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U.S. Executive Department Official Stamps |
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The United States Official stamps were issued to the nine government departments of the Executive Branch (including the Executive Mansion) for use beginning July 1, 1873. Congress had abolished the free franking mail privilege for government officials after widespread abuses produced huge postal deficits. The Postmaster General authorized the Continental Bank Note Company of New York to prepare Official stamps. Designs were quickly adapted from the regular issue banknote stamps which Continental was then printing, with five denominations assigned to the Executive Mansion -- 1, 2, 3, 6 and 10¢, the smallest number for any department. These stamps were supposedly valid only on official mail but the rules were bent with regard to the office of the President. Stamp collectors could purchase the special printings of 1875, which were ungummed and overprinted 'SPECIMEN' to prevent postal use. |
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The Official stamps were not popular, therefore, on March 3, 1877, penalty franks were authorized for the department offices only in Washington, D.C. Some departments converted immediately as did President Rutherford B. Hayes, who deemed the penalty frank as the only means to pay postage on official mail from the Executive Mansion, while using the remaining supply of Executive stamps only for personal mail. |
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This exhibit contains the initial unique design sketch by Joseph Claxton. A displayed autograph sheet of President Grant's cabinet with the cardboard proof for the Executive and the colors of all department stamps. The word DEPT. was to be added to the word Executive but since the Executive Mansion was not a department, the design was changed; two submitted essays are shown. The five color special proof issue for the Industrial Exposition in Atlanta, Ga. from October 1, 1881 to December 31, 1881 is displayed. Specimens are shown but no 'SEPCIMEN' error occurred on these stamps. A renumbered plate block (81 was assigned to the 30¢ War so 82 had to be etched in), is an eye-catching government printing error. Also included is the rare position 40 variety of the two cent specimen, where the 6¢ Agriculture had initially been entered on the plate then rubbed out. |
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All known multiples are shown as no non-reconstructed six cent block is reported. The two cent block of four with plate number 75 is the only surviving plate piece on the Executives and the one cent block of six is the only such multiple in existence. The variety of cancels used is very limited and selected ones are present. |
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Covers include two of the six uses from President U.S. Grant's summer White House in Long Branch, N.J. with the only known free frank and the strip of five with purple star cancels of the 10¢ denomination, the largest used multiple of the issue and a highlight of this collection. The only two one cent covers reported, one of six 1-2¢ combination covers, the largest known multiple and latest use of the three cent, a pair of six cent values overpaying the lO¢ G.P.U. double rate, and the only 2-3¢ correct 5¢ G.P.U. rated cover. The latest cover shown is used January 19, 1880. The stamps were only used during the administrations of presidnets U.S. Grant and R.B. Hayes, not later. |
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e-mail: bob markovits |
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copyright © 2000-04 fran adams |
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