Malta - First Definitive Issue - Queen Victoria

Malta · 1860 · ½d

This stamp, Malta's first, features the diademed head of Queen Victoria facing left, a classic design used by several British colonies. The stamp is notable for its buff color and lack of a specified currency, as it was valued at a halfpenny in British sterling, the currency in use at the time.

Issued under British rule, this stamp marked Malta's entry into the postal union and standardized its local postage rates. It was printed by De La Rue in London and remained in use for over two decades.