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  • First Westbound Sailing Under the Retaliatory Rates

    One of three known examples of the large crude New York Post Office 24c hand stamp, and the only one on a cover bearing the British 1sh embossed adhesive.   Beginning in July 1, 1840, Samuel Cunard's line of British … Continue Reading…

    First Westbound Sailing Under the Retaliatory Rates

  • NY Postmaster Provisional – Blue Paper Pair

    The colors of the paper on which the NY Provisional was printed include bluish-white, gray and blue.  Bluish-white accounts for perhaps 95% of all stamps.  The others - blue and gray - are believed to have come from the … Continue Reading…

    NY Postmaster Provisional – Blue Paper Pair

  • Burma to Boston 1855 via Southampton

    This 0-1/2 oz. tissue paper letter was datelined in Henthada, Burma on Feb. 17, 1855 and sent to Boston.  A pair of the first Issue of India paid the rate to Calcutta, but it was unpaid thereafter.  From there it took … Continue Reading…

    Burma to Boston 1855 via Southampton

  • Patriotic Cover From China

    Patriotic sent from overseas are very scarce.   This cover was sent from Hong Kong on September 11, 1861 via various P&O steamers to Marseilles, and from there to Liverpool where it took the Cunard steamer Niagara to … Continue Reading…

    Patriotic Cover From China

  • Four Color Franking to India

    From the Goddard correspondence, this 1/2 - 3/4 oz. letter was sent from Nathaniel Goddard in Boston to his brother Benjamin in Calcutta. Sent by British Open Mail on an American packet, it was prepaid 42c in stamps … Continue Reading…

    Four Color Franking to India

  • Boston La Hogue

    This cover was sent from Glasgow to New York during the War of 1812. The ship that carried it was stopped by the British and, as noted at the top, it was "opened by the commander of the La Hogue." The ship Henry … Continue Reading…

    Boston La Hogue

  • B Free Franklin

    Front of a letter from Benjamin Franklin in London to his wife in Philadelphia, circa 1765-1774. Dr. Franklin was appointed Deputy Postmaster General for North America in 1753. He moved to London in 1764, ostensibly … Continue Reading…

    B Free Franklin

  • London to Philadelphia 1756

    1756 Letter from London to Philadelphia, carried by the British packet service from Falmouth to New York. When the French and Indian War began in 1754, the British realized they need faster communication with their … Continue Reading…

    London to Philadelphia 1756

  • Bristol to Philadelphia 1775

    1775 letter from Bristol by Falmouth packet, carried through the British blockade of New York harbor. War broke out in April 1775 with the battles of Lexington and Concord. American attacks on British ships soon … Continue Reading…

    Bristol to Philadelphia 1775

U.S. Cancellations 1845-1869 Online

The USPCS is excited to offer an expansive new resource for collectors: the U.S. Cancellations 1845-1869 Online. This update to the original 1980 Skinner & Eno publication is a living digital document that will be regularly updated to include new information and discoveries.

This new cancellation resource includes updated listings, color images, and uses on cover.

Read more...

Who We Are & What We Do

uspcs medallionThe U.S. Philatelic Classics Society is a nonprofit association of people interested in the pre-1894 stamps and postal history of the United States. Our goal is to encourage philatelic research and the exchange of information among our members and other philatelic organizations. We welcome anyone interested in the classic era of United States philately to join.

This website supports a wide variety of platforms and includes society news, a growing number of censuses of classic postal history, a collection of award winning exhibits, a large downloadable philatelic library, and other research material on classic philately.

The society publishes The Chronicle of the U.S. Classic Postal Issues, a full color, over one-hundred page quarterly journal. For members, the entire text of all issues is downloadable from our website and is fully searchable. For non-members, all but the last twenty issues (rolling five years).

CG International recognized The Chronicle with their annual award for promoting the presentation of philatelic knowledge in print and digital format.

Congratulations!  The U.S. Philatelic Classics Society has been awarded a Gold in the 2018 APS Website Award Competition.  This award recognizes website excellence.  On behalf of the entire community of collectors, thank you for your great work which exemplifies the very best that is happening out in the local stamp communities.  Over the years to come, we will continue building the hobby through leaders like you.  Thanks again for all that you do!

2013 Vermeil Winner

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