The USPCS presents a talk on US stampless mail by Robert G. Rose, hosted at the APS Virtual Stamp Show! The talk will be held on Tuesday, August 18 from 4:00 to 5:00 through the APS Virtual Stamp Show site.
Rose will talk in depth about the development of the postal system in the United States, from the establishment of the Congressional Post in 1775 to the end of the “Stampless Period” in 1855.
What did the mail look like before the use of stamps? Rates were determined by the distance traveled and indicated by handstamp or notation. This presentation will include examples of these handstamp devices, and a display of early postal markings in a variety of colors and designs.
Even after the first US postage stamps were issued in 1847, stampless mail was still permitted until 1855. The presentation will discuss this transitional period and include covers featuring both the 1847 and 1851 stamp issues.
Please plan to attend this USPCS event, as it promises to be an interesting look at the early postal history of the United States.
Rose is a Regional VP for the USPCS, Chairman of the Board for the Philatelic Foundation, an award winning exhibitor, and holds positions in other stamp societies including the Collectors Club, United States Stamp Society, and New Jersey Postal History Society.
