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United States State Department |
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The Dollar Values |
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Due to their imposing size, high denominations, and scarcity (the $5 is the rarest face different United States postage stamp), a mystique and prestige surrounds the State Department dollar values. |
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The artist's model, essays, proofs, trial color proofs, inverted proofs, special printings, multiples and usage shown here form the most complete collection of this material ever assembled and exhibited. |
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Space limitations prevent inclusion of hybrid large die proofs and one of four known complete sets of India plate proof sheets. Official stamps authorized on March 3, 1873 included 1 cent through 90 cent values for use of the nine departments of the Executive branch. |
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Dollar values however, were prepared only for the State Department which sent parcels around the world. Such bulky mail required significant amounts of postage prior to adoption of the attempted standardized lower General Postal Union rates in 1875, and the broader Universal postal Union (U.P.U.) rates of 1 April, 1878. |
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Penalty franks introduced in 1877 had little effect on dollar value use as franks were not recognized as valid postage by foreign governments. However, an 1879 U.P.U. ruling must have curtailed their usage as only generally issued postage stamps were declared valid on foreign mail. |
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A single cover, shown here, has survived to demonstrate the use of these stamps. Postally used $10 and $20 values are so rare it has been theorized they were never affixed to overseas parcels, but were used as receipts by the Post Office Department to account for postal services rendered. |
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The provenance of most of this material is from the collections of Congressman E.R. Ackerman, the Earl of Crawford, Rae D. Ehrenberg, Ernest Griswold, James Hughes, Edward Knapp, Serg Korff, Josiah Lilly, Thomas F. Morris, Jr., Philip H. Ward, Morrison Waud, and Raymond and Roger Weill. |
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e-mail: bob markovits |
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copyright © 2000-04 fran adams |
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