U.S. postal cardIn 1872, the first U.S. postal card was authorized by Act of Congress (17 Stat. L. 304) as part of major legislation to transform the U.S. Post Office Department into an executive department. On a light buff card, about 3" x 5", a brown, one cent stamp was printed in the top right corner. Its design was a profile of the Goddess of Liberty, within an engraved border. They were first issued 1 May 1873. For the next issue (24 Aug 1885), the stamp pictured Thomas Jefferson. Later Acts authorized double postcards (3 Mar 1879) and for international use (11 Jun 1880). The first U.S. airmail postcard (10 Jan 1949) had a four-cent stamp showing an orange-red eagle in flight. The Austrian Postal Aministration had been the first in the world to authorize a Correspondz Karte(correspondance card) on 1 Oct 1869.«[Image: detail from postcard showing Goddess of Liberty stamp design.] |
