Stamps and Stamp Collecting

Some just like to get stamps together andstamps went on sale. Since the Penny Black was
arrange them in an album. Others are interested inthe first and only stamp in existence, it was a
the history, geography, and culture of thegreat curiosity. Many people collected Penny
countries whose stamps they collect. Still othersBlacks as souvenirs; some even tried to gather
are attracted to stamps because of the manyenough stamps to cover the walls of a room.
interesting subjects pictured on them. AlmostIn 1847 the United States Government issued
every collector dreams of one day findingtwo stamps - a 10 cent stamp bearing a portrait
"sleeper." This is a rare or valuable stamp that isof George Washington and a 5 cent stamp
not been noticed among stamps worth little orshowing a picture of Benjamin Franklin. Postage
nothing.stamps had been in use in the United States for
In 1837 Sir Rowland Hill (1795-1879), anseveral years. The postmasters of some cities
Englishman, devised a new system for payinghad issued their own stamps. These are known
postal fees. In those days most countries requiredas Postmaster's Provisionals and are quite valuable
the person who received the letter to pay thetoday.
postage. It was Sir Rowland Hill's idea that theIt was not long before other countries began to
sender of a letter should attach a stamp to showissue stamps, and collectors eagerly sought as
that the necessary postage had been paid. Hismany as they could find. In those days it was a
plan was put into use, and in 1840 Great Britainfairly simple matter to collect all existing stamps.
issued the first postage stamp. This stamp,Now it is an entirely different matter. The
known as the Penny Black, showed a picture ofcountries of the world have issued so many
Queen Victoria and the words "Postage" and "Onethousands of stamps since 1840 that it would be
Penny."impossible for any individual to collect every one
Stamp collecting began as soon as the firstof them.