U.S. #1735
1978 15¢ “A” Eagle
Issue Date: May 22, 1978
City: Memphis, TN
Printed By: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Printing Method: Photogravure
Perforations: 11
Color: Orange
“A” Definitive – 15¢: As postal costs increased, the Postal Service
began to increase their rates for the various classes of mail. Before
becoming effective, however, these rate increases had to be submitted to
the Postal Rate Commission for approval. Often, the PRC would take as
much as a year conducting studies and compiling data before accepting or
rejecting the changes. If the rate increase was approved, the Postal
Service then had to rush to design and produce the new stamps. In 1975,
after the rate had changed from 10¢ to 13¢, the Postal Service printed
this non-denominated stamp so it would be ready and waiting for the next
rate change. A letter of the alphabet was used to represent the unknown
rate, so the stamps could meet customer demand until new definitives
bearing the actual rate were printed. When the rate increased in 1978
from 13¢ to 15¢, the first non-denominated stamp was put into use.
First Alphabet Rate Change Stamp
On May 22, 1978, the US issued its first in a long series of Alphabet rate change stamps.
In the years prior, other stamps had been
issued non-denominated for impending rate changes. Because postage rates
for late 1975 were uncertain, both of the Christmas stamps that year were issued without denominations. These were the first non-denominated US stamps.
As postal costs increased, the USPS began
to increase their rates for the various classes of mail. Before becoming
effective, however, these rate increases had to be submitted to the
Postal Rate Commission for approval. Often, the PRC would take as much
as a year conducting studies and compiling data before accepting or
rejecting the changes. If the rate increase was approved, the Postal
Service then had to rush to design and produce the new stamps.
In
1975, after the rate had changed from 10¢ to 13¢, the Postal Service
printed a new non-denominated stamp so it would be ready and waiting for
the next rate change. A letter of the alphabet was used to represent
the unknown rate, so the stamps could meet customer demand until new
definitives bearing the actual rate were printed. When the rate
increased in 1978 from 13¢ to 15¢, the first letter rate change stamps,
#1735, 1736, and 1743, were put into use.