1847 Imperforate First Stamps #1-2

FIRST U.S. POSTAGE STAMPS
In 1847 America, it was common for addressees to pay the postage for letters received. All that changed on July 1, when Congress authorized our first stamps -- seven years after Great Britain introduced the world's first stamp. Benjamin Franklin, on the 5¢ issue, was the first person in the world other than a head of state to be on a stamp. The 10¢ George Washington was issued simultaneously. Both of these old postage stamps were imperforate.  See our U.S. Identifier opens in a new windowU.S. Identifier to distinguish between the first U.S. Stamps and the 1875 Reprints (#3, 4)