Postage Stamps of the United States - 1859
Politics
President
James Buchanan
Postmaster General:
1/1-3/13: Aaron V. Brown
3/14-12/31: Joseph Holt
Music
Click Control Above To Hear
1859 "America Beloved, Revered"
Postage Rates
Domestic Letter Rate under 3000 mi. per ½ oz.: Three Cents - Prepayment compulsory, stamp 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: 5¢ (no return receipt to sender) - paid in cash, no stamp required
Stamps
The following postage stamp varieties were first issued by the U.S. in 1859:
1¢ Franklin Type V (Plate 9 - EDU: Aug. 2, 1859)
5¢ Brown (pale to deep) Type I Jefferson - EDU: March 21 - est. 510,000 issued
10¢ Green Washington Type V - EDU: April 29 - over 10 million 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
