Postal History of the United States

Postal History Collecting adds a facinating element to philately with a look at the interesting usages of postage stamps over time. Whether it is particular stamps that interest you, such as the use of prexies on cover, or special processing of the mail, such as RPO Railroad Postal Offices, mail from the territories of the United States (such as California, or Vermont as examples), postal covers tell the story of the progress of a nation. Postal history on Patriotic Covers from our wars, the development of commerce and our expansion West. Enjoy the facinating world of postal history collecting and follow your passion.

Postal History from the Classic Era

Stampless Covers that predate the advent of postage stamps, and covers franked with the early stamps of the 19th Century, are particularly intriguing to many collectors, as each piece is unique and tells a story, particulary when correspondence is included. At iHobb.com we are always in pursuit of material of interest, and through our everts we have some success in finding classics for collectors.

Flag Cancel Covers

From the last 1880s to the 1940s a popular cancellation in many post offices was the machine cancellation putting down a 'flag cancel'. Many collectors look for their machine 'flag cancels' to originate in the cities of their state. The big cities are common, of course, and the smaller town's mail can be a challenge.

Patriotic and Military Covers

Remember Wake Island - Patriotic Cover and Back the Attack with an Army Post Office Cancel and a 'Buy Bonds' Cachet are two examples of popular Patriotic Covers. Of course, patriotic covers run the range from Civil War Covers to any modern cover calling for a rally around the flag.

Collecting Ships Covers Postal History

U.S.S. Constitution 'Old Ironsides' made a cruse through the Panama Canal and up the West Coast of the United States in 1933 following its refurbishment at the Navy Yard in Boston. Each stop along the way produced a cover with a ship cancel bearing the city where the stop was made, and in most instances with a cachet for the sponsoring group.

US to Foreign Destinations

Mail to foreign destinations that have found their way back home are of interest to many collectors. One intriguing element of these covers, besides the obvious postal history question of how the mail was routed (by ship, along what treaties for example) the franking of these covers differ from the more common franking of domestic mails.

Mae Weigand Hand Painted Cachets

The cachets created by Mae Weigand are very distinctive in style. Best know for his navel covers and patriotic covers, iHobb.com also has a large inventory of the United Nations Flags Covers featuring handpainted cachets. Enjoy a browse of our Weigand Cachet Covers and you will find some unique 'gotta have' covers for your collection. Mae Weigand's career spanned a most interesting time in postal cover history.