Not as expensive as you might think...

We have one available. Just one.

It's the world famous Penny Black stamp. It cost a penny and it's black.

If you asked 100 people in the street to name the world's most expensive stamp 95% would plump for the Penny Black.

Valid for postage from May 6th 1840, the Penny Black was the world's first postage stamp.

To this day it remains one of the prettiest stamps ever printed. It's a much loved stamp featuring a portrait of the young Queen Victoria.

The stamps were printed on large sheets each containing 240 stamps. These were cut apart by scissors...usually by a Postmaster in a candle lit room.

You can imagine few penny Blacks survived with 4 good margins.

The cut of the scissor, and the poor working conditions, meant the Postmaster would leave most with just three margins.

The stamp was designed to be used...to be posted.

So, mint, unused examples with their original gum are rare.

In tip top condition, with four margins, they are even rarer.

So rare, that we have only been able to offer you a single example in the last 9 months.

This is it...

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We also have what is known as an 'imprimatur'.

An imprimatur is a stamp taken from the very first sheet printed. I believe it translates in Latin as 'let it be printed'.

The imprimatur sheet is checked for any printing flaws before permission is given to proceed with the entire print run.

Imprimaturs are special, it's reflected in the price. They are usually filed away in archives. To have one on the open market is exciting.

This example has spent time in many of the great stamp collections through history. The provenance is superb...

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So, is the Penny Black the world's most expensive stamp?

No, it's not.

But it is the world's most famous stamp.

After all, as the world's first pre-paid postage stamp, it
heralded the greatest communication boom in history.

On the first day over 112,000 letters were posted, each with a used Penny Black affixed.

Over 168 million letters were posted in 1840.

However, mint examples remain rare. Why? A penny in 1840 was a considerable amount of money. If you paid a Penny you made sure you posted your letter.

You can see from the image that the Penny Black did not incorporate the United Kingdom's name on the stamp. It had no need to. It was the first.

To this day the UK remains the only country that does not use its name on its stamps.

The Penny Black is an important part of world history, a major part of British history.

And we have just one available at £6,800 (just $13,500) and the mighty 'imprimatur' at £250,000 ($500,000).

Call on +44 (0) 1481 708 277
email aroose@stanleygibbons.co.uk
TOLL FREE from the USA 1 866 644 6146

This is the first opportunity we have had to offer you a fully authenticated mint example of the world's first postage stamp.

It's a little piece of history that could be yours today.

We'll even throw in a beautiful leather bound presentation wallet, with a history of the stamp, FREE of charge.

Don't miss out on this one. Call me today.

Regards
Adrian Roose

P.S. The Penny Black was in use for just over one year. Few mint examples survive, fewer still in Post Office fresh condition. This little piece of history could be yours today.