File talk:Floyd's Penny Post.jpg

Winick Snippets I- US to 1930, by Les Winick states:

Many cities had some form of private carrier who issued "stamps" to cover the local post fees. Capt. John R. Floyd established Floyd's Penny Post in Chicago, with a fee of one cent to bring letters to and from the post office. Stamps were printed in three colors, blue, brown and green. Chicago was a growing city and large quantities of the stamps were printed and used.

The U.S. passed an act in 1861 which gave the government a monopoly to carry the mail and effectively put the local independent posts out of business. In conformity with this act, Floyd discontinued his penny-post service on June 20, 1861. The Floyd stamps currently catalog for $50 to $100 each, up to $1,400 if used on an envelope.

The widow of Captain Floyd stated in an interview in a 1900 stamp newspaper that "if it had not been for the great fire of 1871, the stamps would be common." The Great Chicago Fire destroyed many valuable stamps and covers that would be in collectors' hands today.