The post office department announced the issue in the following circular:
Post Office Department.
Finance Office, March 1st, 1869.
Sir:
At an early day, in the regular course of business, the Department will issue to Postmasters stamps of new designs. [See description annexed.] In the proposed issue the six cent stamp is substituted for the five cents. You are required to exhaust all of the present style on hand, before supplying the public with the new; and in no case will you be allowed to make exchanges for individuals, or to return stamps to the Department to be exchanged. The stamps now in use are not to be disregarded, but must be recognized in all cases equally with the new ones.
Special attention is called to the fact that sheets of all denominations below 15 cents contain 150 stamps. The 15 cents and all higher denominations, contain 100 stamps on each sheet. This must be borne in mind to prevent mistakes in counting, as in the present issue each denomination has but 100 stamps to the sheet. Special requests for the new style of stamps will be disregarded until the stock of the present issue in possession of the Department is exhausted. Due notice will be given of the date of issue of any new design of stamped envelopes, therefor all inquiries respecting them will be disregarded.
[Signed.] A. N. ZEVELY,
Third Assistant Postmaster General.
The description upon the other side requires to be supplemented for collectors, but is incorporated in those following.
Issue of March 19th, 1869.
Composed of ten values each of a different type.