1881 Empire City Dispatch Co., Black on Green Laid Paper

Own 1881 Empire City Dispatch Co. Local Stamp – 
Missing from Most Collections

Local stamps are a neat corner of philatelic history.  They’re stamps that were issued by local posts (for city delivery), independent mail routes and services, express companies, and other private posts that competed with or supplemented official government services.

The story behind Empire City Dispatch Co.:
The Empire City Dispatch Co. was established by J. Bevan & Son at 23 Dey St. in New York City. The company produced one stamp, which was printed in black on green laid paper. The stamps were perforated with 12-gauge perfs. Shortly after the business began, it was shut down because Congress had given the US Post Office Department exclusive rights to delivering the mail. Most of the stamps printed for the Empire City Dispatch Co. remained unused when the company was closed. Stamp dealer G. B. Calman bought the remaining stock and sold the stamps to collectors.

This Empire City Dispatch Co. stamp gives a glimpse into postal history in American history.  It reminds us of the ingenuity and determination of individuals who found a way to improve communication and commerce in a rapidly growing city and nation. Order your stamp today.