Great Britain -

" THE PENNY BLACK ~ THE WORLD'S FIRST STAMP."

Fine - Used Stamp in a Sumner Album / Presentation Pack !!

A few words from the Pack:

BIRTH OF THE PENNY BLACK.

Before 1840 a rudimentary postal system existed. Henry VIII established a 'Master of Posts' in 1516 to expedite the delivery of official mail, and in 1627 post offices were established in major cities. 

A local urban service, the London Dockwra 'Penny Post' began in 1680, but connection with provinces and other cities was very slow and erratic...

Then, in 1837 Rowland Hill, a leading educationalist & tax reformer, published a report showing that transit charges were trivial compared with other handling costs, & recommended the introduction of a standard rate (regardless of distance) of 1d, prepaid by means of "bits of paper with glutinous wash".

Savings were thus to be made in the time wasted in calculation & collection of fees. The idea soon won support, and on 6th May 1840 the first Penny Black engraved by Charles and Frederick Heath & printed by Perkins, Bacon & Company went on sale...

The Album comes with its original literature / brochure.

(PBJ25 ~ Bd Rm Coin Cpd Tp).