The Penny Black stamp is the very first postage stamp ever made. This item was really innovative at the time of its development and it now has even more value and appeal to many collectors. The notion of owning a Penny Black stamp is very intriguing for many individuals who have an interest in history and historical collectables.
I was really surprised that the Penny Black stamp was developed way back in 1840 because I have a hard time imagining the postal system working well in those days. I can only imagine how long it took for letters holding the Penny Black stamp would take to get to their destination.
Another surprise came with the research I conducted on this particular historical item. I had no idea that postage stamps originated in Europe. The Penny Black stamp was originally issued while Queen Victoria was in reign. Since she was such a prominent figure, the Penny Black stamp used her portrait as its symbol.
A great way to tell if a Penny Black stamp is real is to check which direction the queen is facing on the face of the item. She should be facing to the left. Also, every one of these well sought after historical items should have letters in the lower corners.
I’m a little fuzzy about the details but the letters have something to do with the order that the stamps were printed. These letters on the Penny Black stamp are useful in identifying an original but the various numbers are equally valuable. There are no current demands for stamps bearing certain numbers.
While reading up on the Penny Black stamp I came across another tidbit of information that was really interesting to me. Traditionally, the person receiving the mail would pay the postage. It wasn’t until the Penny Black stamp was invented that the person sending the mail prepaid for the voyage.
The notion of the receiver paying for the mail is really interesting to me because it shows how much the postal system has changed over the years. We have seen many developments when it comes to sending messages. Notes are reaching destinations in record time and there is little wait for any item that is shipped through the mail.
I think that the appeal of the Penny Black stamp is its connection to another time and place when letters were carefully thought out and treasured by the recipient who was more than willing to pay the postage. The whole thing makes me want to sit down and write some letters instead of sending emails.