1975 10c U.S. Postal Services Bicentennial: Airplanes

U.S. #1574

1975 10¢ Airplanes
U.S. Postal Service Bicentennial 

Issue Date: September 3, 1975

City: Philadelphia, PA

Quantity: 42,163,750

Printed By: Bureau of Engraving and Printing

Printing Method: Photogravure

Perforations: 11 x 10 ½

Color: Multicolored

This stamp is part of a block of four stamps displaying the different modes of transportation used for conveying mail over the years by road, rail, air, and space. The stamps were issued in observance of the U.S. Postal Department’s 200th anniversary.

United States Postal Department Created

As tensions grew between the colonies and England in 1775, the Continental Congress established the United States Postal Department and named Benjamin Franklin to be its first postmaster general. Franklin had served as the postmaster of Philadelphia and as Joint Postmaster General under England’s rule and brought considerable experience to his new position. During his tenure, Franklin standardized rates, surveyed routes, erected milestones along long-distance delivery routes, and slashed delivery time between major cities by half. The postal agency was headquartered in Philadelphia until the capitol was moved to Washington, D.C., in 1800.