Every year from October 9 to October 13, the world observes World Postal Week to honour the vital role that postal services play in uniting people and countries around the world. Postage stamps have become iconic representations of culture, history, and communication among the various components of this extensive postal institution. These little, sticky bits of paper have evolved beyond their original use to become priceless artefacts and original works of art. On World Postal Day, we honour some of the most well-known postage stamps in history, each of which has a special meaning that spans centuries and continents. These stamps demonstrate both human ingenuity and the continuing value of the written word and the practice of transmission.
1. British Guiana 1c Magenta Stamps
The rarest and most expensive stamp in the world is the 1856 British Guiana 1c Magenta, which sells for millions at auctions. It is still a philatelic legend and a classic.
2. Treskilling Yellow Stamp
The Treskilling Yellow stamp, a Swedish mistake with a blue-green colour instead of the anticipated yellow, is a famous rarity in philately. It is worth millions.
3. 1 Cent Benjamin Franklin Stamp
One of the first U.S. postage stamps, the one-cent Benjamin Franklin stamp features the portrait of the Founding Father, representing philately and American history.
4. Penny Black Stamp
The first adhesive postage stamp ever created was the Penny Black, which was released in 1840. It was created by Rowland Hill, featured Queen Victoria, and revolutionised mail services all over the world.
5. Two-Penny Blue Stamp
The world’s second postage stamp and a defining piece of philatelic history is the Two Penny Blue stamp, which was printed in the United Kingdom in 1840.
6. Penny Red Stamp
The Penny Red stamp replaced the Penny Black and was released in the United Kingdom in 1841. It is still regarded as a philatelic masterpiece because of its historical significance.
7. Hawaiian Missionaries Stamp
One of the rarest and most expensive postage stamps ever created, the Hawaiian Missionaries stamp from 1851 represents Hawaii’s early postal history.
8. The Whole Country is Red Stamp
The 1968 China “Whole Country is Red” postage stamp, with its eye-catching red design, represents the Cultural Revolution by exhibiting ideological fervour and political unanimity.
9. Bull’s Eye Stamp
The first postage stamp ever created was Brazil’s Bull’s Eye stamp, which was released in 1843.
10. Inverted Jenny Stamp
A unique US postage stamp called The Inverted Jenny has an aeroplane error on it. It was published in 1918, but due to a special printing error, collectors still highly prize it.
11. Sicilian Error of Colour Stamp
The background of the 1859 Sicilian Error of Colour stamp is an unusual shade of blue rather than the intended orange. Collectors from all over the world actively seek out this philatelic error.
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Vaishnavi Srivastava is a learning writer, a keen researcher and a literature enthusiast. She is a Sub-editor at Abir Pothi.
