The Uses of U.S. Postage Due Stamps
4/16/17
Purpose: From July 1, 1879 until June 2001, showing most different uses of U.S. postage due stamps
(PDS) known, indicating whether their use denoted actual due collection and where, and when, PDS placed.
Scope: This exhibit will show the possible ways in which U.S. postage due stamps were used from
July 1, 1879 (when adhesive PDS were introduced), to Oct. 2, 1986 (after which PD adhesive stamps
not allowed), continuing after this date, when PD meters and ordinary stamps were allowed as PDS
use, and finally to around June 2001 (when Postage Validation Imprints (PVIs) as PDS) also allowed.
Apparent duplication represents truly remarkable variants in a type of use, for instance in types of use
in the International Mails and for Business Reply Mail.
Exhibit Plan
1 First-class domestic uses
2 Third- and fourth-class domestic uses
3 International uses
4 Various fees paid on receipts / delivered items
5 Ending - no adhesive PDSs OK but other stamp types as PDS OK
Organization: Blue outlined headings identifies the first page (beginning) of each of these five
sections. The five section-titles serve as running headings in the exhibit, bold then subsequently gray.
Subheadings on each page further define items on that page.
Important background: For Plan sections 1-3, and 5 at free (carrier, city) delivery offices, PDS placed
on short paid or unpaid items as they reached receiving office - indicates PD collected only if item not
forwarded, undeliverable, or sent to DLO. At non-free delivery offices (non-carrier), PDS placed only
upon collection of PD. For Plan section 4, PDS placed to indicate fee collection, no matter the post
office type. Each section has one or more tables defining PD use types within it.
Abbreviations used throughout this exhibit and rarity highlighting: PDS = postage due stamp; PD
= postage due; PVI = Postage Validation Imprint); DLO = dead letter office; DLB = DL branch = dead
letter branch; hs = handstamp. Red matting with bold information denotes difficult to obtain/rare items.
1 First-class domestic uses
1.1 Short paid letter uses
At free (carrier, city) delivery offices, PDS placed on short paid or unpaid items when
reached receiving office - indicates PD collected only if item not forwarded, undeliverable,
or sent to DLO. At non-free delivery offices, PDS placed only on collection of PD.
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Table 1a
Basic Domestic First-Class Short Paid Types
One rate paid, added rate(s) due at carrier/non-carrier offices of delivery - also, if short
paid (not unpaid) matter reached delivery office, PD at single rate
Time Period
Delivery
7/1/1879 - 2/20/1978
Single rate charged on drop letter arriving at delivery office unpaid
Delivery
1/1880 - 10/8/1958
Paid one rate, short paid more than one added rate - short paid amount + 1¢ penalty per
short paid rate due
Delivery
7/1/1928 - 6/30/1958
Unpaid or insufficient payment (only, after 11/16/74) - short paid amount due from addressee
Delivery
Delivery
7/1/1958 - 7/31/1958
Form 3570 for PD collection on short paid first-class items - PDS indicated PD paid
Delivery
Delivery
?8/1956 - 7/13/1960
Double rate charged on other matter arriving at delivery office unpaid
Any amount (only during July 1958) - short paid amount + 5¢ penalty due
7
Form 1513 for PD collection on short paid first-class items - PDS indicated PD paid
9
Advertised mail matter - collected only if not undeliverable
8
PO PD Paid
Delivery
Delivery
1/1/1882 - 10/8/1958
10/8/1958 - present
7/14/1960 - 2/9/1978
9/1879 - 2/25/1949
See Important Background on title page concerning meaning of PDS at carrier/non-carrier POs on all this short paid first-class
matter. Re No. 9, from 9/1879 - 1/1886, advertising only allowed in Baltimore, Md., Boston, Mass., Chicago, Ill., New Orleans, La., New
York, N. Y., and Washington, D. C. PO = Post office, M/D = Mailing/Delivery, SD = Special Delivery. M/D = Mailing and Delivery.