USA Special Del1ivery Stamps 1885-1955
ne of the world’s earliest moves towards increasing the speed of letter deliveries by the use of special stamps occurred in the United States in 1885 with a rather bland and bureaucratic Congressional announcement: It is enacted that the use of a special stamp of ten cents face value shall be regarded, when attached to a letter in addition to the lawful postage, as entitling the letter to immediate delivery. The American Banknote Company printed the first of those Special Delivery stamps, and the issue commenced on 1 October of that year. In appearance
