Postage Stamps of the United States - 1856
Politics
President
Franklin Pierce
Postmaster General:
James Campbell
Music
Click Control Above To Hear
1856 "Keep Step to the Music"
Postage Rates
Domestic Letter Rate under 3000 mi. per ½ oz.: Three Cents - Prepayment compulsory, stamp now required
Domestic Letter Rate over 3000 mi. per ½ oz.: Ten Cents - Prepayment compulsory, stamp required
Foreign Letter Rate under 2500 mi. per ½ oz.: Ten Cents - except where otherwise adjusted by treaty
Foreign Letter Rate over 2500 mi. per ½ oz.:Twenty Cents - except where otherwise adjusted by treaty
Rate for Drop Letters: One Cent- prepayment not required - no weight restrictions
Rate for Newspapers and Circulars up to 3 oz.: One Cent, with one cent for each additional oz.
Carrier Fee (not available in all cities): One Cent
Registry Fee: Five Cents (no return receipt to sender) - paid in cash, no stamp necessary
Stamps
5¢ Jefferson of 1856 Type I
Ordinary issue Imperforate
1¢ Blue Franklin Plate 3 - Type II (May 1856)
5¢ Red Brown Type I Jefferson - Issued in early 1856 - EDU: Mar. 24, 1856 - over 150,000 issued
Commemoratives: The first Commemorative stamps were not issued until 1893
Special Delivery: The first Special Delivery stamps were not issued until 1885
Postage Dues: The first Postage Due Stamps were not issued until 1879
see also: Designs of the 1851-1860 Regular Issues
