Penny Black

 

The Penny Black was the world's first adhesive postage stamp used in a public postal system. It was first issued in the United Kingdom on 01 May 1840 but was not valid for use until 06 May 1840. The stamp featured a profile of Queen Victoria.

                       

           One Penny Black, 1841
 

68,808,000 number of stamps were printed and about 1,300,000 exist today. This 2% survival rate is probably higher than expected because the use of envelopes was unusual in 1840s. The Penny Black lasted less than a year. A red cancellation was difficult to see on the black design, and the red ink was easy to remove, both made it possible to re-use cancelled stamps.

                           

The Jacob Perkin's press which printed the Penny Black and the 2c Blue, in the British Library Philatelic Collections.

In February 1841, the treasury switched to Penny Red.

                       

   Large mint block of the Penny Black.

The Penny Black is renowned undoubtedly as the most famous stamp and one which every collector aspires to own.