▁issue ▁to ▁be ▁sold ▁before hand . ▁But ▁the ▁usage ▁of ▁such ▁st amps ▁had ▁their ▁draw back s . ▁Special ▁D elivery ▁only ▁served ▁communities ▁whose ▁population ▁was ▁over ▁ 4 , 0 0 0 ▁people ▁and ▁could ▁not ▁guarantee ▁delivery ▁by ▁a ▁specific ▁time . ▁To ▁be ▁valid ▁the ▁Special ▁D elivery ▁stamp ▁had ▁to ▁be ▁aff ixed ▁to ▁the ▁en velope ▁along ▁with ▁all ▁other ▁post age ▁and ▁could ▁not ▁be ▁used ▁to ▁prep ay ▁regular ▁and ▁air mail ▁post age . ▁ ▁Five ▁distinct ▁issues ▁showing ▁the ▁running ▁mess enger ▁were ▁made . ▁ ▁Begin ning ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 2 ▁and ▁continu ing ▁for ▁ 2 0 ▁years , ▁Special ▁D elivery ▁mess engers ▁were ▁issued ▁b icy cles ▁to ▁deliver ▁the ▁mail ▁and ▁corresponding ly ▁a ▁stamp ▁was ▁issued ▁that ▁year ▁which ▁dep icted ▁a ▁mess enger ▁r iding ▁a ▁b icy cle ▁and ▁deliver ing ▁the ▁mail . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 8 ▁a ▁hel met ▁of ▁the ▁god ▁Mercur y ▁was ▁briefly ▁used ▁for ▁the ▁design , ▁with ▁the ▁stamp ▁often ▁called ▁the ▁Mer ry ▁W id ow ▁issue ▁after ▁a ▁popular ▁opera ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁lead ▁singer ▁wore ▁a ▁large ▁hat . ▁The ▁b icy cle ▁design ▁was ▁re inst ated ▁and ▁continued ▁with ▁subsequent ▁issues ▁having ▁differences ▁in ▁per for ations ▁and ▁wat erm arks . ▁ ▁The ▁series ▁ended ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 2 ▁when ▁a ▁mess enger ▁r iding ▁a ▁motor cycle ▁was ▁shown , ▁replaced ▁by