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U.S.A. - Newspaper And Periodical
Stamps

During the Mid-1800's, the United States Post Office Department began losing a greater and
greater share of Mail Delivery to Private Express Companies. In March 1845 the "USPOD" was
given a monopoly on letters, but this did not affect the Delivery of Newspapers and
Periodicals. Private Companies continued to Deliver Papers from Publishers to Distributor.

Newspapers Stamps originated in 1865, just after the Civil War, as an extension of an 1863 Act
of Congress that allowed for bulk postage rates on Newspapers. This was inteded to help
recaptured some of the lagging Newspaper business.

The first Stamps were intended to be placed on bundless of Papers to prepay postage on bulk
shipments. Later Stamps were affixed to the "USPOD" Memorandums and retained; in both
cases, genuinely used examples were scarce.

On July 1°, 1898, the use of Newspaper Stamps was discontinued and all remainders were
turned into the "USPOD". Sets of devalued Stamps including denominations to $100.00 were
offered for a short time to Collectors for $5.00, almost 27.000 Sets were sold!.

During the Years following, Newspaper Stamps became popular with Collectors and many
Forgeries appeared on the Market.

Today, many of what many consider to be the most attractive United States Postage Stamps,
Scott PR1-PR25 are very scarce and costly. Yet some examples can be purchased for as little
as $3.00 or $50.00 dollars!.

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Rodolfo / rtvstamps
Resource: (My archives-1994).

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