Extraordinary Facts About Postage Stamps From Around the World

Published on April 16, 2009 by Louie Jerome in Collecting
Extraordinary Facts About Postage Stamps From Around the World

Remember when there was only one way to send a letter, unless you had well trained carrier pigeons? You had to stick a postage stamp on an envelope and push it into a mail box. Strange as it may seem to the younger generation, some people still do this.

The very first postage stamps that were actually stuck to letters were the Penny Blacks which were issued in UK. These were first sold on May 1st 184o and used for the national delivery of letters.



In the USA the first stamps issued were for local delivery of letters and got their authorization by act of Congress in 1836. However, it wasn’t until 1842 that the City Dispatch Post, New York City started to use them. The same year the US Post Office Department was formed. 

Five years later, in 1847, the first national stamps were issued.  These were a 5c stamp showing Benjamin Franklin and a 10c stamp showing George Washington. By the time these stamps were withdrawn from sale over 5 million had been issued.

The First Ten Countries And Cities To Issue Postage Stamps

  1. Great Britain: May 1840
  2. New York City: February 1842
  3. Zurich, Switzerland: March 1843
  4. Brazil: August 1843
  5. Geneva, Switzerland: October 1843
  6. Basle, Switzerland: July 1845
  7. USA: July  1847
  8. Mauritius: September 1847
  9. Bermuda: January  1848
  10. France: January   1849

Image via Wikipedia

Strangely enough, the very first airmail letter was sent much earlier than the issue of the world’s first postage stamps. On January 7th 1785, William Franklin, son of Benjamin Franklin, airmailed a letter to his son, William. It was taken in a balloon piloted by Blanchard and Jeffries from Dover, in England, to Felmores Forest across the English Channel, in France.

Image via Wikipedia

POST BOX MUSEUM, LONDON

Image via Wikipedia

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11 Comments

hfj, posted this comment on Apr 16th, 2009

Great article and pictures Louie. Very informative and well researched. I was shocked by the date of the first airmailed letter. Well done.

Glynis Smy, posted this comment on Apr 16th, 2009

Great informative article, great pics too!

C Jordan, posted this comment on Apr 16th, 2009

Great post! :)

Alexa Gates, posted this comment on Apr 16th, 2009

Sweet! I wonder if you could still get the Benjamin Franklin ones… my uncle would love one (he’s writing a very detailed book on Franklin…. he knows a lot about him…)

R J Evans, posted this comment on Apr 16th, 2009

Cool article – love the air mail fact!

Christine Ramsay, posted this comment on Apr 16th, 2009

A really interesting article, Louie. I can’t remember when I last posted a letter. I liked the airmail one too.

Christine

Betty Carew, posted this comment on Apr 16th, 2009

What an interesting article Louie! Lots of information here going way back.

Daisy Peasblossom, posted this comment on Apr 16th, 2009

I collected stamps at one time. Too many moves and years have diminished my collection considerably. But it was interesting while it lasted. This article was a fun reminder.

BC Doan, posted this comment on Apr 16th, 2009

Wow, very interesting looking stamps, and informative article!

Darlene McFarlane, posted this comment on Apr 17th, 2009

Another very interesting article, louie. Like Christine Ramsay, I don’t remember the last time I mailed a letter. I do remember when a 2 Cents sent a letter anywhere in Canada.

George W Whitehead, posted this comment on Apr 17th, 2009

Great article, Louie. Like most young mails, I used to collect stamps!

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