List of United States airmail stamps explained

Domestic U.S. Air Mail was established as a new class of mail service by the United States Post Office Department (POD) on May 15, 1918, with the inauguration of the Washington - Philadelphia - New York route. Special postage stamps were issued for use with this service.[1] Domestic air mail became obsolete in 1975, and international air mail[2] in 1995, when the USPS began transporting First Class mail by air on a routine basis.[3] [4] All post-1977 United States stamp images are copyright of USPS.

Scott cataloged stamps received a "C" designation for airmail issues beginning in 1940. Designated for international mail, and showing a small airplane, the January, 2012 $1.05 Scenic America series issue was designated C150. However, with the January, 2013 issue of the $1.10 Global Forever Stamp no specific airmail purpose was shown in the design. Rather, the Postal Service stated that this "stamp offers a single price for any First-Class Mail International 1-ounce letter to any country in the world."[5] Thus a regular series Scott number, 4740, was designated.

1918–1919

| May 13, 1918 || 24¢ Rose & Blue
|| Inverted Curtis Jenny Biplane
Design: Claire Aubrey Huston
Engravers: J. Eissler and Edward M. Hall || 8493 T, 8493 B ||
see also || ~100 (1 plate) Error|-| May 13, 1918 || 24¢ Rose & Blue
|| Curtis Jenny Biplane
Design: Claire Aubrey Huston
Engravers: J. Eissler and Edward M. Hall || 8492 T, 8493 T || || 3,095,955[6] |-| July 11, 1918 || 16¢ Green
|| Curtis Jenny Biplane
Design: Claire Aubrey Huston
Engravers: J. Eissler and Edward M. Hall || F8900 T || || 3,793,987|-| December 10, 1918 || 6¢ Orange
|| Curtis Jenny Biplane
Design: Claire Aubrey Huston
Engravers: J. Eissler and Edward M. Hall || 1955 T, Unused plate: 9164[7] || || 2,134,988|}Reference:[8]

1920–1929

| August 15, 1923 || 8¢ Dark Green
|| De Havilland Airplane Propeller and Radiator
Design: C. A. Huston
Engraved: H. Dawson and E. M. Weeks || 14824–14827 L (four plates) || || 6,414,576|-| August 17, 1923 || 16¢ Dark Blue
|| U.S. Air Mail Service Insignia
Design: C. A. Huston
Engraved: H. Dawson and E. M. Hall || 14828-14831 L (four plates) || || 5,309,275|-| August 21, 1923 || 24¢ Carmine Rose
|| De Havilland DH-4 Biplane
Design: C. A. Huston
Engraved: J. Eissler and E. M. Hall || 14840–14843 L (four plates) || || 5,285,775|-| February 13, 1926 || 10¢ Dark Blue
|| Map of the U.S. & two planes
Design: C. A. Huston || 18246 R, 18247 B || || more than 42,092,800|-| September 18, 1926 || 15¢ Olive Brown
|| Map of the U.S. & two planes
Design: C. A. Huston || 18746 L || || 15,597,307|-| January 25, 1927 || 20¢ Yellow Green
|| Map of the U.S. & two planes
Design: C. A. Huston || 18898 R, F18892 B || || 17,616,350|-| June 18, 1927 || 10¢ Dark Blue
|| Spirit of St. Louis || 18999 R, 19427 || || 20,379,179|-| July 25, 1928 || 5¢ Carmine & Blue
|| Beacon on Sherman Hill
Design: A.R. Meissner || 19570 T, 19701 T (red)
19546 T (blue) || || 106,887,675|}Reference:[9]

1930–1939

| February 10, 1930 || 5¢ Violet
|| Winged Globe
Design: Alvin R. Meissner || 19944 L || || 97,641,200|-| April 19, 1930 || 65¢ Green
|| Graf Zeppelin over the Atlantic || 20077 L || || 93,536 sold|-| April 19, 1930 || $1.30 Brown
|| Graf Zeppelin over the Atlantic || 20085 B || || 72,428 sold|-| April 19, 1930 || $2.60 Blue
|| Graf Zeppelin
See also: 1930 Graf Zeppelin stamps || 20092 R || || 61,296 sold|-| August 19, 1931 || 5¢ Violet
|| Winged Globe
Design: Alvin R. Meissner || 20606 LL || || 57,340,050|-| September 26, 1932 || 8¢ Olive Bistre
|| Winged Globe
Design: Alvin R. Meissner || 21030 UR || || 76,648,803|-| October 2, 1933 || 50¢ Green
|| Graf Zeppelin || 21172 B || || 324,070|-| June 30, 1934 || 6¢ Dull Orange
|| Winged Globe
Design: Alvin R. Meissner || 22135 UL || || 302,205,100|-| August 30, 1934 || 16¢ Dark Blue || Great Seal of the U.S.
(Air Mail Special Delivery) || 21313, 21313 F
– Reprinted imperforate, 1935
|| || 9,215,750|-| November 22, 1935 || 25¢ Blue || China Clipper
Design: Alvin R. Meissner || 21473 || || 10,205,400|-| February 10, 1936 || 16¢ Carmine & Blue || Great Seal of the U.S.
(Air Mail Special Delivery) || 21497 F, 21495 F, 21493 || || 72,517,850|-| February 15, 1937 || 20¢ Green
|| China Clipper
Design: Alvin R. Meissner || 21622|| || 12,794,600|-| February 15, 1937 || 50¢ Carmine
|| China Clipper
Design: Alvin R. Meissner || 21624 || || 9,285,300|-| May 14, 1938 || 6¢ Carmine & Blue || Eagle and Shield || || || 349,946,500|-| May 16, 1939 || 30¢ Blue
|| Winged Globe
Design: Alvin R. Meissner || F22384 T, 22381 || || 19,768,150|}Reference:[10]

1940–1949

| June 25, 1941 || 6¢ Carmine
(200 Subject Electric Eye Plates)
|| The Twin-Motored Transport Plane || Following are shared among the 1941 issues:
40 plates between 22752-23349
& 22756-9 (4 plates) || || 4,746,527,700|-| March 21, 1944 || 8¢ Olive Green
(200 Subject Electric Eye Plates)
|| The Twin-Motored Transport Plane || 23126 || || 1,744,878,650|-| August 15, 1941 || 10¢ Violet
(200 Subject Electric Eye Plates)
|| The Twin-Motored Transport Plane || || || 67,117,400|-| August 10, 1941 || 15¢ Brown
(200 Subject Electric Eye Plates)
|| The Twin-Motored Transport Plane || || || 78,434,800|-| August 27, 1941 || 20¢ Green
(200 Subject Electric Eye Plates)
|| The Twin-Motored Transport Plane || || || 42,359,850|-| September 25, 1941 || 30¢ Blue
(200 Subject Electric Eye Plates)
|| The Twin-Motored Transport Plane || || || 59,880,850|-| October 29, 1941 || 50¢ Orange
(200 Subject Electric Eye Plates) || The Twin-Motored Transport Plane || 22779 || || 11,160,600|-| September 26, 1946 || 5¢ Carmine
|| DC-4 Skymaster || 22778, 22779 || || 72,517,850|-| March 26, 1947 || 5¢ Carmine
(400 Subject Electric Eye Plates)
|| DC-4 Skymaster || 23486, 23588, 23973, 25422 || || 971,903,700|-| August 30, 1947 || 10¢ Black
(200 Subject Electric Eye Plates)
|| Martin 2-0-2 over Pan American Union Building, Wash. D.C. ||

23694 || || 207,976,550|-| August 20, 1947 || 15¢ Green
(200 Subject Electric Eye Plates)
|| Lockheed Constellation over New York Skyline ||
23683 || || 756,186,350|-| July 30, 1947 || 25¢ Blue
(200 Subject Electric Eye Plates)
|| Stratocruiser over the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge ||
25615 || || 132,956,100|-| January 15, 1948 || 5¢ Carmine || DC-4 Skymaster || || || 33,244,500|-| July 31, 1948 || 5¢ Red || New York City || 23846, 23851 || || 38,449,100|-| January 18, 1949 || 6¢ Carmine || DC-4 Skymaster || || || 5,070,095,200|-| May 11, 1948 || 6¢ Carmine || Alexandria Bicentennial || 24085 || || 75,085,000|-| August 25, 1949 || 6¢ Carmine || DC-4 Skymaster || || || 260,307,500|-| November 18, 1949 || 10¢ Violet || U.P.U. P.O. Building || || || 21,061,300|-| October 7, 1949 || 15¢ Ultramarine || U.P.U. Globe and Doves || || || 36,613,100|-| November 30, 1949 || 25¢ Rose || U.P.U. Boeing Stratocruiser || || || 16,217,100|-| December 17, 1949 || 6¢ Magenta || Wright Brothers || 24158 || || 80,405,000|}Reference:[11] [12]

1950–1959

| March 28, 1952 || 80¢ Red Violet || Diamond Head, Hawaii || 24592-4 (3 plate) || || 18,876,800|-| May 29, 1953 || 6¢ Carmine || 50 Years of Powered Flight || || |-| September 9, 1954 || 4¢ Blue || Eagle || 25034-35, 40–41 (4 plate) || |-| August 1, 1957 || 6¢ Blue || U.S. Air Force, 50th Anniversary || 25763 || |-| July 31, 1958 || 5¢ Red || Eagle || 26052 || |-| July 31, 1958 || 7¢ Blue || Jet Silhouette || 26046 || |-| July 31, 1958 || 7¢ Blue || Jet Silhouette || – small holes || |-| January 3, 1959 || 7¢ Blue || Alaska Statehood || 26225 || |-| August 17, 1959 || 7¢ Red & Blue || Jupiter Balloon || 26392 || |-| August 21, 1959 || 7¢ Rose || Hawaii Statehood || 26432 || |-| August 27, 1959 || 10¢ Blue & Red || Pan Am Games || 26413 || |-| November 20, 1959 || 15¢ Orange & Black || Statue of Liberty || 26482 || |}

1960–1969

| June 10, 1960 || 10¢ Green & Black || Liberty Bell
Number issued: 39,960,000 || 26630 || |-| April 22, 1960 || 25¢ Maroon & Black || Abraham Lincoln || 26563 || |-| August 12, 1960 || 7¢ Red || Jet Silhouette || 26714 || |-| October 22, 1960 || 7¢ Red || Jet Silhouette || || |-| June 28, 1961 || 13¢ Red & Black || Liberty Bell || 26970 || |-| January 13, 1961 || 15¢ Orange & Black || Statue of Liberty || 26878 || |-| December 5, 1962 || 8¢ Red
400 Subjects || Jetliner Over Capitol Building || – Booklet Pane of 5 + Label
28024 || |-| December 5, 1962 || 8¢ Red
(Perforated 10 Horizontally) || Jetliner Over Capitol Building || || |-| May 3, 1963 || 15¢ Red, Brown & Blue || Montgomery Blair
Number issued: 42,245,000
Design: Robert J. Jones || 27466 || |-| July 12, 1963 || 6¢ Red || Eagle
Design: V. S. McCloskey || 27390 || |-| July 24, 1963 || 8¢ Carmine & Maroon || Amelia Earhart
Number issued: 63,890,000
Design: Robert J. Jones || 27548 || |-| October 5, 1964 || 8¢ Blue & Red || Robert Goddard
Number issued: 62,255,000 || 27861 || |-| March 30, 1967 || 8¢ Brown || Alaska Purchase
Number issued: 55,710,000 || 29013 || |-| April 26, 1967 || 20¢ Multicolored || Audubon "Columbia Jays"
Number issued: more than 50 million || 29087 || |-| January 5, 1968 || 10¢ Red || Runway || 29518 || |-| January 5, 1968 || 10¢ Red || Runway || || |-| April 4, 1968 || $1 Multicolored || Airlift || || |-| May 15, 1968 || 10¢ Red, Blue & Black || 50th Anniversary of Air Mail || 29673 || |-| November 22, 1968 || 20¢ Red, Black & Blue || Jet & "USA" || 30510 || |-| September 9, 1969 || 10¢ Multicolored || Moon Landing
Number issued: 152,364,800
Design: Paul Calle || – red omitted
– tagging omitted
31378 || |}

1970–1979

| May 15, 1971 || 9¢ Red || Jet Silhouette || 32946 || |-| May 7, 1971 || 11¢ Red || Jet Silhouette || 33020 || |-| November 10, 1973 || 13¢ Red || Winged Letter || 34584 || |-| July 13, 1971 || 17¢ Red, Green & Black || Statue of Liberty || 33096 || |-| May 21, 1971 || 21¢ Red & Blue || USA || 33279 || |-| May 7, 1971 || 11¢ Red || Jet Silhouette || || |-| December 27, 1973 || 13¢ Red || Winged Letter || || |-| May 3, 1972 || 11¢ Multicolored || City of Refuge || 33463 || |-| August 17, 1972 || 11¢ Blue, Black, Green, Red & Yellow || Winter Olympics, Sapporo, Skiing || 33322-6 || |-| July 10, 1973 || 11¢ Multicolored || Progress in Electronics || 34192 || |-| January 11, 1974 || 18¢ Black, Red & Blue || Statue of Liberty || 34931, 34959 || |-| January 2, 1974 || 26¢ Black, Red & Blue || Mount Rushmore || 34875 || |-| January 2, 1976 || 25¢ Red, Black & Blue || Plane & Globes || 36957 || |-| January 2, 1976 || 31¢ Red, Black & Blue || Plane & Globes || 36981 || |-| September 23, 1978 || 31¢ Multicolored || Wright Brothers || || |-| September 23, 1978 || 31¢ Multicolored || Wright Brothers || || |-| March 29, 1979 || 21¢ Multicolored || Octave Chanute || 38856 || |-| March 29, 1979 || 21¢ Multicolored || Octave Chanute || || |-| November 20, 1979 || 25¢ Multicolored || Wiley Post || 39197 || |-| November 20, 1979 || 25¢ Multicolored || Wiley Post || || |-| November 1, 1979 || 31¢ Multicolored || Olympics || || |}

1980–1989

| October 13, 1980 || 40¢ Multicolored || Philip Mazzei ||
(1980) – perf 10 1/2x11 1/2 || |-| December 30, 1980 || 28¢ Multicolored || Blanche Stuart Scott || || |-| December 30, 1980 || 35¢ Multicolored || Glenn Curtiss || || |-| June 17, 1983 || 28¢ Multicolored || Olympics || || |-| June 17, 1983 || 28¢ Multicolored || Olympics || || |-| June 17, 1983 || 28¢ Multicolored || Olympics || || |-`| June 17, 1983 || 28¢ Multicolored || Olympics || || |-| April 8, 1983 || 40¢ Multicolored || Olympics || – block || |-| April 8, 1983 || 40¢ Multicolored || Olympics || – block || |-| April 8, 1983 || 40¢ Multicolored || Olympics || – block || |-| April 8, 1983 || 40¢ Multicolored || Olympics || – block || |-| November 4, 1983 || 35¢ Multicolored || Olympics || || |-| November 4, 1983 || 35¢ Multicolored || Olympics || || |-| November 4, 1983 || 35¢ Multicolored || Olympics || || |-| November 4, 1983 || 35¢ Multicolored || Olympics || || |-| February 13, 1985 || 33¢ Multicolored || Alfred V. Verville || || |-| February 13, 1985 || 39¢ Multicolored || Lawrence and Elmer Sperry || || |-| June 10, 1985 || 44¢ Multicolored || Transpacific 50th Anniversary || || |-| August 22, 1985 || 44¢ Multicolored || Junipero Serra || || |-| March 29, 1988 || 44¢ Multicolored || New Sweden Settling || || |-| July 14, 1988 || 45¢ Multicolored || Samuel P. Langley || – overall tagging || |-| June 23, 1988 || 36¢ Multicolored || Igor Sikorsky || || |-| July 14, 1989 || 45¢ Multicolored || French Revolution || || |-| October 12, 1989 || 45¢ Multicolored || Pre-Columbian America || || |-| November 27, 1989 || 45¢ Multicolored || Future Mail Delivery || || |-| November 27, 1989 || 45¢ Multicolored || Future Mail Delivery || || |-| November 27, 1989 || 45¢ Multicolored || Future Mail Delivery || || |-| November 27, 1989 || 45¢ Multicolored || Future Mail Delivery || || |-| November 24, 1989 || $1.80 Multicolored || Future Mail Delivery Miniature sheet|| || |}

1990–2012

| October 12, 1990 || 45¢ Multicolored || Tropical Coast || A1111 UL || |-| April 27, 1991 || 50¢ Multicolored || Harriet Quimby ||
S1111 LL
– Perf 11.2
S2222 LR || |-| May 17, 1991 || 40¢ Multicolored || William T. Piper || A1111 UL || |-| June 21, 1991 || 50¢ Multicolored || Antarctic Treaty || S1111 UR || |-| October 12, 1991 || 50¢ Multicolored || Bering Land Bridge || 111111 LR || |-| 1993 || 40¢ Multicolored || William T. Piper || S1111 LR || |-| May 12, 1999 || 48¢ Multicolored || Niagara Falls || V11111 UL (First of the Scenic American Landscapes Series[13])|| |-| July 30, 1999 || 40¢ Multicolored || Rio Grande || V11111 LR || |-| January 20, 2000 || 60¢ Multicolored || Grand Canyon || B1111 UR
– die cutting omitted error
B1111 UR || |-| March 6, 2001 || 70¢ Multicolored || Nine-Mile Prairie || P11111 LL || |-| April 17, 2001 || 80¢ Multicolored || Mount McKinley || V11111 UL || |-| May 20, 2001 || 60¢ Multicolored || Acadia National Park || – 2001 year date, prephosphored, die cut 11.25 x 11.5 (B1111 UR)
– 2001 year date, overall tagging, die cut 11.5 x 11.9 (B2222 UR)
– 2005 year date (S1111 UR)
– Acadia error, printed on the backing paper (S1111 LR) || |-| February 22, 2006 || 63¢ Multicolored || Bryce Canyon, Utah || S22222 LL || |-| February 22, 2006 || 75¢ Multicolored || Great Smoky Mountains || P11111 LR || |-| February 22, 2006 || 84¢ Multicolored || Yosemite National Park || V11111 UR || |-| June 1, 2007 || 69¢ Multicolored || Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge || P11111 LL || |-| June 1, 2007 || 90¢ Multicolored || Hagatña Bay, Guam || V11111 UR || |-| May 16, 2008 || 72¢ Multicolored || 13-Mile Woods, New Hampshire || S11111 UL || |-| May 16, 2008 || 94¢ Multicolored || St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands || V11111 LL || |-| June 28, 2009 || 79¢ Multicolored || Zion National Park || || |-| June 28, 2009 || 98¢ Multicolored || Grand Teton National Park || || |-| April 11, 2011 || 80¢ Multicolored || Voyageurs National Park || || |-| January 19, 2012 || 85¢ Multicolored || Glacier National Park || || |-| January 20, 2012 || $1.05 Multicolored || Lancaster County, Pennsylvania || |||}

See also

References

Notes and References

  1. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1400048427 The Official Blackbook Price Guide to U.S. Postage Stamps 2005
  2. Web site: United States Postage stamps: 1847 through 1947 ~ The first 100 years . Junior Philatelists . 2009-05-04.
  3. Web site: Airmails C1-C15 . Usstamps.coinsandstamps.com . 2009-05-04 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090621221556/http://usstamps.coinsandstamps.com/Airmails/airmailsc1c15.htm . 2009-06-21 .
  4. Web site: U.S. Airmail Stamp Color Catalog . Stampandcoin.com . 2014 . 2019-07-17.
  5. Web site: Global Forever . 2013-09-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131009095711/https://store.usps.com/store/browse/productDetailSingleSku.jsp?productId=S_578804&categoryId=subcatS_S_Sheets . 2013-10-09 . dead .
  6. Web site: Air Mail Issues of the United States: 1918–1944 . 1847usa.com . 2011-12-09.
  7. Web site: Joe . Kirker . 6-cent Curtiss Jenny . First Airmail Issues . . May 18, 2006 . 2013-09-08 .
  8. Web site: Stamps from 1918–1919 . . 2019-02-02.
  9. Web site: Stamps from 1920-1929 . . 2019-02-02.
  10. Web site: Stamps from 1930-1939 . . 2019-02-02.
  11. Web site: Stamps from 1940-1949 . . 2019-02-02.
  12. Web site: Alaska Coin Exchange Presents Stamp Plate Block Collection Book One Scott #C40 Alexandria Bicentennial & C45 Wright Brothers Air Post Air Mail Stamps . Coinandstampgallery.com . 2009-05-04 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110508220352/http://www.coinandstampgallery.com/Plate_Block_1/Plate%20Block%20V1%20102.htm . 2011-05-08 .
  13. https://www.mysticstamp.com/info/scenic-american-landscapes/#comment-8478 Scenic American Landscapes
  14. Flat Plate Printing – A printing process in which stamps are printed from a flat plate pressed straight down onto the blank sheet. The gum on the back of a Flat Plate stamp will be smooth.
  15. [Rotary printing press|Rotary Press Printing]
  16. Perf 11
  17. Perf 11 x 10½
  18. Perf 10½ x 11
  19. Perf 10 Vertical
  20. [Coil stamp]
  21. Web site: Stamp Q and A . Stamp Paraphernalia.com . 2009-05-04.
  22. Note: all plate numbers referenced from: http://www.apnss.org/Airmails.htm
  23. dry technique, from 5 to 10% moisture content, more sharp
  24. wet technique, from 15 to 35% moisture content, less sharp

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