Lick It -N- Stick It

WARNING!: You may learn something from this post, and yes, it will hurt.

Saddled with the ever-so-interesting task of blogging about stamps, (C'mon Jen, stamps?) I decided to do a little research into the history of stamps.

The first stamp was issued May 6, 1840 in Britain. Before then, it was up to the receiver of the letter to pay, but as postal service was expensive, many refused letters. Many people actually developed codes to put on the outside of the letter, so that the reciever could just scan the code and refuse the letter, but still get the message.

Other important dates in stamp history:

1857 - First perforated U.S. stamps appear (had to cut them apart before that)
1869 - First U.S. pictorial stamps (something depicted other than a dead person)
1893 - First U.S. commemorative stamps are issued (Columbus' voyage to America)
1940 - Booker T. Washington first African-American honored on a stamp
1962 - First U.S. Christmas stamp
1974 - First U.S self-adhesive stamp issued
1992 - (18 yrs later!) Full-scale production of self-adhesive stamps
1998 - U.S. issues first semi-postal (postage stamps used to raise funds for charity)

In case you're wondering how they pick images used on stamps (like the silver coffeepot), never fear - I have a brief explanation about that too.

Originally the Postmaster General decided what should go on stamps. Then Congress had to stick their nose in, and started passing legislation REQUIRING certain subjects be honored. In 1957 the PG created a committee to review the ideas of the entire public. The Citizen's Stamp Advisory Committee (a group of 12 to 15 appointed people) considers about 50,000 ideas each year. (Does that seem like a ridiculously high number to anyone else?) The Committee then recommends 35 new subjects, and the PG makes the final decision and blah, blah blah.

There are rules however, such as:
1. No living person can be depicted on a U.S stamp except former presidents.
2. An individual cannot be commemorated until 10 years after their death. (This is supposedly to allow the person's accomplishments to be viewed in the appropriate historical perspective. So if you invented a pill that saved hundreds of thousands of lives, and then you die, if in 9.75 years we're fucked economically because of said pill - no stamp for you!)
3. The exception to rule #2 are presidents, who have a stamp issued on the first anniversary of their death.

What if you don't like the crap the PG and CSAC pick out? You can make your own online! Here's a couple links:

Zazzle.com
Cafepress.com

And in case you need guidance as to what images to pus on your own stamps, here's a little good idea/bad idea.

Good Idea: Make stamps portraying Dexter, the new fictional serial killer series on Showtime. ( I get to read the book it was based on, Darkly Dreaming Dexter, tomorrow!)
Bad Idea: Make stamps portraying real serial killers. (Unless they're for hate mail, then it might be ok)

Good Idea: Make stamps of famous (tasteful) classical nude paintings.
Bad Idea : Make stamps from pictures you took of your girlfriend/boyfriend nude.

Good Idea: Making stamps of groups/causes you support i.e. American Cancer Society, PETA, etc.
Bad Idea: Making stamps of hate groups/terrorrist organizations you support. (The Nazis got enough attention 60 years ago -they don't need any help from you.) Also under this category - any stamps depicting anything to do with biohazards, bio warfare, and anthrax.