1 8 8 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁where by ▁the ▁letter ▁would ▁be ▁dispatch ed ▁immediately ▁and ▁directly ▁from ▁the ▁receiving ▁post ▁office ▁to ▁the ▁recip ient ▁rather ▁than ▁being ▁put ▁in ▁mail ▁for ▁distribution ▁on ▁the ▁regular ▁delivery ▁route . ▁ ▁Special ▁D elivery ▁st amps ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 5 ▁Congress ▁en act ed ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁" a ▁special ▁stamp ▁of ▁the ▁face ▁valu ation ▁of ▁ten ▁c ents ▁... ▁[ that ] ▁when ▁attached ▁to ▁a ▁letter , ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁the ▁law ful ▁post age ▁there on ▁... ▁shall ▁be ▁regarded ▁as ▁ent it ling ▁such ▁letter ▁to ▁immediate ▁delivery ." ▁The ▁first ▁Special ▁delivery ▁stamp ▁was ▁printed ▁by ▁the ▁American ▁Bank ▁Note ▁Company ▁and ▁issued ▁on ▁October ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 8 8 5 . ▁ ▁It ▁could ▁not ▁be ▁used ▁to ▁prep ay ▁post age ▁or ▁any ▁other ▁service . ▁The ▁stamp ▁be ars ▁the ▁words ▁" Sec ures ▁immediate ▁delivery ▁at ▁a ▁special ▁delivery ▁office , ". ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 6 ▁the ▁Special ▁D elivery ▁service ▁was ▁expanded ▁to ▁all ▁post ▁offices ▁and ▁a ▁new ▁stamp ▁was ▁designed . ▁The ▁re vised ▁stamp ▁was ▁identical ▁to ▁the ▁first ▁issue ▁of ▁ 1 8 8 5 ▁but ▁instead ▁bore ▁the ▁statement ▁" Sec ures ▁immediate ▁delivery ▁at ▁any ▁post ▁office ." ▁The ▁release ▁of ▁the ▁re vised ▁stamp ▁was ▁delayed ▁by ▁the ▁Post ▁Office ▁until ▁ 1 8 8 8 , ▁however , ▁allowing ▁supplies ▁of ▁the ▁first