List of United States airmail stamps
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 & BlueSize: + 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 & BlueSize: + 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¢ GreenSize: + 7 ⁄ 8 x + 3 ⁄ 4 inch
Curtis Jenny BiplaneDesign: Claire Aubrey Huston Engravers: J. Eissler and Edward M. Hall
F8900 T
3,793,987
December 10, 1918
6¢ OrangeSize: + 7 ⁄ 8 x + 3 ⁄ 4 inch
Curtis Jenny BiplaneDesign: 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 GreenSize: + 7 ⁄ 8 x + 3 ⁄ 4 inch
De Havilland Airplane Propeller and RadiatorDesign: C. A. Huston Engraved: H. Dawson and E. M. Weeks
14824–14827 L (four plates)
6,414,576
August 17, 1923
16¢ Dark BlueSize: + 7 ⁄ 8 x + 3 ⁄ 4 inch
U.S. Air Mail Service InsigniaDesign: 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 BiplaneDesign: C. A. Huston Engraved: J. Eissler and E. M. Hall
14840–14843 L (four plates)
5,285,775
February 13, 1926
10¢ Dark BlueSize: 1+ 84 ⁄ 100 x + 75 ⁄ 100 inch
Map of the U.S. & two planesDesign: C. A. Huston
18246 R, 18247 B
more than 42,092,800
September 18, 1926
15¢ Olive BrownSize: 1+ 84 ⁄ 100 x + 75 ⁄ 100 inch
Map of the U.S. & two planesDesign: C. A. Huston
18746 L
15,597,307
January 25, 1927
20¢ Yellow GreenSize: 1+ 84 ⁄ 100 x + 75 ⁄ 100 inch
Map of the U.S. & two planesDesign: C. A. Huston
18898 R, F18892 B
17,616,350
June 18, 1927
10¢ Dark BlueSize: 1+ 84 ⁄ 100 x + 75 ⁄ 100 inch
Spirit of St. Louis
18999 R, 19427
20,379,179
July 25, 1928
5¢ Carmine & BlueSize: 1+ 15 ⁄ 32 x 1+ 3 ⁄ 32 inch
Beacon on Sherman HillDesign: 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 GlobeDesign: Alvin R. Meissner
19944 L
97,641,200
April 19, 1930
65¢ GreenSize: 1+ 84 ⁄ 100 x + 75 ⁄ 100 inch
Graf Zeppelin over the Atlantic
20077 L
93,536 sold
April 19, 1930
$1.30 BrownSize: 1+ 84 ⁄ 100 x + 75 ⁄ 100 inch
Graf Zeppelin over the Atlantic
20085 B
72,428 sold
April 19, 1930
$2.60 BlueSize: 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 GlobeDesign: Alvin R. Meissner
20606 LL
57,340,050
September 26, 1932
8¢ Olive BistreSize: 1+ 84 ⁄ 100 x + 75 ⁄ 100 inch
Winged GlobeDesign: 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 OrangeSize: 1+ 84 ⁄ 100 x + 75 ⁄ 100 inch
Winged GlobeDesign: 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 ClipperDesign: Alvin R. Meissner
21622
12,794,600
February 15, 1937
50¢ Carmine
China ClipperDesign: Alvin R. Meissner
21624
9,285,300
May 14, 1938
6¢ Carmine & Blue
Eagle and Shield
349,946,500
May 16, 1939
30¢ BlueSize: 1+ 84 ⁄ 100 x + 75 ⁄ 100 inch
Winged GlobeDesign: 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¢ CarmineSize: 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 BellNumber 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 + Label28024
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
EagleDesign: 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 PurchaseNumber 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 LandingNumber issued: 152,364,800 Design: Paul Calle
– red omitted – tagging omitted31378
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 11.2S2222 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 errorB1111 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
^ 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.
^ 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.
See also
References
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