The thirteen-cent Prexie
Millard Fillmore was the thirteenth President of the United States, serving from July 10, 1850 until 1853, filling the unexpired term of the deceased Zachary Taylor. The design for the thirteen-cent Prexie stamp was taken from a bust in the Senate Gallery of the United States Capitol. Thirteen-cent Prexies were only issued in sheet format.
Thirteen-cent Prexies were first issued on September 22, 1938. Through 1957 a total of 293,750,100 were issued.
Most solo uses of the thirteen-cent Prexie involved special services such as special delivery, insurance or COD, or were third or fourth class uses. Probably the most common was special delivery of a first class letter before the special delivery fee for first class mail up to and including two pounds was raised from ten cents in 1944.
Other special delivery uses were special delivery plus postage to Canada before the 1944 rate change and paying the fee on a letter not requiring postage from 1944 through 1948.
Thirteen cents was the rate for third class mail with minimum insurance from August of 1958 through the end of 1963. It was also the rate for minimum insurance plus postage on a package of merchandise sent to Canada in roughly the same period.
Other solo uses involve third class or fourth class mail, particularly when combined with COD, special handling or insurance.