Postage Stamps of the United States First Issued in 1856   President: Franklin Pierce ·  Postmaster General: James Campbell Postage Rates: Domestic Letter Rate under 3000 mi. per 1/2 oz.: Three Cents - Prepayment compulsory, stamp now required Domestic Letter Rate over 3000 mi. per 1/2 oz.: Ten Cents - Prepayment compulsory, stamp required Foreign Letter Rate under 2500 mi. per 1/2 oz.: Ten Cents - except where otherwise adjusted by treaty Foreign Letter Rate over 2500 mi. per 1/2 oz.: Twenty Cents - except where otherwise adjusted by treaty Rate for Drop Letters: One Cent - prepayment not required - no weight restrictions Rate for Newspapers and Circulars up to 3 oz.: One Cent, with one cent for each additional oz. Carrier Fee (not available in all cities): One Cent Registry Fee: Five Cents (no return receipt to sender) - paid in cash, no stamp necessary The following postage stamp varieties were first issued by the U.S. in 1856: Ordinary issue:  See also: Designs of the 1851-1860 Regular Issues Imperforate 1¢ Blue Franklin Plate 3 - Type II (May 1856) Scott 12 - 5¢ Red Brown Type I Jefferson - Issued in early 1856 - EDU: Mar. 24, 1856 - over 150,000 issued 5c Commemoratives: The first commemorative stamps were not issued until 1893 Special Delivery: The first Special Delivery stamps were not issued until 1885 Postage Dues: The first  Postage Due stamps were not issued until 1879                   Previous: 1855 Next: 1857

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