U.S. #1899
1983 5¢ Motorcycle
Transportation Series
Issue Date: October 10, 1983
City: San Francisco, CA
Quantity: 155,000,000
Printed By: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Printing Method: Engraved
Perforations: 10 vertically
Color: Gray green
In 1855, Gottlieb Daimler, a German engineer, created the first motorcycle, by attaching a four-stroke piston to a wooden bicycle frame. For years, his invention remained experimental, but with continued improvements it became a useful and dependable vehicle. Today, it is used for sport and as an inexpensive, efficient means of transportation.
The Transportation Series
A ground-breaking stamp was quietly issued on May 18, 1981. For the first time in U.S. history, a coil stamp featured its own unique design rather than simply copying that of the current definitive stamp. Fifty more coil stamps would be issued over the course of the next 15 years, each picturing a different mode of transportation.
The various denominations provided face values to exactly match the rates for several categories of Third Class mail (bulk rate and quantity-discounted mail). As the rates changed, new stamps with new values were added. Never before had a stamp series included so many fractional cent values.
Most of the stamps in the Transportation Series were printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, although a few were printed by private contractors. All but a few of the later stamps were produced by engraved intaglio. Differences in precancels, tagging, paper and gum provide a large number of varieties.