Netherlands 1870 First Issue Postage Due Stamps

Netherlands · 1870 · Various (1c, 2c, 3c, 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c)

This is the first series of postage due stamps issued by the Netherlands. The design features a large numeral indicating the amount due, enclosed within an ornate rectangular frame. These stamps were printed in black and were used to collect insufficient postage from the recipient of a letter.

Issued in 1870, these stamps represent the formalization of collecting postage due in the Netherlands, a system adopted by many countries following the postal reforms of the 19th century.