| The knowledge of when the first stamp was created | | | | of 1847 and featured a George Washington ten cent |
| will help stamp collectors know when this fine hobby | | | | stamp and a Benjamin Franklin five cent stamp. On |
| began, and it will allows collectors to realize the great | | | | September 21st of that year the Blue and Orange |
| history of this awesome art of stamps. The | | | | Mauritus featuring Queen Victoria was released by |
| understanding and knowledge of all the stamps of the | | | | Mauritius. Bermuda followed up during 1848 with the |
| past will enable stamp collectors to realize the beauty | | | | Bermuda 1 Penny. During the year of 1849 three other |
| of this amazing art. | | | | stamps were issued. The first was issued on the first |
| Before the stamp was invented the receiver of a | | | | of January from France called the Head of Ceres, the |
| letter paid the postage instead of the sender, which | | | | second was released on the first of July entitled |
| the receiver sometimes refused to pay or accept the | | | | Leopold I from Belgium, and the last stamp released |
| letter. However, sometimes the sender would just | | | | that year was from Bavaria on the first of November |
| place a secret message on the letter and when ever | | | | entitled Schwarzer Einser, which was the first German |
| the receiver viewed the message he did not need pay | | | | stamp issued. |
| for the letter. | | | | During 1850, Spain released their Queen Isabella II |
| The very first postage stamp ever issued was the 1 | | | | stamp on the first of January. Also during that same |
| Penny Black, which was issued by Britain on May 6th | | | | year New South Wales issued a stamp on the tenth |
| of 1840 and pictured the young Queen Victoria. These | | | | of January called Sydney and Imigrants, and Victoria |
| first stamps were produced and designed by an | | | | issued a stamp of Queen Victoria sitting on the |
| English schoolmaster by the name of Rowland Hill in | | | | fifteenth of January. On the fourth of April, Switzerland |
| 1837. For his act of producing the first stamp was | | | | issued a stamp of coat of arms, Austria issued their |
| rewarded by him being knighted. These stamps were | | | | coat of arms stamp on the first of June, and Saxony |
| rated by weight instead of by size, which was | | | | issued the Sachsen-Dreier on the first of July, plus on |
| three-quarters by seven-eighths, were issued as | | | | that same day the British Guayana stamp featuring |
| prepayment for possible postage mail. These first | | | | the name of the postmaster in a circle. |
| stamps were produced in only black ink. | | | | The first pre-stamped envelopes were sold in 1852 |
| In fact, the profile of Queen Victoria remained on the | | | | and during 1855 a prepayment of postage began being |
| British stamps for sixty years until the year 1900. | | | | required in the United States. In 1857, the very first |
| These original stamps had to be cut from the sheet it | | | | perforated stamps appeared in the United States and |
| was produced on by scissors, because they did not | | | | almost all countries have started using postage stamps |
| have perforations. Unused 1 Penny Black stamps are | | | | by 1860. During the year of 1869 the first picture |
| quite rare, but they are still in existence today. Two | | | | stamps showing something other than dead people |
| days after the release of the Penny Black on May 8th | | | | appeared on the first of January. Pre-stamped |
| of 1840 the 2 Pence Blue was released, which used | | | | postcards, which could be purchased for one cent, |
| blue dies, but was eventually placed into cancellation. | | | | were issued in 1871. |
| The popularity of this brand new system of sending | | | | The Colonial Government of Gibraltar assumed control |
| mail and collecting a fee in advance spread quickly and | | | | of Postal Services of Bermuda on the first of January |
| other countries soon began using similar systems. | | | | on 1886 when their plates were overprinted using a |
| Brazil was the next country to get into the process of | | | | variety of colors. During December of that same year |
| using stamps when it issued the Ox Eye on July 1st in | | | | Gibraltar began replacing the design with his own and |
| 1843. During that same year Switzerland issued the | | | | then his stamps were used with peseta values from |
| Canton Zurich on August 1st, which had its digit on the | | | | 1889 to 1898. |
| back and the Canton Geneve on September 30th, | | | | The very first commemorate stamps from the United |
| which was called the Doppelgenf and featured a coat | | | | States were issued in 1893, which show scenes of the |
| of arms. They followed their stamping designs again in | | | | voyage to America by Columbus. Then during 1896 |
| 1845 with their release of the Canton Basel on July 1st | | | | rural free delivery began, which brought mail directly to |
| entitled, Basler Tauchen. | | | | individuals homes ending out the century. |
| The first United States stamp were issued on July 1st | | | | |