By Ines Keane
Before 1840, in Britain, the price of sending a letter depended on how far it travelled and how many sheets of paper it held. After the Uniform Penny Post began in 1840, a letter cost one penny, wherever it went. The stamp that came with the change was black, had no perforations, and had to be cut from the sheet by hand.
The reform
The Postal Museum describes Rowland Hill as the reformer behind the Uniform Penny Post and the Penny Black, which began in 1840.
Dates
The Penny Black was first issued on 1 May 1840 and was valid for use from 6 May, according to Guinness World Records.
Dates in order
- 1 May 1840: first issued, according to Guinness World Records.
- 6 May 1840: valid for use, according to Guinness World Records.
What kind of sources these are
Guinness World Records for the issue and validity dates, and the Postal Museum for Rowland Hill’s role. We have left out modern values, auction prices and the identification of plates, which a specialist would do far better.
Questions a buyer would ask
Is it an original or a later reprint? Is there a cancellation? Who is the seller, and what do they say it is? We name no dealer and no price.
What we left out
We left out the Penny Black’s later appearances in design and in popular media, and everything about the Penny Red.
Quick answers
When was the Penny Black issued? According to Guinness World Records, on 1 May 1840, though it was not valid for use until 6 May.
Related on this site: halifax-piece-hall-cloth-hall, meccano-hornby-liverpool-binns-road, thatch-water-reed-norfolk-broads-roof
Roam first. Shop later.