Penny Black

Hi to all

I think today is the anniversary of the introduction of the Penny Black 175 years ago today.

Who would have thought that such a little piece of paper would have inspired Kings and Emperors and Billionaires to collect such an item, and some of these stamps are among the most valuable of items in the world

Regards
Horamakhet

I believe May 6th is considered the first day of issue.

Google seems to think it's today - they have one of their special logos, with the stamp pictured. (Doesn't look much like Queen Victoria though.)

I understand there are new GB stamps which reproduce the Penny Black, with Elizabeth's head up in the corner. Nice. (I think!)

From Google:


Google Doodle of the day:

May 1 was the first day the stamps were put on sale. However, they were not valid to pay the postage until May 6.

I remember reading somewhere that there is actually a cover that is postmarked 1st of May 1840, so if this is true, then regardless of when the validating date is, the 1st of May would be the true 175th anniversary of the issue, and 1st use of the Penny Black.
Horamakhet

There are 11 pre-May 6 uses documented in Mike Jackson's "May Dates" book.
The most famous of the 2 May 1st covers, though cancelled by a Maltese Cross, is marked with a manuscript "2" indicating that the postage paid by the stamp was not recognized. The mailing date is confirmed by the contents.

The other cover has a May 1 backstamp as the only confirmation of the date of mailing.

Here's mine :)

here's mine:

victoria.cgpostal.com

Here is mine.... well, for today, courtesy of wife number one.




...and my other one... courtesy of Royal Mail

Just picked this up in my local post office. I don't think the stamps are available individually (at least, not yet) but there are presentation packs with individual examples, besides these mini-sheets:



It got me thinking of previous Penny Black commemoration stamps released in Britain. Here are the ones I know of:

100 years (1940):



130 years (1970):



150 years (1990):



Are there others, either now or previously, in other parts of the world? Would be interested to see some.

Here's a rather nice one from Malta:



https://www.maltaphilately.com/en/issues/phi

Here's mine and a collateral item (with the May 6 first day of legal usage date):

Love that contrasting Maltese cross cancel. Very nice!

Great Penny Black from rustyc
A four margin Plate 3 with the check letters TA.
This stamp position TA is an example of one of the stamps removed from the imprimatur sheet.

scotzm, I would love to know the significance of the features you mention. I bought my Penny Black about 25 years ago because I thought it was a beautiful copy of the world's first regular postage stamp. I know virtually nothing about the significance of particular check letters, plates, or the imprimatur sheet, and I'm interested in learning more about the stamp.