1885 US Special Delivery 10-Cent (Scott #E1)

Scott #E1 holds a distinction that no other US stamp can claim: it was the first stamp issued for the Special Delivery service, a postal innovation that allowed letter senders to pay for immediate delivery at the destination post office. Issued October 1, 1885, the stamp launched a service that remained in operation for nearly a century, changing the way time-sensitive mail was handled across the country. For collectors of US stamps, E1 is not just the first in a long Special Delivery series, it is a genuine historical landmark.

The Birth of Special Delivery

Before 1885, a letter mailed in the United States was delivered on the regular carrier route, once per day. If you needed a letter to arrive faster, you had limited options: telegraph if the message was short, or hand-carry by private messenger if that was practical. The US Postal Service recognized a market for faster delivery and created Special Delivery to address it.

The service worked as follows: a sender paid the 10-cent Special Delivery fee in addition to regular postage. Upon arrival at the destination post office, the letter was handed to a special messenger for immediate delivery rather than waiting for the regular route. The service was initially available only at offices with populations over 4,000, but it expanded steadily.

The stamp's central design makes this service explicit: the inscription reads "SECURES IMMEDIATE DELIVERY AT A SPECIAL DELIVERY OFFICE." Around this text runs a decorative border. The design was engraved by the American Bank Note Company, whose craftsmanship shows in the crisp lines of the running messenger image at the center of the design.

Design and Production Details

• Issue date: October 1, 1885 (earliest known use September 29, 1885)

• Denomination: 10 cents

• Color: Blue

• Printer: American Bank Note Company

• Perforation: 12

• Watermark: None

• Paper: Unwatermarked white wove

The design shows a messenger in running pose, consistent with the speed theme of the service. The stamp measures somewhat larger than contemporary regular-issue stamps of the era. The blue color is distinctive and held through the first five Special Delivery issues.

Variants and Related Issues

Scott #E1 was the first of several design variations on the same theme:

• E1 (1885): Original design, line under "Ten Cents"

• E2 (1888): Same design, no line under "Ten Cents"

• E3 (1893): Redesigned, orange-yellow color

• E4-E5 (1894-1895): Further variants with watermarks and line changes

The distinction between E1 and E2 is the horizontal line present below the "Ten Cents" text on E1 and absent on E2. This detail requires careful examination, and certificates of authenticity are recommended for premium examples.

Condition Grades and Values

Scott #E1 is collectible at multiple price points. The used version is more common than mint, since Special Delivery mail was actually sent in volume.

Scott 2025 Catalogue values the used example at approximately $80 and mint at $475 for Fine grade. Certified examples from PF or PSE sell at or above catalogue for VF and better grades.

Cancellation Appeal

Special Delivery covers (complete envelopes) with E1 affixed and showing Special Delivery markings are significantly more valuable than stamps alone. A cover showing the full Special Delivery service in use, with both E1 and regular postage, and a Special Delivery manuscript or handstamp notation, represents a complete documentary record of the service's early use.

For used stamps, clean circular date stamps in black or blue are most desirable. Fancy cancels, while interesting on regular issues, are unusual on Special Delivery stamps since that mail was handled differently than ordinary mail.

Why Collectors Value E1

The appeal is partly historical and partly practical. As the first stamp of an entirely new postal category, E1 represents a moment of institutional innovation. The Special Delivery service was a genuine improvement in how Americans communicated, and this stamp was its physical embodiment.

For the collector on a moderate budget, a used Fine to VF example of E1 is accessible for $50-$100 and brings genuine historical substance to a US collection. A mint example with original gum at VF represents a more significant purchase but remains within reach for dedicated philatelists.

Completing the first five Special Delivery issues (E1-E5) in consistent grade is a satisfying collecting goal, and E1 is appropriately the most challenging and the most meaningful of the set.

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