Penny Black

The Penny Black was the world's first adhesive postage stamp. It was issued by the United Kingdom on the 1 May 1840 and used from the 6 May the same year. All London post offices received official issues of the new stamps, but other offices in the country did not. Some post offices like in Bath, offered the stamp unofficially after 2 May. 

Once the stamps were used, they had a red cancellation. However, it was hard to see, and it could easily be taken off. It is not very rare. The total print run was 286,700 sheets with 68,808,000 stamps. A mint condition stamp might fetch £3–4,000. 

 Related pages 
 Penny Lilac
 Penny Red
 Queen Victoria
 Twelve Penny Black
 Two Penny Blue

 References 

Category:Postage stamps
Category:Philately of the United Kingdom
Category:1840 establishments in the United Kingdom