856. In that year a ninety
cent stamp was issued with head of Wash
ington in square. This was blue stamr
The first perforated stamp issued by tn
United States was III 1855. This was a 10
cent stamp. green. and had the head o
Washington III a square. The next year
Scent stamp, red, with Washington's head
and a brown stamp with Jeiferson's hea
and worth cents, perforated. came int