Portugal 1853 5r Reddish Brown, Queen Maria II

Portugal · 1853 · 5r

This stamp features a right-facing profile portrait of Queen Maria II of Portugal. It is the first postage stamp ever issued by Portugal, printed in a reddish-brown color with the denomination '5r' (cinco réis) at the bottom. The design is simple, with the Queen's effigy set against a plain background within an unadorned frame.

Issued on July 1, 1853, this stamp marks Portugal's entry into the postal reform movement that began with Great Britain's Penny Black. It replaced the complex system of distance-based postal rates with a standardized, prepaid system.