First U.S. presidential stamp

[David Lockmiller]

Modern stamp collectors view the first U.S. presidential stamp to be one featuring Abraham Lincoln that was released in 1866, a year after his assassination.

But Fred Baumann of The American Philatelist writes that the stamp, the first 15-center and chiefly used to send letters to France, has no inscription or dates marking it as commemorative. Well-preserved examples now sell for upward of $1,000.

[wpbinzel]

The first U.S. postage stamps were issued in 1847 and featured Benjamin Franklin, credited with being the first Postmaster General, 1775-76, and George Washington. Subsequent stamps featured Franklin, Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Andrew Jackson. As David pointed out, the first stamp honoring Lincoln was issued in April 1866. The first "commemorative" stamps were issued in 1869, and in 1870-71, the first facial stamps not featuring Franklin or deceased Presidents were issued, honoring Edwin Stanton, Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, Winfield Scott, Alexander Hamilton, and Oliver Hazard Perry.