Tidbits of History and Culture on a Postage Stamp

Stamp collecting is the first serious hobby that I started. More than 3 decades later, I am still collecting, storing and cateloging these little gems. Though the use of postage stamps just might be on their way out with the advent of electronic means of communication, I do hope that this extinction takes a long, long time to actually happen.

The very first self-adhesive postage stamp issued in the world is the Penny Black. Featuring the image of Queen Victoria and issued in Great Britain, it was valued at 1 penny. About an year later, a middle class English woman was advertising for stamps with which to decorate the walls of her house. 

And so started one of the most popular hobbies of all time. 

Today, a great many stamps are issued by each country to showcase their culture and individuality, and to commemorate special occassions. Going through my collection in my ripe old age of 44 today, I realize just how much information is captured in, what is, essentially a receipt for your payment for postage services. 

And so, I thought of doing a series of posts about the various stamps in my collection. 

I hope you enjoy!