AY Honors/Stamps/Answer Key

1. Relate briefly the story of the beginning of the postal service in your country.

Running pony logo used before 1970 before the "Department" became a "Service".

The first postal service in America arose in February of 1692 when a grant from King William and Queen Mary empowered Thomas Neale to erect, settle and establish within the chief parts of their majesties' colonies and plantations in America, an office or offices for the receiving and dispatching letters and pacquets, and to receive, send and deliver the same under such rates and sums of money as the planters shall agree to give, and to hold and enjoy the same for the term of twenty-one years.

The United States Postal Service was created in Philadelphia under Benjamin Franklin on July 26, 1775 by decree of the Second Continental Congress. Based on a clause in the United States Constitution empowering Congress To establish post offices and post roads, it became the Post Office Department in 1792. It was part of the Presidential cabinet and the postmaster general was the last person in the United States presidential line of succession. In 1971, the department was reorganized as a quasi-independent agency of the federal government and acquired its present name. The postmaster general is no longer in the presidential line of succession.

From 1837 to 1970, the Postal Service used a running pony as its logo; that logo was replaced by an eagle. In the 1990s, the eagle was redesigned again so that it was just the head.

2. How is the history of your country told in postage stamps?

Stamps can tell many different stories. For example, the price of first class stamps tells the history of how much it costs to send first class mail over the years. Also, many important and not so important persons appear on the stamps. Many of these people have shaped the history of your country. Additionally, significant events, places, or things may be commemorated on the stamps, again, documenting a historical event or an era.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_on_stamps_of_Great_Britain.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prominent_Americans_series.

3. What are the rates for first-class mail in your country?

You can find the rates for first-class mail (in the United States) at http://www.usps.com/rates/first-class-mail-rates.htm

History of US Postal Service rates

4. What country does not have its name on its stamps and why?

Great Britain.

Why? : The stamp was originally for use only within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and as such was in effect initially a local stamp. For this reason the name of the country was not included within the design, a situation which continued by agreement with foreign post offices, provided the sovereign’s effigy appeared on the stamp.

5. Know the meaning of the following:

a. Coil stamp

A coil stamp is a type of postage stamp sold in strips one stamp wide. The name derives from the usual handling of long strips, which is to coil them into rolls, in a manner reminiscent of adhesive tape rolls. A large percentage of modern stamps is sold in coil form, since they are more amenable to mechanized handling in large quantities than either sheet stamps or booklet stamps.

b. Booklet stamp

A postage stamp booklet is a set of one or more small panes of postage stamps, usually totalling about 10–20 stamps, folded over and placed in a cardboard cover. Smaller and easier to handle than a whole sheet of stamps, in many countries booklets have become a favored way to purchase stamps.

c. Perforations

A perforation is a hole made by puncturing a surface. However, the term frequently refers to the practice of creating a long series of holes so that paper can be torn more easily. Postage stamps are one common application of this, where small round holes are cut in lines to create individual pieces.

d. Perforation gauge

File:Perforation gauge.jpg

A Penny Red stamps measuring at 14 perfs-per-inch on a perforation gauge

A tool that measures the perforations in stamps. It's like a ruler.

e. Definitive stamps

A definitive postage stamp is a regular issue stamp that is part of a definitive issue or definitive series consisting of a range of denominations sufficient to cover all postal rates usefully. (An "issue" generally means a set that is put on sale all at the same time, while a "series" is spread out over several years, but the terms are not precise.)

f. Commemorative stamps

A commemorative stamp is a postage stamp issued to honor or commemorate a place, event or person. Most postal services of the world issue several of these each year, often holding first day of issue ceremonies at locations connected with the subjects. Commemorative stamps are usually used alongside ordinary or regular-issue stamps of the time, although in some cases their use has been obligatory.

g. Hinges

Stamp hinges are small, folded, rectangular pieces of paper coated with a mild gum. They are used by stamp collectors to affix postage stamps onto the pages of a stamp album. The short end is moistened and affixed to the stamp, the long end is likewise affixed to the page. The hinge keeps the stamp on the page while still allowing it to be lifted to examine the back (for instance to see the watermark or expert marks).

h. Plastic mounts

Clear plastic pockets with adhesive on the back. The stamp is placed inside the mount and the mount is attached. The stamp is preserved in it's original collected condition.

6. Have a knowledge of how to soak stamps from paper and how to dry them.

• Do not soak stamps from differently colored paper together.
• Use lukewarm water.
• Make sure the stamps are completely submerged.
• If the stamp does not pull away cleanly, try soaking it more.
• Dry each stamp separately, face down on newspaper (no colors on newspaper).
• Do not allow stamps to touch each other or overlay while drying.

7. Make a collection of at least 750 stamps. (No two stamps alike.)

Better get started.

8. Properly classify these stamps:

b. In series; that is, according to year and design.

Arrange the stamps you have collected.

9. Mount your stamps with gummed hinges or plastic mounts. (Plastic mounts are preferred for mint stamps.)

In an album.