Canada 1851 3d Beaver on Laid Paper

Canada · 1851 · 3 d

This stamp, known as the 'Three-Penny Beaver', was the first postage stamp issued by the Province of Canada. The design, created by Sir Sandford Fleming, features a beaver building a dam, symbolizing the industriousness of the Canadian people. The beaver is framed by the national symbols of the thistle, rose, and shamrock, with St. Edward's Crown at the top.

Issued in 1851, this stamp marks the transfer of postal authority from the British General Post Office to the Province of Canada, a significant step towards Canadian self-governance.