Brazil, 1843 "Bull's Eye" First Issue

Brazil · 1843 · 30 réis

This stamp is the first in the famous "Bull's Eye" (Olho de Boi) series, the first postage stamps issued in Brazil and the second in the world, following Great Britain's Penny Black. The design features a large numeral '30' within an ornate oval frame, without the monarch's portrait, a notable departure from convention at the time. The intricate engraving was intended to prevent forgery.

Issued under Emperor Dom Pedro II, the Bull's Eye series established Brazil as a pioneer in postal reform, adopting the new system of prepaid postage just three years after its invention.