On 1 January, 1913, nine US Parcel Post stamps, which had been made available to purchasers at Post Offices in December 1912, became valid for postage. The January date was the official start of the Post Office’s own parcel post service, in competition with a number of private contractors who had been reaping large profits over the preceding decades. Included in the nine pictorial stamps was the world’s first stamp depicting an aircraft, and possibly the world’s first stamp depicting a traction engine.
The 20c stamp, inscribed ‘AEROPLANE CARRYING MAIL’ illustrated a Wright Type A, the world’s first serial production aircraft; seven examples were built in the USA at the Wright’s bicycle factory, but dozens more in Europe, mostly in Germany. The Flyer shown on the stamp was photographed at College Park near Washington DC, engraved as a stamp die by H Charlton, EM Hall and J Benzing, and sold from post offices from 16 December, 1912.
The Parcel Post service was intended to aid rural Americans, around sixty percent of the population at the time, who were receiving a very poor service from the private carriers. It also aided mail order companies shipping to houses, businesses and farmsteads all over the country – it is reported that almost anything could be sent, such as day-old chicks
