ISSUE 169 - January 3, 2025 - Stamp News Online Magazine
Collection Display:
Events that led to the World's First Postage Stamp
That event was the January 10, 1840 introduction of a One Penny postal
rate throughout Great Britain.
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Royal Mail Post Office One Penny Regulations handbill
http://en.wikipedia.org - Royal Mail
That event had been preceded by a December 1839 implementation of the first substantial reform in Great Britain, when a Uniform Fourpenny Post postage rate was introduced.
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Royal Mail Post Office Four Pence Regulations handbill
http://www.gbps.org.uk Letter Rates 1839-1840
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December 5, 1839 folded letter, with manuscript 4 in center, First Day of the Uniform Four Pence rate
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Folded letter mailed January 9, 1840, the last day of the 4p rate
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 Prepaid entire with manuscript 1 and Paid, mailed January 10, 1840, First
Day of the One Penny rate
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Another One Penny rate first day cover
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“Thanks for cheap postage!—May we soon get cheap bread!”
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Essay for a postage stamp, submitted as part of a design contest leading up to the Penny Black
http://en.wikipedia.org - Penny Black
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Another design essay
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A Parliamentary envelope, paying Penny Postage when free Parliamentary mail was abolished Jan. 10, 1840
http://en.wikipedia.org - Free Frank
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A privately produced Prepaid Letter Sheet used Jan. 11, 1840
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All of this led to the Penny Black, here in a May 6, 1840 First Day use
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A wrapper mailed May 2, 1840, before the Penny Black May 6 effective date
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The same wrapper, a Mulready 1p wrapper, turned and used May 4, also before the May 6 effective date
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