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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.[5]

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."[6] Thus a regular series Scott number, 4740, was designated.

1918–1919

Date Issued Type Subject Plate No. Image No. Issued
May 13, 1918 24¢ Rose & Blue
Size: +7⁄8 x +3⁄4 inch		 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
Size: +7⁄8 x +3⁄4 inch		 Curtis Jenny Biplane
Design: Claire Aubrey Huston
Engravers: J. Eissler and Edward M. Hall		 8492 T, 8493 T 3,095,955[7]
July 11, 1918 16¢ Green
Size: +7⁄8 x +3⁄4 inch		 Curtis Jenny Biplane
Design: Claire Aubrey Huston
Engravers: J. Eissler and Edward M. Hall		 F8900 T 3,793,987
December 10, 1918 6¢ Orange
Size: +7⁄8 x +3⁄4 inch		 Curtis Jenny Biplane
Design: Claire Aubrey Huston
Engravers: J. Eissler and Edward M. Hall		 1955 T, Unused plate: 9164[8] 2,134,988

Reference:[9]

1920–1929

Date Issued Type Subject Plate No. Image No. Issued
August 15, 1923 8¢ Dark Green
Size: +7⁄8 x +3⁄4 inch		 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
Size: +7⁄8 x +3⁄4 inch		 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
Size: +7⁄8 x +3⁄4 inch		 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
Size: 1+84⁄100 x +75⁄100 inch		 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
Size: 1+84⁄100 x +75⁄100 inch		 Map of the U.S. & two planes
Design: C. A. Huston		 18746 L 15,597,307
January 25, 1927 20¢ Yellow Green
Size: 1+84⁄100 x +75⁄100 inch		 Map of the U.S. & two planes
Design: C. A. Huston		 18898 R, F18892 B 17,616,350
June 18, 1927 10¢ Dark Blue
Size: 1+84⁄100 x +75⁄100 inch		 Spirit of St. Louis 18999 R, 19427 20,379,179
July 25, 1928 5¢ Carmine & Blue
Size: 1+15⁄32 x 1+3⁄32 inch		 Beacon on Sherman Hill
Design: A.R. Meissner		 19570 T, 19701 T (red)
19546 T (blue)		 106,887,675

Reference:[10]

1930–1939

Date Issued Type Subject Plate No. Image No. Issued
February 10, 1930 5¢ Violet[P 1]
Size: 1+84⁄100 x +75⁄100 inch		 Winged Globe
Design: Alvin R. Meissner		 19944 L 97,641,200
April 19, 1930 65¢ Green
Size: 1+84⁄100 x +75⁄100 inch		 Graf Zeppelin over the Atlantic 20077 L 93,536 sold
April 19, 1930 $1.30 Brown
Size: 1+84⁄100 x +75⁄100 inch		 Graf Zeppelin over the Atlantic 20085 B 72,428 sold
April 19, 1930 $2.60 Blue
Size: 1+84⁄100 x +75⁄100 inch		 Graf Zeppelin
See also: 1930 Graf Zeppelin stamps		 20092 R 61,296 sold
August 19, 1931 5¢ Violet[P 2]
Size: 1+84⁄100 x +75⁄100 inch		 Winged Globe
Design: Alvin R. Meissner		 20606 LL 57,340,050
September 26, 1932 8¢ Olive Bistre
Size: 1+84⁄100 x +75⁄100 inch		 Winged Globe
Design: Alvin R. Meissner		 21030 UR 76,648,803
October 2, 1933 50¢ Green[P 1][PERF 1]
Size: 1+84⁄100 x +75⁄100 inch		 Graf Zeppelin 21172 B 324,070
June 30, 1934 6¢ Dull Orange
Size: 1+84⁄100 x +75⁄100 inch		 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
Size: 1+84⁄100 x +75⁄100 inch		 Winged Globe
Design: Alvin R. Meissner		 F22384 T, 22381 19,768,150

Reference:[11]

1940–1949

Date Issued Type Subject Plate No. Image No. Issued
June 25, 1941 6¢ Carmine[P 2][PERF 2]
(200 Subject Electric Eye Plates)
Size: 1.44 x 0.84 inch		 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[P 2][PERF 2]
(200 Subject Electric Eye Plates)
Size: 1.44 x 0.84 inch		 The Twin-Motored Transport Plane 23126 1,744,878,650
August 15, 1941 10¢ Violet[P 2][PERF 2]
(200 Subject Electric Eye Plates)
Size: 1.44 x 0.84 inch		 The Twin-Motored Transport Plane 67,117,400
August 10, 1941 15¢ Brown[P 2][PERF 2]
(200 Subject Electric Eye Plates)
Size: 1.44 x 0.84 inch		 The Twin-Motored Transport Plane 78,434,800
August 27, 1941 20¢ Green[P 2][PERF 2]
(200 Subject Electric Eye Plates)
Size: 1.44 x 0.84 inch		 The Twin-Motored Transport Plane 42,359,850
September 25, 1941 30¢ Blue[P 2][PERF 2]
(200 Subject Electric Eye Plates)
Size: 1.44 x 0.84 inch		 The Twin-Motored Transport Plane 59,880,850
October 29, 1941 50¢ Orange[P 2][PERF 2]
(200 Subject Electric Eye Plates)		 The Twin-Motored Transport Plane 22779 11,160,600
September 26, 1946 5¢ Carmine
Size: 1.44 x 0.84 inch		 DC-4 Skymaster 22778, 22779 72,517,850
March 26, 1947 5¢ Carmine[P 2][PERF 2][D 1]
(400 Subject Electric Eye Plates)
Size: 1.44 x 0.84 inch		 DC-4 Skymaster 23486, 23588, 23973, 25422 971,903,700
August 30, 1947 10¢ Black[P 2][PERF 2]
(200 Subject Electric Eye Plates)
Size: 1.44 x 0.84 inch		 Martin 2-0-2 over Pan American Union Building, Wash. D.C. [D 1]
[D 2]
23694		 207,976,550
August 20, 1947 15¢ Green[P 2][PERF 2]
(200 Subject Electric Eye Plates)
Size: 1.44 x 0.84 inch		 Lockheed Constellation over New York Skyline [D 1][D 2]
23683		 756,186,350
July 30, 1947 25¢ Blue[P 2][PERF 2]
(200 Subject Electric Eye Plates)
Size: 1.44 x 0.84 inch		 Stratocruiser over the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge [D 1][D 2]
25615		 132,956,100
January 15, 1948 5¢ Carmine[PERF 3] 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[PERF 3] 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:[12][13]

1950–1959

Date Issued Type Subject Plate No. Image No. Issued
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[PERF 3] 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

Date Issued Type Subject Plate No. Image
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[PERF 3] 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[P 2][PERF 4]
400 Subjects		 Jetliner Over Capitol Building – Booklet Pane of 5 + Label
28024
December 5, 1962 8¢ Red[PERF 3]
(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[PERF 3] 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[PERF 1] Moon Landing
Number issued: 152,364,800
Design: Paul Calle		 – red omitted
– tagging omitted
31378

1970–1979

Date Issued Type Subject Plate No. Image
May 15, 1971 9¢ Red[PERF 4] Jet Silhouette 32946
May 7, 1971 11¢ Red[PERF 2] 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[PERF 5][PERF 3] Jet Silhouette
December 27, 1973 13¢ Red[PERF 5][PERF 3] Winged Letter
May 3, 1972 11¢ Multicolored[PERF 1] City of Refuge 33463
August 17, 1972 11¢ Blue, Black, Green, Red & Yellow[PERF 2] Winter Olympics, Sapporo, Skiing 33322-6
July 10, 1973 11¢ Multicolored[PERF 1] Progress in Electronics 34192
January 11, 1974 18¢ Black, Red & Blue[PERF 1] Statue of Liberty 34931, 34959
January 2, 1974 26¢ Black, Red & Blue[PERF 1] 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

Date Issued Type Subject Plate No. Image
October 13, 1980 40¢ Multicolored Philip Mazzei [PERF 1]
(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[PERF 1]
April 8, 1983 40¢ Multicolored Olympics – block[PERF 1]
April 8, 1983 40¢ Multicolored Olympics – block[PERF 1]
April 8, 1983 40¢ Multicolored Olympics – block[PERF 1]
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

Date Issued Type Subject Plate No. Image
October 12, 1990 45¢ Multicolored Tropical Coast A1111 UL
April 27, 1991 50¢ Multicolored Harriet Quimby [PERF 1]
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[14])
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

Notes on types

Plate type (P notes)
[P 1][P 2] – plate type
  1. ^ a b c 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.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Rotary Press Printing – A printing process in which stamps are printed from a round plates that roll over the blank sheets. The design will be slightly larger than flat plate stamps due to stretching during the printing process. The gum on the back of a Rotary Press stamp will have ridges.
Perforation (PERF notes) Printing Dryness (D notes)
[PERF 1][PERF 2][PERF 4][PERF 5][PERF 3] – perforation details, see here[15][16] for more details

[D 2][D 1] – printing dryness, see also (airmail section)

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Perf 11
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Perf 11 x 10½
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Coil stamp – a type of postage stamp sold in strips one stamp wide
  4. ^ a b c Perf 10½ x 11
  5. ^ a b c Perf 10 Vertical
  1. ^ a b c d e wet technique, from 15 to 35% moisture content, less sharp
  2. ^ a b c d dry technique, from 5 to 10% moisture content, more sharp

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Airmail stamps of the United States.

References

  1. ^ The Official Blackbook Price Guide to U.S. Postage Stamps 2005, 27th Edition (Official Blackbook Price Guide to United States Postage Stamps) by Thomas E. Jr Hudgeons (Author) Publisher: House of Collectibles; 27 edition (June 8, 2004) ISBN 978-1-4000-4842-7
  2. ^ "United States Postage stamps: 1847 through 1947 ~ The first 100 years". Junior Philatelists. Retrieved 2009-05-04.
  3. ^ "Airmails C1-C15". Usstamps.coinsandstamps.com. Archived from the original on 2009-06-21. Retrieved 2009-05-04.
  4. ^ "U.S. Airmail Stamp Color Catalog". Stampandcoin.com. 2014. Retrieved 2019-07-17.
  5. ^ Under US Copyright.
  6. ^ "Global Forever". Archived from the original on 2013-10-09. Retrieved 2013-09-14.
  7. ^ "Air Mail Issues of the United States: 1918–1944". 1847usa.com. Retrieved 2011-12-09.
  8. ^ Kirker, Joe (May 18, 2006). "6-cent Curtiss Jenny". First Airmail Issues. Arago, Smithsonian National Postal Museum. Retrieved 2013-09-08.
  9. ^ "Stamps from 1918–1919". American Air Mail Society. Retrieved 2019-02-02.
  10. ^ "Stamps from 1920-1929". American Air Mail Society. Retrieved 2019-02-02.
  11. ^ "Stamps from 1930-1939". American Air Mail Society. Retrieved 2019-02-02.
  12. ^ "Stamps from 1940-1949". American Air Mail Society. Retrieved 2019-02-02.
  13. ^ "Alaska Coin Exchange Presents Stamp Plate Block Collection Book One Scott #C40 Alexandria Bicentennial & C45 Wright Brothers Air Post Air Mail Stamps". Coinandstampgallery.com. Archived from the original on 2011-05-08. Retrieved 2009-05-04.
  14. ^ Scenic American Landscapes
  15. ^ "Stamp Q and A". Stamp Paraphernalia.com. Retrieved 2009-05-04.
  16. ^ Note: all plate numbers referenced from: http://www.apnss.org/Airmails.htm
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