Russia No. 1, 10 Kopeck Brown & Blue

Russia · 1857 · 10 Kopeck

This is the first postage stamp issued by the Russian Empire, commonly known as Russia No. 1. The design features the imperial coat of arms, a double-headed eagle, within a circular frame. The denomination of 10 Kopecks is indicated in Cyrillic script, and the background consists of a network of fine blue lines.

Issued on December 10, 1857, this stamp marked Russia's entry into the Universal Postal Union's system of prepaid postage. It was initially imperforate and later issued with perforations, symbolizing the modernization of the Russian postal service under Tsar Alexander II.