1 cent, blue.
A letter dated from the Post Office Department, Finance Office. July 20th, 1869, and signed W. H. H. Corell, Third Assistant Postmaster General, published in the American Journal of Philately, says:
"The blue stamp "Eagle" was used for prepaying City letters delivered by carriers. It was issued about Nov. 17th, 1851, and was withdrawn Jan. 27th, 1852. It was very little used except in Philadelphia, Pa., and Cincinnati, Ohio."
As a matter of fact however, the published reports of the Postmaster General, shows that there were issued:
| 4,777,552 | from | Nov. | 1851, | up | to | June, | 1852. |
| 4,370,383 | " | June | 1852, | " | " | " | 1853. |
| 7,103,416 | " | " | 1853, | " | " | " | 1854. |
These stamps were all engraved and printed by Messrs. Toppan, Carpenter, Cassilar and Co., of Philadelphia, under a contract with the Department.
The collector naturally desires to know what supposed peculiarities of the public demand led to the selection of these values, and not others. As already shown, the carriers were paid out of the receipts from the sale of the two carrier stamps.
The one cent was required for newspapers and other printed matter, either singly or in twos, threes, fours, fives, sixes, etc., and Mr. Sterling has preserved specimens thus used, adhering, either in strips by the sides or ends, or in blocks.
The three cent stamp paid the ordinary letter rate, and two or more would be required on double, triple, etc., letters. Mr. Sterling has also preserved strips and blocks of these found so used.