United States 5c Benjamin Franklin, First General Issue

United States · 1847 · 5c

This stamp features a portrait of Benjamin Franklin, the first Postmaster General of the United States. The design is based on a drawing by James B. Longacre. As one of the first two federally issued postage stamps in the U.S., it marks a pivotal moment in the nation's postal history.

Issued in 1847 alongside the 10c Washington (Scott #2), this stamp standardized postage rates across the United States, replacing the varied and complex system of private and local postmaster provisionals.