# First stamp

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-stamp/69726>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 22, 2001, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-stamp/69726 "2001-06-22T01:29:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![insider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@insider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/insider)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2001, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-stamp/69726/1 "2001-06-22T01:29:20Z")

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Who or what was on the first US postage stamp? How much did it cost? What is it worth today?

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2001, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-stamp/69726/2 "2001-06-22T01:33:24Z")

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The first stamp as we know them today, was a five cent stamp with Benjamin Franklin on it in 1847. A nice used copy would probably be available anywhere in the $100-200. range.

This done without checking, though. You might try searching something like ebay . Use Scott #1 as your reference.

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**Author:** ![evilhanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba8739/32.png) [@evilhanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilhanz)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2001, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-stamp/69726/3 "2001-06-22T05:45:41Z")

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An Act of Congress on March 3, 1847 allowed the Postmaster General to create postage stamps to help facilitate the rapid delivery of mail. The first 2 stamps were simultaneously issued on July 1, 1847. One was a portrait of Benjamin Franklin, the first Postmaster General of the US and founder of the American postal service. It was a 5 cent, red brown stamp. The other was a portrait of George Washington. It was a 10 cent, black stamp.

I’m not a die-hard stamp collector, so I double-checked some internet sites for verification. It seems that some people mistake the 1847 Washington for the 1851 Washington. In 1847, Washington faces the right, in 1851, the left.