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first issues > countries > great britain

Great Britain

Wednesday, May 6, 1840

The worlds first postage stamp, the first of all philatelic first issues

see also GB Regionals

  Europe 1

GBFI
GB2
Watermark Small Crown
Great Britain Sc1 SG2
the Penny Black
Sc2 SG5
Watermark Small Crown
 

Imperforate, line engraved.

The world's first postage stamps.
Date Description Die Plates # issued Scott # SG # Mi YT
May 6, 1840
1 penny intense black
I 1 - 11 68,808,000 1a 1 1a  
1d black
1 2 1b 1
1d grey-black
1b 3 1c  
May 8, 1840
2d deep full blue
I 1 - 2 6,614,880 2b 4 2a  
2d blue
2 5 2b 2
2d pale blue
2a 6 2c  

All issue quantities are approximate.

 

1 penny black plates.
Registered / Retired Plate Sheets Copies
Apr. 27, 1840 - Dec. 11, 1841
1a 17,000 4,080,000
Apr. 27, 1840 - Dec. 11, 1841
1b 30,000 7,200,000
Apr. 27, 1840 - Nov. 19, 1841
2 30,000 7,200,000
May 9, 1840 - Oct. 1840
3 20,000 4,800,000
Jan. 27, 1840 - Jan. 9, 1841
4 35,000 8,400,000
Jan. 27, 1840 - Nov. 12, 1841
5 36,000 8,640,000
Jan. 27, 1840 - Jan. 9, 1841
6 38,000 9,120,000
Jan. 27, 1840 - Jan. 9, 1841
7 25,000 6,000,000
Jan. 27, 1840 - Sep. 8, 1841
8 30,000 7,200,000
Jan. 27, 1840 - Oct. 7, 1843
9 16,000 3,840,000
Jan. 27, 1840 - Feb. 21, 1843
10 9,000 2,160,000
Jan. 27, 1841 - Jan. 15, 1842
11 700 168,000
Total 286,700 68,808,000


2 pence blue plates.
Registered / Retired Plate Sheets Copies
May 2, 1840 - Dec. 11, 1841
1 16,962 4,070,880
Jul. 18, 1840 - Feb. 1841
2 10,600 2,544,000
Total 27,562 6,614,880

Images from ebay.

FI ref: 1 Page credit: JA/NB

Page created 18 Nov 2015 Page updated 24 Jun 2016