Postage stamps are very important if you want to send mail throughout the US. They have quite a long history. Before these stamps, letters were mailed with postmarks with ink or hand-stamped. These Postmarks were first called “Bishop marks” and they were introduced in 1961 by Henry Bishop. Moreover, they were first used at the London General Post Office
The other common question which many people often ask is, what is the name of the first postage stamp in the world? The Penny Black was the first postage stamp in the world. Stamps were introduced after the 1840s and before this, sending a letter was quite expensive. One has to pay a charge for the distance covered and for each sheet of paper.
The profile of Queen Victoria’s head was engraved on the Penny Black, and it stayed on all British stamps for the next 60 years. Continue reading for more in-depth detail about the history of stamps
Table of Contents
History of Stamps
As mentioned earlier, stamps have quite a long history. The first stamp in the world was issued in England. The first stamp was issued in 1840 by a schoolmaster named Sir Rowland Hill. Moreover, he also introduced the first uniform postage rates that have been primarily based on weight instead of size.
After this development, other countries have started to work on the stamps. In the United States, the first stamp was authorized on March 3, 1846, and it was first issued on July 1, 1847, in New York City (NYC). Furthermore, the first stamp was sold at two cents.
History of Food Stamps
The idea for the first Food Stamp Program (FSP) was presented by many people. However, the most known people include Secretary of Agriculture Henry Wallace and the program’s first administrator, Milo Perkins.
On May 16, 1939, Mabel McFiggin of Rochester, New York became the first recipient. On the other hand, the first merchant to redeem the stamps was Joseph Mutolo. Lastly, Nick Salzano was the first merchant caught breaking the rules in October 1939.
After the food stamp success, President Lyndon Johnson requested to enforce these programs on a permanent basis in 1964. Later that year, as part of his “War on Poverty,” he signed such a program into law (FNS, 2012d).
Price of Stamps History
The cost of stamps has also fluctuated over time. The price of stamps now is not what it was at the beginning. In this section, you will get to know the stamp prices from the beginning. Let’s start.
| Year | Price |
|---|---|
| 1863 | 3 Cents |
| 1869 | 3 Cents |
| 1883 | 2 Cents |
| 1889 | 2 Cents |
| 1918 | 3 Cents |
| 1919 | 2 Cents |
| 1932 | 3 Cents |
| 1958 | 4 Cents |
| 1963 | 5 Cents |
| 1968 | 6 Cents |
| 1971 | 8 Cents |
| 1974 | 10 Cents |
| 1975 | 13 Cents |
| 1978 | 15 Cents |
| March 22, 1981 | 18 Cents |
| November 1, 1981 | 20 Cents |
| 1985 | 22 Cents |
| 1988 | 25 Cents |
| 1991 | 29 Cents |
| 1995 | 32 Cents |
| 1999 | 33 Cents |
| 2001 | 34 Cents |
| 2002 | 37 Cents |
| 2006 | 39 Cents |
| 2007 | 41 Cents |
| 2008 | 42 Cents |
| 2009 | 44 Cents |
| 2012 | 45 Cents |
| 2013 | 46 Cents |
| 2014 | 49 Cents |
| 2016 | 47 Cents |
| 2017 | 49 Cents |
| 2018 | 50 Cents |
| 2019 | 55 Cents |
| 2020 | 55 Cents |
| 2021 | 58 Cents |
Spellman Museum of Stamps & Postal History
The Spellman Museum of Stamps & Postal History is also known as the Cardinal Spellman Philatelic Museum. It is a non-profit organization that is committed to the appreciation of range via the medium of postage stamps and postal records.
This museum was founded in 1960, and now it has more than 2 million philatelic items, which range from postage stamps to postal records, to artifacts of communications through the mail. Its main mission is to interact with and educate diversity, history, and geography through its philatelic exhibits, aid middle, library, and packages for youngsters.
Read Our Helpful Guide: How Many Stamps Do I Need?
Penny Black: First Modern Postage Stamp
Penny Black was the first modern postage stamp. It was introduced on May 6, 1840, with Great Britain’s Penny Post. Penny Black had the profile of Queen Victoria’s head, and her profile remained on all British stamps for the next 60 years.
On the other hand, the London Penny Post was established in 1680 by William Dockwra and Robert Murray. The main purpose of this mail system was to deliver small parcels and letters throughout London. They charge a one penny fee for delivery and the parcel was prepaid by using a hand-stamped franking stamp.
Middle Ages of Stamps
As mentioned earlier, stamps have quite a long history. Humans have been using these stamps for a long time. Some popular Middle Ages stamps include Castle RUBBER STAMP, Jousting Knight Coin RUBBER STAMP, Procreate Logo Stamp Middle Ages, Simonetta Vespucci 29, Antique Greek Statues Stamps, and many more. For more Middle Ages stamps, click here.
Who came up with the idea of Posting stamps?
When there are no stamps, letters were postmarked with hand stamps or with ink. So there’s really a need to introduce something that would help in mailing letters or parcels. The first stamp was introduced on May 6, 1840. The idea of the first stamp was given by Sir Rowland Hill who himself designed the stamp which cost one penny.
Besides, Sir Rowland Hill, James Chalmers, and Lovrenc Kosir are also known to be the inventor of the postage stamp. Lovrenc Kosir suggested the introduction of postmarks five years before the introduction of the first stamps throughout the world. On the other hand, James Chalmers also helps in the invention of the adhesive postal stamp.
History of Stamps – FAQs
Our Verdict
To conclude here, Postage stamps have a long history. The first Postage stamp was introduced on May 6, 1840, and the idea of the first stamp was given by Sir Rowland Hill. He himself designed the stamp which cost one penny.
Moreover, the name of the first Postage stamp in the world was Penny Black. Besides Rowland Hill, Lovrenc Kosir and James Chalmers are also known to be the inventor of the postage stamp.
The first stamp in the US was authorized in 1846 and was first issued in 1847. The US released its first circular stamp a hologram of the planet in the year 2000. Furthermore, Tonga and Sierra Leone have introduced tamps in the shapes of fruit.
Lastly, Stamps are often printed in booklets, sheets, or rolls on paper. However, some Postage stamps are made of materials other than paper, such as embossed foil, but they are used less frequently.
