This Penny Black stamp on a letter posted to Sheffield in 1841 has sold at auction for £800. It was only expected to fetch up to £500. The stamp was on a letter sent to snuff manufacturer J&H Wilson in Sheffield from Nailsworth near Stroud in Gloucestershire. The Penny Black stamp was the first ever stamp to be issued in Britain and they have since become collectors' items. Before the invention of the adhesive stamp, Britain's postal system was complex and really only available to the wealthy. The cost of postage was paid by the recipient, who sometimes could not afford to pay to claim their letter. In 1837, teacher and postal reformer Rowland Hill submitted suggestions to the government of a uniform post rate of one penny.
 |
The Penny Black was used on a 'wrapper' (letter cover) sent to Sheffield |
Three years later his proposals became a reality and the Penny Black was born. It was replaced just a year later by the Penny Red. Dominic's firm were responsible for selling this Penny Black at auction in London and he was not surprised it had had done well: "The thing that really marks this one out as being a little bit special is the condition it's in. It is in very nice condition on a pretty uncreased wrapper and it's very attractive." The rarest and most valuable Penny Blacks are those issued on the first day, known as first day covers. One such item sold in April 2010 for more than £40,000.
1 comment:
I just wanted to comment your blog and say that I really enjoyed reading your blog post here. It was very informative. Keep it up and I’ll be back to read more soon.
The popularity of online Penny Auction Sites has led many to join such websites in the hopes of getting their desired item.
Post a Comment