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Featured Article

19th Century Used Stamps

During the early part of the 19th century, Great Britain became the world's first country to issue adhesive stamps. The world's first stamp is the Penny Black along with the Penny Post, were the brain child of Sir Rowland Hill, a former school master now more famously called ‘The Father of Modern Post Office'.

The Penny Black, the first ever adhesive postage stamp was issued on May 1, 1840 though it became valid for postage five days after. A total of 72 million copies of were sold.

There were more than 2600 suggestions submitted designs, but only 49 were related to adhesive stamps. One suggestion from Benjamin Cheverton of Casinden Town answered the fears of Treasury officials that unscrupulous printer might may be able to forge the labels and so defraud the Post Office. Cheverton suggested that the labels should bear "a female head of great beauty" because a portrait would be more difficult for forgers to copy than any other design. Awards for innovative suggestions were made to Benjamin Cheverton, Henry Cole, Charles Whiting, James Bogardus and Francis Coffin.

It was Rowland Hill's own suggestion which was developed into the finished design a profile of Queen Victoria, based on a portrait made when she was an eighteen old princess. It was also used on a medal designed by William Wyon.

Perkins Bacon & Petch Co, London who had been given the contract to print. The artist Henry Corbould was commissioned to make a number of profile drawings. Charles and Frederick Health, father and son, engraved the Queen's portrait for the production of the plate which contained 240 impressions.

Hill's stamp system was eventually adopted in some form by every country starting with Brazil in 1843. It revolutionized the postal system in the wold and started the world's most popular hobby philately.



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