Front:
WORLD 25
EXPO'89
November 17-December 3,1989
Washington, DC
KAS.POS
CASH!
Ap ATES
14A n lghe
WIGHENT PRICE FOR
Men, Women, &
CHILDREN.
YORK
16
1989
10199
MERICAN SLAVERY
NINET
NY
Back:
WORLD STAMP EXPO '89
First Day of Issue: March 16, 1989
First Issue Location: New York, New York
In 1837, retired schoolteacher Rowland Hill proposed a
prepaid penny-per-half-ounce rate for all letters, no
matter what distance they traveled. The postmaster gen-
eral was initially appalled by this wild, visionary and
extravagant proposal, but it was adopted in 1839. Stamps
and postage-paid envelopes such as those now in use
were issued in 1840. Their form has changed little since.
Collectors appeared immediately, soon followed by the
first stamp catalogues. Today, the enormous numbers of
the pursuit a highly organized one. Catalogues describe
almost every stamp available and give current prices for
each issue. Since the early 1920's, the first day of issue of
every stamp has been an occasion for philatelic celebra-
tion in the United States, and since 1937 the ceremonies
have included the use of a special postmark. The stamp
featured on this Maximum Card features a slightly smaller
reproduction of the classic 90-cent Lincoln stamp origi-
nally issued in 1869.
No. 89-11
©1989 The Maximum Card Collection
A Division of Unicover Corporation . Cheyenne, WY 82008-0007
Original painting by Chris Calle
