pennyblack

The Penny Black is the world’s first adhesive postage stamp used in a public postal system. Issued by the United Kingdom in 1840, it carried a one-penny rate for ordinary letters and was printed in black on white paper. The design features a profile of Queen Victoria facing left within an ornate frame, with the inscriptions POSTAGE and ONE PENNY.

The stamp was issued as an imperforate design and was typically canceled with the Maltese Cross to prevent reuse. It was produced in sheets, and its use marked the beginning of prepaid postage and a standardized postal rate system.

The Penny Black arose from postal reforms that aimed to simplify mailing and reduce costs. These reforms, associated with Sir Rowland Hill, introduced a uniform rate for letters and the principle of prepayment via stamps. The Penny Black was soon supplemented by the Penny Red in 1841, which offered similar value with a distinct color and ease of cancellation; the black issue remained in limited use for a period after the red stamp’s introduction.

Today the Penny Black is a landmark in postal history and philately. It is highly prized by collectors, particularly intact sheets or plates and correctly canceled examples. Its status as the first adhesive postage stamp inspired a global expansion of stamp issuance and a lasting legacy in how mail is prepaid and processed.