The Post Office Department has, since its very early days, issued stamps that efficiently handle the everyday payment of postage. These stamps, whose designs might be used for many years, are known as 'definitives'. From the first U.S. issue of 1847 through the end of the nineteenth century, images on definitive stamps portrayed important political and military leaders. By the turn of the twentieth century, definitive issues incorporated common design elements, and, later, clearly-defined themes, of which the 'Presidential Issue' of 1938 provides one example. The USPS continues offering definitive stamp sets with common themes, but many definitives do not share a common subject, design, or name.
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Definitive Issues
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- Postmasters' Provisionals (1845-1847)
- Classic Period (1847-1893)
- Bureau Period (1894-1939)
- Definitive Issues
- Commemorative Issues
- 1898-1925
- Trans-Mississippi Exposition Issue
- Pan-American Exposition Issues
- Louisiana Purchase Exposition Issue
- Jamestown Exposition Issue
- Lincoln Centenary of Birth Issue
- Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition Issue
- Hudson-Fulton Celebration Issue
- Panama-Pacific Exposition Issue
- Victory Issue
- Pilgrim Tercentenary Issue
- Harding Memorial Issue
- Huguenot-Walloon Tercentenary Issue
- Lexington-Concord Issue
- Norse-American Issue
- 1926-1927
- 1928-1929
- 1930-1931
- 1932-1933
- 1934-1935
- 1936-1937
- Texas Centennial Issue
- Rhode Island Tercentenary Issue
- Third International Philatelic Exhibition Issue S/S
- Arkansas Centennial Issue
- Oregon Territory Issue
- Susan B. Anthony Issue
- Army & Navy Issue
- Ordinance of 1787 Sesquicentennial Issue
- Virginia Dare Issue
- Constitution Sesquicentennial Issue
- Society of Philatelic Americans Issue S/S
- Territorial Issues
- 1938-1939
- 1898-1925
- Modern Period (1940-Present)
- Commemorative Issues
- 1940-1949
- 1940-1941
- Famous Americans Issue
- 80th Anniversary of the Pony Express Issue
- Pan American Union Issue
- 50th Anniversary of Idaho Statehood Issue
- 50th Anniversary of Wyoming Statehood Issue
- 400th Anniversary of the Coronado Expedition Issue
- National Defense Issues
- Thirteenth Amendment Issue
- 150th Anniversary of Vermont Statehood Issue
- 1942-1943
- 1944-1945
- Transcontinental Railroad Issue
- Steamship Issue
- Telegraph Issue
- Philippine Issue
- 50th Anniversary of Motion Picture Issue
- Centenary of Florida Statehood
- United Nations Conference Issue
- Iwo Jima Issue
- Blood Plasma Unissued Model
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt Issues
- Army Issue
- Navy Issue
- Coast Guard Issue
- Alfred E. Smith Issue
- 100th Anniversary of Texas Statehood Issue
- 1946-1947
- Merchant Marine Issue
- Veterans of World War II Issue
- 150th Anniversary of Tennessee Statehood Issue
- 100th Anniversary of Iowa Statehood Issue
- Smithsonian Institution Issue
- Kearny Expedition Issue
- Thomas A. Edison Issue
- Joseph Pulitzer Issue
- Postage Stamp Centenary Issue
- Centenary International Philatelic Exhibition Issue
- Doctors Issue
- Utah Issue
- U.S. Frigate Constitution Issue
- Everglades National Park Issue
- 1948-1949
- 1948-49 Part One
- California Gold Centennial Issue
- George Washington Carver Issue
- Mississippi Territory Issue
- Four Chaplains Issue
- 100th Anniversary of Wisconsin Statehood Issue
- Swedish Pioneer Issue
- Progress of Women Issue
- William Allen White Issue
- United States-Canada Friendship Issue
- Francis Scott Key Issue
- Salute to Youth Issue
- Oregon Territory Issue
- Harlan F. Stone Issue
- Palomar Mountain Observatory Issue
- Clara Barton Issue
- Poultry Industry Centennial Issue
- 1948-49 Part Two
- Gold Star Mothers Issue
- Fort Kearny Issue
- Volunteer Firemen Issue
- Indian Centennial Issue
- Rough Riders Issue
- Juliette Low Issue
- Will Rogers Issue
- Fort Bliss Centennial Issue
- Moina Michael Issue
- Gettysburg Address Issue
- American Turners Issue
- Joel Chandler Harris Issue
- Minnesota Territory Centennial Issue
- Washington and Lee University Issue
- Puerto Rico Election Issue
- Annapolis Tercentenary Issue
- G.A.R. Issue
- Edgar Allan Poe Issue
- 1948-49 Part One
- 1940-1941
- 1950-1959
- 1950-1951
- American Bankers Association Issue
- Samuel Gompers Issue
- National Capital Sesquicentennial Issues
- Railroad Engineers Issue
- Kansas City, Missouri, Centenary Issue
- Boy Scout Issue
- Indiana Territory Issue
- California Statehood Issue
- United Confederate Veterans Final Reunion Issue
- Nevada Centennial Issue
- Landing of Cadillac Issue
- 75th Anniversary of Colorado Statehood Issue
- American Chemical Society Issue
- 175th Anniversary of Battle of Brooklyn Issue
- 1952-1953
- 1954-1955
- 1956-1957
- 1958-1959
- 1950-1951
- 1960-1969
- 1970-1979
- 1970-1971
- 1972-1973
- 1974-1975
- 1976-1977
- 1976-77 Part One
- American Bicentennial Issue: The Spirit of '76
- Interphil Issue
- American Bicentennial Issue: Flag Series
- Telephone Centennial Issue
- Commercial Aviation Issue
- Chemistry Issue
- Benjamin Franklin Issue
- Declaration of Independence Issue
- Olympic Games Issue
- Clara Maass Issue
- Adolph S. Ochs Issue
- 1976 Christmas Issue
- American Bicentennial Issue: Washington at Princeton
- Sound Recording Issue
- 1976-77 Part Two
- American Folk Art Series: Pueblo Pottery
- Lindbergh Flight Issue
- Colorado Statehood Issue
- Butterfly Issue
- American Bicentennial Issue: Lafayette
- Skilled Hands For Independence Issue
- Peace Bridge Issue
- American Bicentennial Issue: Battle of Oriskany
- Energy Issue
- Alta California Issue
- American Bicentennial Issue: Articles of Confederation
- 50th Anniversary Talking Pictures
- American Bicentennial Issue: Surrender at Saratoga
- 1977 Christmas Issue
- 1976-77 Part One
- 1978-1979
- 1980-1989
- 1990-1999
- 2000-2009
- 1940-1949
- Definitive Issues
- Commemorative Issues
- Air Post Issues
- Special Use Stamps
- Encased Postage Stamps
- Hunting Permit (Duck Stamps)
- 1934-1948 1-dollar Permits
- 1949-1958 2-dollar Permits
- 1959-1971 3-dollar Permits
- 1972-1978 5-dollar Permits
- 1979-1986 7.50-dollar Permits
- 1987-1988 10-dollar Permits
- 1989-1990 12.50-dollar Permits
- 1991-2014 15-dollar Permits
- State and Other Duck Hunting Permits
- Hunting Permit Collateral Material
- Duck Stamp Artists and Related Persons
- Newspaper and Periodical Stamps
- Parcel Post Stamps
- Postage Due Stamps
- Postal Note Stamps
- Special Delivery Issues
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