The Wichita Stamp Club had a webpage about it (seems to have evaporated). (No figures made the cut and paste, but images of the stamps can be found on
ebay etc..)
Independent Postal System of America by Louis Forster
The facts of this story have been told several times previously … sometimes truthfully. I hope this is one of those times.
Our story begins in Oklahoma City, in 1968 (probably on a dark & rainy evening), in the mind of Thomas M. Murphy seriously contemplating "a delivery system to compete with the United States Post Office Department."
Soon the IPSA - the Independent Postal System of America - was in operation delivering parcel and bulk mailings in Oklahoma. The concept was speedy and economical handling of 2nd, 3rd & 4th class mailings - catalogs, price lists, small boxes, etc. - but not 1st class mail. (Early hint for later troubles: the handling of 1st class mail was jealously guarded by the USPOD under Federal Private Express Mail Statues.)
The USPOD (and some of its employee unions) groaned, but the little IPSA grew. During 1971, claims were made of regular deliveries in 30 U.S. states, Canada and England, of having over 18,000 employees wearing snappy uniforms similar to those of the traditional mailman, and of having "post offices" throughout the U.S., Canada & England. The year 1971 would bring major changes to our mail system with the passage of the Postal Reorganization Act resulting in the removal of the Postmaster General as a member of the President's cabinet and changing the Post Office Department to the United States Postal Service (USPS), effective July 1, 1971.
Then on November 30, 1971, the IPSA issued a set of stamp-like adhesives (including one with a value of 5 cent for Christmas cards) for usage on 2nd, 3rd & 4th class mailing. First day of issue covers were printed and serviced with cancellations very similar to those of the USPS. Figure 1 is a First Day of Issue for the 5˘ ISPA stamp. Without checking old weather reports, I am sure this must have been a dark & rainy day.
Figure 1 - Independent Postal System of America First Day of Issue for the 5˘ Stamp, Nov 30 1971
The USPS and the U.S. Letter Carriers Union sought and quickly won a legal injunction, … not for illegally issuing "stamps," or for illegal cancellation usage, or for usage of the U.S. mails to promote an illegal activity, but for attempting to deliver 1st class mail. A federal court judge ruled that the delivery of Christmas cards, even at the discounted rate of 5 cents, constituted a 1st class mail operation. (The delivery of 2nd - 4th class mail was not affected by this decision).
Elated with this victory, the USPS pushed to have the non-USPS delivery of 2nd, 3rd & 4th class mail declared illegal. A long series on legal battles commenced with a peak 1974 U. S Court ruling that IPSA could continue to deliver non-1st class mail. (This was a banner decision for the later-to-be UPS, FedEx & other bulk delivery companies, but only one of many legal trips to court for the IPSA.) Linn's Stamp News reported that at its height the IPSA "had 120 offices in 42 states before federal- and union-sponsored litigation sapped much of its energy" and that by 1975 "it had shrunk to 42 offices in 12 states and still had legal woes."
Figure 2 depicts the 10˘ and 25˘ stamp issued by the Independent Postal System of America. There was also a $1 stamp issued of the same design (not shown). The 50˘ IPSA stamp is shown in Figure 3 on another one of the First Day of Issue covers.
Figure 2 - Independent Postal System of America, 10˘ and 25˘ stamps
Still the mail went! In addition to the initial 1971 stamps & FDC's shown in the various figures, additional sets of stamps were issued in 1973 & 1976. The 1976 set of stamps apparently included one picturing Mr. Murphy himself alongside the Capitol & Statue of Liberty with the caption "Write Your Congressman" and having a valuation of 0 cents. The IPSA offered to delivery letters to U.S. senators and representatives free of charge. These "stamps" were called "reverse franchise labels."
Financially and legally still under attack, the IPSA ended services in the late 1970s and Mr. Murphy died in the early 1980's. I think you will agree … an interesting tale …and truthful to the facts?
Figure 3 - Independent Postal System of America First Day of Issue for the 50˘ Stamp, Nov 30 1971
However, to offer an answer to the obvious question that must arise - where are the philatelic remains of these many, many mailings? -- is difficult. The first set of stamps (unused) & the FDC's are not rare. However postal usage of the first issues and mint and used examples of the later issues are a little like hunting fossils … there should be a lot more of them. Being only 30-something there should be some on the "what-am I?" back pages of many U.S. stamp albums, but they are not there. Where are Holmes & Watson when you need them?
Posted 10/04/2023 3:57 pm
