Great Britain 1d Penny Black

Great Britain · 1840 · 1d (One Penny)

The world's first adhesive postage stamp, the Penny Black features a profile portrait of Queen Victoria. The design, based on a medal by William Wyon, was chosen to be difficult to forge and did not include the country's name, a tradition British stamps continue to this day. The corners contain letters indicating the stamp's position on the printing plate.

Issued as part of Rowland Hill's postal reforms, the Penny Black revolutionized communication by introducing a uniform, prepaid postage rate. It was used throughout the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from May 1840 until it was replaced by the Penny Red in 1841.