New York Postmaster's Provisional, 5 Cents

United States · 1845 · 5 cents

The stamp features a bust of George Washington in an oval frame, with 'NEW YORK' above and 'POST OFFICE' below, and '5 CENTS' at the bottom.

This is a Postmaster's Provisional stamp, issued before the U.S. federal government began issuing stamps in 1847. It allowed local postmasters to collect postage in advance, a crucial step in the development of a national postal system.