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href="#Postage_stamps_and_The_Great_Office_Reform"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2</span> <span>Postage stamps and The Great Office Reform</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Postage_stamps_and_The_Great_Office_Reform-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Victorian_era" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Victorian_era"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span>Victorian era</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Victorian_era-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Early_20th_century" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Early_20th_century"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4</span> <span>Early 20th century</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Early_20th_century-sublist" class="cdx-button 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class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Modern_era" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Modern_era"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6</span> <span>Modern era</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Modern_era-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Design_trends_of_British_stamps" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Design_trends_of_British_stamps"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7</span> <span>Design trends of British stamps</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Design_trends_of_British_stamps-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Regional_issues" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Regional_issues"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8</span> <span>Regional issues</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Regional_issues-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-British_postal_services_abroad" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#British_postal_services_abroad"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">9</span> <span>British postal services abroad</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-British_postal_services_abroad-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#See_also"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">10</span> <span>See also</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-See_also-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">11</span> <span>References</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Further_reading" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Further_reading"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">12</span> <span>Further reading</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Further_reading-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Further reading subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Further_reading-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-General" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#General"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">12.1</span> <span>General</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-General-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Queen_Victoria_and_King_Edward_VII" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Queen_Victoria_and_King_Edward_VII"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">12.2</span> <span>Queen Victoria and King Edward VII</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Queen_Victoria_and_King_Edward_VII-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-King_George_V" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#King_George_V"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">12.3</span> <span>King George V</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-King_George_V-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-King_Edward_VIII" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#King_Edward_VIII"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">12.4</span> <span>King Edward VIII</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-King_Edward_VIII-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-King_George_VI" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#King_George_VI"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">12.5</span> <span>King George VI</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-King_George_VI-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Queen_Elizabeth_II" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Queen_Elizabeth_II"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">12.6</span> <span>Queen Elizabeth II</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Queen_Elizabeth_II-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Postage_dues" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Postage_dues"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">12.7</span> <span>Postage dues</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Postage_dues-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Postmarks" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Postmarks"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">12.8</span> <span>Postmarks</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Postmarks-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Postal_stationery" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Postal_stationery"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">12.9</span> <span>Postal stationery</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Postal_stationery-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Postal_history" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Postal_history"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">12.10</span> <span>Postal history</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Postal_history-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Bibliography" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Bibliography"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">12.11</span> <span>Bibliography</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Bibliography-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-External_links" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#External_links"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">13</span> <span>External links</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-External_links-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header vector-page-titlebar"> <nav aria-label="Contents" class="vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-titlebar-toc vector-button-flush-left" > <input type="checkbox" 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id="mw-content-subtitle"></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><p class="mw-empty-elt"> </p> <figure typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Penny_black.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/36/Penny_black.jpg/150px-Penny_black.jpg" decoding="async" width="150" height="174" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/36/Penny_black.jpg/225px-Penny_black.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/36/Penny_black.jpg/300px-Penny_black.jpg 2x" data-file-width="490" data-file-height="570" /></a><figcaption>The British <a href="/wiki/Penny_Black" title="Penny Black">Penny Black</a> is generally acknowledged as the world's first postage stamp.</figcaption></figure> <p><b>Postage stamps and postal history of Great Britain</b> surveys <a href="/wiki/Postal_history" title="Postal history">postal history</a> from the United Kingdom and the postage stamps issued by that country and its various historical territories until the present day. </p><p>The postal history of the United Kingdom is notable in at least two respects: first, for the introduction of postage stamps in 1840, and secondly for the establishment of an efficient postal system throughout the <a href="/wiki/British_Empire" title="British Empire">British Empire</a>, laying the foundation of many national systems still in existence today. As the originator of postage stamps, the UK is the only country that does not need to specify the country on its stamps, but only the denomination. </p><p>Until 2022 any postage stamps since the 1971 <a href="/wiki/Decimal_Day" title="Decimal Day">decimalisation of British currency</a> could be used; old "definitive" design stamps without barcodes will no longer be valid from 1 August 2023, with old ones exchangeable for barcoded ones indefinitely. It was initially announced that stamps without barcodes would not be valid from 1 February 2023. However, Royal Mail decided to add an additional six month grace period.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Special stamps with pictures and <a href="/wiki/Christmas_stamp" title="Christmas stamp">Christmas stamps</a> without a barcode will remain valid.<sup id="cite_ref-reinvent_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-reinvent-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Images of UK stamps are protected by <a href="/wiki/Royal_Mail" title="Royal Mail">Royal Mail</a> <a href="/wiki/Copyright_law_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Copyright law of the United Kingdom">copyright</a>, therefore images of current stamps are not in this article.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Early_history">Early history</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Great_Britain&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Early history"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The story begins in the 12th century with <a href="/wiki/Henry_I_of_England" title="Henry I of England">Henry I</a>, who appointed <a href="/wiki/Post_riders" title="Post riders">messengers</a> to carry <a href="/wiki/Letter_(message)" title="Letter (message)">letters</a> for the government. It is estimated that between 1100 and 1135, 4,500 letters were carried by these messengers.<sup id="cite_ref-keydates_4-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-keydates-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> During this time, private individuals had to make their own arrangements. <a href="/wiki/Henry_III_of_England" title="Henry III of England">Henry III</a> provided <a href="/wiki/Uniform" title="Uniform">uniforms</a> for the messengers, and <a href="/wiki/Edward_I_of_England" title="Edward I of England">Edward I</a> instituted <a href="/wiki/Posting_house" class="mw-redirect" title="Posting house">posting houses</a> where the messengers could change horses. The reign of <a href="/wiki/Edward_II_of_England" title="Edward II of England">Edward II</a> saw the first <a href="/wiki/Postal_marking" title="Postal marking">postal marking</a>; handwritten notations saying "Haste. Post haste".<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Centuries later, during the reign of <a href="/wiki/Elizabeth_I_of_England" class="mw-redirect" title="Elizabeth I of England">Elizabeth I</a> to express an extreme degree of urgency of delivery, gallows were drawn on the letter, known as <a href="/wiki/Gallows_letter" title="Gallows letter">Gallows letters</a> and may additionally have a version of "haste, post haste" added.<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Holbein,_Hans_-_Sir_Brian_Tuke.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/Holbein%2C_Hans_-_Sir_Brian_Tuke.jpg/170px-Holbein%2C_Hans_-_Sir_Brian_Tuke.jpg" decoding="async" width="170" height="217" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/Holbein%2C_Hans_-_Sir_Brian_Tuke.jpg/255px-Holbein%2C_Hans_-_Sir_Brian_Tuke.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/Holbein%2C_Hans_-_Sir_Brian_Tuke.jpg/340px-Holbein%2C_Hans_-_Sir_Brian_Tuke.jpg 2x" data-file-width="3632" data-file-height="4627" /></a><figcaption>Brian Tuke was the first <i>Master of the posts.</i></figcaption></figure> <p><a href="/wiki/Henry_VIII_of_England" class="mw-redirect" title="Henry VIII of England">Henry VIII</a> created the <a href="/wiki/Royal_Mail" title="Royal Mail">Royal Mail</a> in 1516, appointing <a href="/wiki/Brian_Tuke" title="Brian Tuke">Brian Tuke</a> as "Master of the Postes", while <a href="/wiki/Elizabeth_I_of_England" class="mw-redirect" title="Elizabeth I of England">Elizabeth I</a> appointed <a href="/wiki/Thomas_Randolph_(diplomat)" class="mw-redirect" title="Thomas Randolph (diplomat)">Thomas Randolph</a> as "Chief Postmaster". Under <a href="/wiki/Thomas_Witherings" title="Thomas Witherings">Thomas Witherings</a>, chief postmaster under <a href="/wiki/Charles_I_of_England" title="Charles I of England">Charles I</a>, the Royal Mail was made available to the public (1635),<sup id="cite_ref-keydates_4-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-keydates-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> with a regular system of <a href="/wiki/Post_road" title="Post road">post roads</a>, houses, and staff. From this time through to the postal reforms of 1839–1840 it was most common for the recipient to pay the postage, although it was generally optional to prepay the charge within the British Isles.<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In 1661, <a href="/wiki/Charles_II_of_England" title="Charles II of England">Charles II</a> made <a href="/wiki/Henry_Bishop_(postmaster_general)" title="Henry Bishop (postmaster general)">Henry Bishop</a> the first <a href="/wiki/Postmaster_General_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Postmaster General of the United Kingdom">Postmaster General</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-keydates_4-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-keydates-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In answer to customer complaints about delayed letters, Bishop introduced the <a href="/wiki/Bishop_mark" class="mw-redirect" title="Bishop mark">Bishop mark</a>, a small circle with month and day inside, applied at London, in the General Post office and the Foreign section, and soon after adopted in Scotland, (Edinburgh), and Ireland, (Dublin). In subsequent years, the postal system expanded from six roads to a network covering the country, and post offices were set up in both large and small towns, each of which had its own <a href="/wiki/Postmark" title="Postmark">postmark</a>. </p><p>In 1680 <a href="/wiki/William_Dockwra" title="William Dockwra">William Dockwra</a> established the <a href="/wiki/London_Penny_Post" title="London Penny Post">London Penny Post</a>, a mail delivery system that delivered letters and parcels weighing up to one pound within the city of London and some of its immediate suburbs for the sum of one penny.<sup id="cite_ref-William_Dockwra_and_the_Penny_Post_Service_8-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-William_Dockwra_and_the_Penny_Post_Service-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Postage_stamps_and_The_Great_Office_Reform">Postage stamps and The Great Office Reform</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Great_Britain&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Postage stamps and The Great Office Reform"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:GB_uniform_4d_post-Edinburgh_2nd_day.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a1/GB_uniform_4d_post-Edinburgh_2nd_day.jpg/220px-GB_uniform_4d_post-Edinburgh_2nd_day.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="139" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a1/GB_uniform_4d_post-Edinburgh_2nd_day.jpg/330px-GB_uniform_4d_post-Edinburgh_2nd_day.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a1/GB_uniform_4d_post-Edinburgh_2nd_day.jpg/440px-GB_uniform_4d_post-Edinburgh_2nd_day.jpg 2x" data-file-width="742" data-file-height="468" /></a><figcaption>Second day use of <a href="/wiki/Uniform_Fourpenny_Post" class="mw-redirect" title="Uniform Fourpenny Post">Uniform Fourpenny Post</a> with <a href="/wiki/Edinburgh" title="Edinburgh">Edinburgh</a> handstruck and 4</figcaption></figure> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="/wiki/Uniform_Penny_Post" title="Uniform Penny Post">Uniform Penny Post</a>, <a href="/wiki/Penny_Black" title="Penny Black">Penny Black</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Two_penny_blue" title="Two penny blue">Two penny blue</a></div> <p>The Great Post Office Reforms of 1839 and 1840 were championed by <a href="/wiki/Rowland_Hill_(postal_reformer)" class="mw-redirect" title="Rowland Hill (postal reformer)">Rowland Hill</a>, who is often credited with the invention of the postage stamp, as a way to reverse the steady financial losses of the Post Office. Hill convinced Parliament to adopt the <a href="/wiki/Uniform_Fourpenny_Post" class="mw-redirect" title="Uniform Fourpenny Post">Uniform Fourpenny Post</a> whereby a flat 4d per half ounce rate (equivalent to 10s 8d per pound for heavier items) was charged regardless of distance. </p><p>From December 1839, letters could arrive at any address in the United Kingdom. The flat postage rate went into effect on 5 December 1839 but only lasted for 36 days.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> This was immediately successful, and on 10 January 1840 the <a href="/wiki/Uniform_Penny_Post" title="Uniform Penny Post">Uniform Penny Post</a> started, charging only 1d for prepaid letters and 2d if the fee was collected from the recipient. Fixed rates meant that it was practical to avoid handling money to send a letter by using an "adhesive label", and accordingly, on 6 May, the <a href="/wiki/Penny_Black" title="Penny Black">Penny Black</a> became the world's first postage stamp in use. </p><p>After more than 2,000 suggestions were submitted, Rowland Hill chose the method and printer, and worked by trial and error to achieve the required result. He decided to go with <a href="/wiki/Perkins,_Bacon_%26_Petch" class="mw-redirect" title="Perkins, Bacon & Petch">Perkins, Bacon & Petch</a>, "a firm of bank-note printers, to carry out the work by the process of steel engraving, and the head of the Queen as engraved by William Wyon for a special medal struck to celebrate Her Majesty's official visit to the City of London in the year of her Coronation."<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The stamp was originally for use only within the <a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom_of_Great_Britain_and_Ireland" title="United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland">United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland</a> and as such was, in effect, a local stamp. For this reason the name of the country was not included within the design, a situation which continued by agreement with foreign post offices, provided the sovereign's effigy appeared on the stamp. Envelopes sold with postage paid did not include this, so were marked with the country's name. In 1951, the special commemorative issue for the Festival of Britain included the name "Britain" incidentally. It could therefore be said that the name of the country then appeared for the first time on a stamp of the UK, although the word "British" had appeared on British Empire Exhibition commemorative stamps of 1924. </p><p>After the stamp was circulating, it became obvious that black was not a good choice of stamp colour, since any <a href="/wiki/Cancellation_(mail)" title="Cancellation (mail)">cancellation</a> marks were hard to see. So, from 1841, the stamps were printed in a brick-red colour. The <a href="/wiki/Penny_Red" title="Penny Red">Penny Reds</a> continued in use for decades with about 21 billion being produced.<sup id="cite_ref-pennyreds_11-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-pennyreds-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Victorian_era">Victorian era</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Great_Britain&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Victorian era"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The Victorian age saw an explosion of experimentation. The inefficiency of using scissors to cut stamps from the sheet inspired trials with <a href="/wiki/Rouletting" class="mw-redirect" title="Rouletting">rouletting</a> (the <a href="/wiki/Archer_Roulette" class="mw-redirect" title="Archer Roulette">Archer Roulette</a>), and then with <a href="/wiki/Perforation" title="Perforation">perforation</a>, which became standard practice in 1854. In 1847, the (octagonal) 1 shilling (£0.05) became the first of the <a href="/wiki/British_embossed_postage_stamps" title="British embossed postage stamps">British embossed postage stamps</a> to be issued, followed by 10d stamps the following year, and 6d (£0.025) values in 1854. </p><p><a href="/wiki/Surface_printing" title="Surface printing">Surface-printed</a> stamps first appeared in the form of a 4d stamp in 1855, printed by <a href="/wiki/De_La_Rue" title="De La Rue">De La Rue</a>, and subsequently became the standard type. <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1154941027">.mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);clip-path:polygon(0px 0px,0px 0px,0px 0px);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}</style><span class="frac"><span class="num">1</span>⁄<span class="den">2</span></span>d (<a href="/wiki/Halfpenny_Rose_Red" title="Halfpenny Rose Red">halfpenny</a>) and <a href="/wiki/Three_Halfpence_Red" title="Three Halfpence Red"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1154941027"><span class="frac">1<span class="sr-only">+</span><span class="num">1</span>⁄<span class="den">2</span></span>d (penny halfpenny – pronounced pennyhaypny or threehaypence)</a> engraved stamps issued in 1870 were the last engraved types of Queen Victoria; the next would not appear until 1913. Surface-printed stamps of the 1860s and 1870s all used the same profile of Victoria, but a variety of frames, watermarks, and corner lettering. </p><p>A 5-shilling (abbreviated as 5/- or 5s) (£0.25) stamp first appeared in 1867, followed by 10 shilling (£0.50) and £1 values in 1878, culminating in a £5 stamp in 1882. </p><p>Meanwhile, the age of the Penny Reds had come to an end along with the <a href="/wiki/Perkins_Bacon" title="Perkins Bacon">Perkins Bacon</a> printing contract. The new low values were also surface-printed: first was a penny stamp coloured <a href="/wiki/Venetian_red" title="Venetian red">Venetian red</a> in a square frame, issued in 1880. However, the passage of the <a href="/w/index.php?title=Customs_and_Inland_Revenue_Act_1881&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Customs and Inland Revenue Act 1881 (page does not exist)">Customs and Inland Revenue Act 1881</a> necessitated new stamps valid also as <a href="/wiki/Revenue_stamp" title="Revenue stamp">revenue stamps</a>, and so the <a href="/wiki/Penny_Lilac" title="Penny Lilac">Penny Lilac</a> was issued in that year, inscribed "POSTAGE AND INLAND REVENUE". This stamp remained the standard letter stamp for the remainder of Victoria's reign, and vast quantities were printed. Later issues were inscribed POSTAGE & REVENUE which became the more familiar POSTAGE REVENUE. </p><p>1883 and 1884 saw experimentation with stamps using <a href="/wiki/Fugitive_pigments" class="mw-redirect" title="Fugitive pigments">fugitive inks</a> with the <a href="/wiki/Queen_Victoria_Lilac_and_Green_Issue" title="Queen Victoria Lilac and Green Issue">'Lilac and Green Issue'</a>. These were rather plain designs, low values in lilac and high values in green, because those were the only colours available. They succeeded in their purpose – relatively few of the stamps survived usage, their colours fading away when soaked from the envelope – but they were not liked by the public. </p><p>The last major issue of Victoria was the "<a href="/wiki/Jubilee_issue_postage_stamps" class="mw-redirect" title="Jubilee issue postage stamps">Jubilee issue</a>" of 1887, a set of twelve designs ranging from <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1154941027"><span class="frac"><span class="num">1</span>⁄<span class="den">2</span></span>d to 1s, most printed in two colours or on coloured paper. (Although issued during the Jubilee year, they were not issued specifically for the occasion, and are thus not commemoratives.) </p> <ul class="gallery mw-gallery-traditional"> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Stamp_UK_Penny_Red_pl148.jpg" class="mw-file-description" title="A perforated Penny Red, letters in four corners and plate 148, therefore printed 1871 or later"><img alt="A perforated Penny Red, letters in four corners and plate 148, therefore printed 1871 or later" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/Stamp_UK_Penny_Red_pl148.jpg/101px-Stamp_UK_Penny_Red_pl148.jpg" decoding="async" width="101" height="120" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/Stamp_UK_Penny_Red_pl148.jpg/152px-Stamp_UK_Penny_Red_pl148.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/Stamp_UK_Penny_Red_pl148.jpg/202px-Stamp_UK_Penny_Red_pl148.jpg 2x" data-file-width="450" data-file-height="534" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext">A perforated Penny Red, letters in four corners and plate 148, therefore printed 1871 or later</div> </li> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Stamp_UK_1873_3p_rose.jpg" class="mw-file-description" title="Threepence surface-printed value from 1873"><img alt="Threepence surface-printed value from 1873" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a3/Stamp_UK_1873_3p_rose.jpg/101px-Stamp_UK_1873_3p_rose.jpg" decoding="async" width="101" height="120" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a3/Stamp_UK_1873_3p_rose.jpg/152px-Stamp_UK_1873_3p_rose.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a3/Stamp_UK_1873_3p_rose.jpg/202px-Stamp_UK_1873_3p_rose.jpg 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="593" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext">Threepence surface-printed value from 1873</div> </li> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Stamp_UK_1881_1p_16dots.jpg" class="mw-file-description" title=""Penny Lilac" of 1881; 16 dots in each corner"><img alt=""Penny Lilac" of 1881; 16 dots in each corner" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a3/Stamp_UK_1881_1p_16dots.jpg/101px-Stamp_UK_1881_1p_16dots.jpg" decoding="async" width="101" height="120" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a3/Stamp_UK_1881_1p_16dots.jpg/151px-Stamp_UK_1881_1p_16dots.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a3/Stamp_UK_1881_1p_16dots.jpg/201px-Stamp_UK_1881_1p_16dots.jpg 2x" data-file-width="450" data-file-height="536" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext">"Penny Lilac" of 1881; 16 dots in each corner</div> </li> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Stamp_UK_1884_2.5p.jpg" class="mw-file-description" title="2½ old pence (twopenny halfpenny) value of the unpopular series of 1883/4"><img alt="2½ old pence (twopenny halfpenny) value of the unpopular series of 1883/4" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ce/Stamp_UK_1884_2.5p.jpg/120px-Stamp_UK_1884_2.5p.jpg" decoding="async" width="120" height="101" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ce/Stamp_UK_1884_2.5p.jpg/180px-Stamp_UK_1884_2.5p.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ce/Stamp_UK_1884_2.5p.jpg/240px-Stamp_UK_1884_2.5p.jpg 2x" data-file-width="600" data-file-height="505" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext">2½ old pence (twopenny halfpenny) value of the unpopular series of 1883/4</div> </li> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Stamp_UK_1887_5p.jpg" class="mw-file-description" title="5d. "Jubilee" of 1887, among the first British stamps to be printed in two colours"><img alt="5d. "Jubilee" of 1887, among the first British stamps to be printed in two colours" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/Stamp_UK_1887_5p.jpg/100px-Stamp_UK_1887_5p.jpg" decoding="async" width="100" height="120" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/Stamp_UK_1887_5p.jpg/150px-Stamp_UK_1887_5p.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/Stamp_UK_1887_5p.jpg/201px-Stamp_UK_1887_5p.jpg 2x" data-file-width="450" data-file-height="538" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext">5d. "Jubilee" of 1887, among the first British stamps to be printed in two colours</div> </li> </ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Early_20th_century">Early 20th century</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Great_Britain&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Early 20th century"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Watermarks_on_British_stamps.png" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cb/Watermarks_on_British_stamps.png/220px-Watermarks_on_British_stamps.png" decoding="async" width="220" height="664" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cb/Watermarks_on_British_stamps.png/330px-Watermarks_on_British_stamps.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cb/Watermarks_on_British_stamps.png/440px-Watermarks_on_British_stamps.png 2x" data-file-width="591" data-file-height="1785" /></a><figcaption>Common watermarks found on British stamps</figcaption></figure> <p>When <a href="/wiki/Edward_VII" title="Edward VII">Edward VII</a> succeeded to the throne, new stamps became necessary. The approach was very conservative, however most of the Jubilee frames were reused and the image of the King was still a single profile. Edward's reign was fairly short and there were no major changes of design as a result. <a href="/wiki/Chalky_paper" title="Chalky paper">Chalk-surfaced paper</a> was introduced during this time (this type of <a href="/wiki/Postage_stamp_paper" title="Postage stamp paper">paper</a> can be detected by rubbing the surface with silver, which leaves a black mark). </p><p>By contrast, the stamps of <a href="/wiki/George_V" title="George V">George V</a> were innovative from the very first. The first issue made was of the <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1154941027"><span class="frac"><span class="num">1</span>⁄<span class="den">2</span></span>d and 1d values, which were in the same colours as used in the previous reign. Although the main design feature remained the same – a central ellipse for the portrait, an ornamental frame, value tablet at the base and a crown at the top – a three quarter portrait was used for the first time. However, subsequent designs reverted to the standard profile. </p><p>The UK's first <a href="/wiki/Commemorative_stamp" title="Commemorative stamp">commemorative stamps</a> were issued for the <a href="/wiki/British_Empire_Exhibition" title="British Empire Exhibition">British Empire Exhibition</a> in 1924. The pair of large-format stamps featured a lion in an imposing stance; they were issued twice, in 1924 and then in 1925, the stamps of each year being inscribed with the year of issue.<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> A second set of commemoratives in 1929 marked the 9th Congress of the <a href="/wiki/Universal_Postal_Union" title="Universal Postal Union">Universal Postal Union</a> (UPU), held in London that year.<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <ul class="gallery mw-gallery-traditional"> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Stamp_UK_1902_1p.jpg" class="mw-file-description" title="Edward VII 1d of 1902"><img alt="Edward VII 1d of 1902" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8b/Stamp_UK_1902_1p.jpg/100px-Stamp_UK_1902_1p.jpg" decoding="async" width="100" height="120" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8b/Stamp_UK_1902_1p.jpg/150px-Stamp_UK_1902_1p.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8b/Stamp_UK_1902_1p.jpg/200px-Stamp_UK_1902_1p.jpg 2x" data-file-width="450" data-file-height="539" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext">Edward VII 1d of 1902</div> </li> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Stamp_UK_1912_1.5p.jpg" class="mw-file-description" title="George V 1+1⁄2d of 1912, used in 1928 at Wootton Wawen in Warwickshire"><img alt="George V 1+1⁄2d of 1912, used in 1928 at Wootton Wawen in Warwickshire" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Stamp_UK_1912_1.5p.jpg/102px-Stamp_UK_1912_1.5p.jpg" decoding="async" width="102" height="120" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Stamp_UK_1912_1.5p.jpg/153px-Stamp_UK_1912_1.5p.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Stamp_UK_1912_1.5p.jpg/204px-Stamp_UK_1912_1.5p.jpg 2x" data-file-width="450" data-file-height="529" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext">George V <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1154941027"><span class="frac">1<span class="sr-only">+</span><span class="num">1</span>⁄<span class="den">2</span></span>d of 1912, used in 1928 at <a href="/wiki/Wootton_Wawen" title="Wootton Wawen">Wootton Wawen</a> in Warwickshire</div> </li> </ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Independence_of_the_Irish_Free_State">Independence of the Irish Free State</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Great_Britain&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Independence of the Irish Free State"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Following the <a href="/wiki/Anglo-Irish_Treaty" title="Anglo-Irish Treaty">Anglo-Irish Treaty</a> of 1921, responsibility for posts and telegraphs transferred to the new <a href="/wiki/Provisional_Government_of_the_Irish_Free_State" class="mw-redirect" title="Provisional Government of the Irish Free State">Provisional Government</a>. Upon the formal independence of the <a href="/wiki/Irish_Free_State" title="Irish Free State">Irish Free State</a> in December 1922, and then transferred to the <a href="/wiki/Executive_Council_of_the_Irish_Free_State" title="Executive Council of the Irish Free State">Free State Government</a>. A Postmaster General was initially appointed by the Free State Government, being replaced by the office of <a href="/wiki/Minister_for_Posts_and_Telegraphs" title="Minister for Posts and Telegraphs">Minister for Posts and Telegraphs</a> in 1924. An early visible manifestation was the repainting of all post boxes green instead of red, plus the overprinting of British postage stamps prior to the introduction of Irish stamps. </p> <ul class="gallery mw-gallery-traditional"> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Stamp_irl_1922_2N6se.jpg" class="mw-file-description" title="Irish Free State three-line overprint Saorstát Éireann 1922 on 2s 6d King George V stamp"><img alt="Irish Free State three-line overprint Saorstát Éireann 1922 on 2s 6d King George V stamp" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d9/Stamp_irl_1922_2N6se.jpg/120px-Stamp_irl_1922_2N6se.jpg" decoding="async" width="120" height="75" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d9/Stamp_irl_1922_2N6se.jpg/180px-Stamp_irl_1922_2N6se.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d9/Stamp_irl_1922_2N6se.jpg/240px-Stamp_irl_1922_2N6se.jpg 2x" data-file-width="627" data-file-height="394" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext"><a href="/wiki/Irish_Free_State" title="Irish Free State">Irish Free State</a> three-line overprint <i>Saorstát Éireann 1922</i> on 2s 6d <a href="/wiki/George_V" title="George V">King George V</a> stamp</div> </li> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Edward_VII_pillar_box_at_Rosslare_Harbour_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1483710.jpg" class="mw-file-description" title="Green painted Edward VII pillar box at Rosslare Harbour"><img alt="Green painted Edward VII pillar box at Rosslare Harbour" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/67/Edward_VII_pillar_box_at_Rosslare_Harbour_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1483710.jpg/83px-Edward_VII_pillar_box_at_Rosslare_Harbour_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1483710.jpg" decoding="async" width="83" height="120" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/67/Edward_VII_pillar_box_at_Rosslare_Harbour_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1483710.jpg/125px-Edward_VII_pillar_box_at_Rosslare_Harbour_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1483710.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/67/Edward_VII_pillar_box_at_Rosslare_Harbour_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1483710.jpg/167px-Edward_VII_pillar_box_at_Rosslare_Harbour_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1483710.jpg 2x" data-file-width="446" data-file-height="640" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext">Green painted <a href="/wiki/Edward_VII" title="Edward VII">Edward VII</a> pillar box at <a href="/wiki/Rosslare_Harbour" title="Rosslare Harbour">Rosslare Harbour</a></div> </li> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:O%27Moore_Street,_Tullamore,_March_2011_(10).JPG" class="mw-file-description" title="George V wall box showing small red specks under the green paint at Tullamore"><img alt="George V wall box showing small red specks under the green paint at Tullamore" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c2/O%27Moore_Street%2C_Tullamore%2C_March_2011_%2810%29.JPG/80px-O%27Moore_Street%2C_Tullamore%2C_March_2011_%2810%29.JPG" decoding="async" width="80" height="120" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c2/O%27Moore_Street%2C_Tullamore%2C_March_2011_%2810%29.JPG/120px-O%27Moore_Street%2C_Tullamore%2C_March_2011_%2810%29.JPG 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c2/O%27Moore_Street%2C_Tullamore%2C_March_2011_%2810%29.JPG/160px-O%27Moore_Street%2C_Tullamore%2C_March_2011_%2810%29.JPG 2x" data-file-width="2848" data-file-height="4272" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext">George V wall box showing small red specks under the green paint at <a href="/wiki/Tullamore" title="Tullamore">Tullamore</a></div> </li> </ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Abdication_and_war">Abdication and war</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Great_Britain&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Abdication and war"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>A <a href="/wiki/Edward_VIII_postage_stamps" title="Edward VIII postage stamps">set of four stamps</a> was issued in 1936 for <a href="/wiki/Edward_VIII" title="Edward VIII">Edward VIII</a> before he <a href="/wiki/Abdication_of_Edward_VIII" title="Abdication of Edward VIII">abdicated</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/George_VI" title="George VI">George VI</a>'s <a href="/wiki/Coronation_of_George_VI_and_Elizabeth" title="Coronation of George VI and Elizabeth">coronation</a> was marked with a commemorative: part of an <a href="/wiki/Omnibus_issue" title="Omnibus issue">omnibus issue</a> which included every colony in the Empire. New definitives featured a profile of the King on a solid colour background, based on a plaster cast by <a href="/wiki/Edmund_Dulac" title="Edmund Dulac">Edmund Dulac</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> This was a precursor of the Machins three decades later: see below. </p><p>The century of the postage stamp was celebrated in 1940 with a set of six stamps depicting Victoria and George VI side by side. By the following year, wartime exigencies affected stamp printing, with the 1937 stamps being printed with less ink, resulting in significantly lighter shades. Post-war issues included commemoratives for the return of peace, the <a href="/wiki/Silver_Jubilee" class="mw-redirect" title="Silver Jubilee">Silver Jubilee</a> and the <a href="/wiki/1948_Summer_Olympics" title="1948 Summer Olympics">1948 Summer Olympics</a> in 1948, and the 75th anniversary of the UPU, in 1949. </p><p>In 1950 the colours of all the low values were changed. 1951 saw a new series of high values (2s 6d, 5s, 10s, £1), and two commemoratives for the <a href="/wiki/Festival_of_Britain" title="Festival of Britain">Festival of Britain</a>. </p> <ul class="gallery mw-gallery-traditional"> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:UK_stamp_KE8_1p_red_1936.jpg" class="mw-file-description" title="Edward VIII 1d of 1936"><img alt="Edward VIII 1d of 1936" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f1/UK_stamp_KE8_1p_red_1936.jpg/103px-UK_stamp_KE8_1p_red_1936.jpg" decoding="async" width="103" height="120" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f1/UK_stamp_KE8_1p_red_1936.jpg/154px-UK_stamp_KE8_1p_red_1936.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f1/UK_stamp_KE8_1p_red_1936.jpg/205px-UK_stamp_KE8_1p_red_1936.jpg 2x" data-file-width="509" data-file-height="595" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext">Edward VIII 1d of 1936</div> </li> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Stamp_UK_1937_2.5p.jpg" class="mw-file-description" title="George VI 2+1⁄2d of 1937"><img alt="George VI 2+1⁄2d of 1937" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3c/Stamp_UK_1937_2.5p.jpg/100px-Stamp_UK_1937_2.5p.jpg" decoding="async" width="100" height="120" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3c/Stamp_UK_1937_2.5p.jpg/149px-Stamp_UK_1937_2.5p.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3c/Stamp_UK_1937_2.5p.jpg/199px-Stamp_UK_1937_2.5p.jpg 2x" data-file-width="450" data-file-height="542" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext">George VI <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1154941027"><span class="frac">2<span class="sr-only">+</span><span class="num">1</span>⁄<span class="den">2</span></span>d of 1937</div> </li> </ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Modern_era">Modern era</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Great_Britain&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Modern era"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Wilding_Stamp_Booklet_Pane.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/da/Wilding_Stamp_Booklet_Pane.jpg/170px-Wilding_Stamp_Booklet_Pane.jpg" decoding="async" width="170" height="219" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/da/Wilding_Stamp_Booklet_Pane.jpg 1.5x" data-file-width="213" data-file-height="275" /></a><figcaption>Queen Elizabeth II "Wilding issue" booklet pane of 1952</figcaption></figure> <p>When <a href="/wiki/Elizabeth_II" title="Elizabeth II">Elizabeth II</a> succeeded her father in 1952, new stamps were needed. A collection of variations on a theme that came to be known as the <a href="/wiki/Wilding_series" title="Wilding series">Wilding issues</a>, based on a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, was the result. This portrait was by photographer <a href="/wiki/Dorothy_Wilding" title="Dorothy Wilding">Dorothy Wilding</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Wildings were used until 1967, when the <a href="/wiki/Machin_series" title="Machin series">Machin issues</a> were introduced on 5 June.<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The Machin design is very simple, a profile of the Queen on a solid colour background, and very popular, still being the standard British stamp. They have been printed in scores of different colours; in addition, <a href="/wiki/Decimalisation" title="Decimalisation">decimalisation</a> required new denominations, and there have been technical improvements in the printing process, resulting in literally hundreds of varieties known to specialists. Special Stamps with pictures, and Christmas Stamps are also produced; they bear a small profile <a href="/wiki/Silhouette" title="Silhouette">silhouette</a> of the monarch. </p><p>For over a century <a href="/wiki/Postage_stamp_gum" title="Postage stamp gum">gummed stamps</a> were produced in sheets, <a href="/wiki/Perforation" title="Perforation">perforated</a> so that individual stamps could be detached. Later stamps are <a href="/wiki/Self-adhesive" class="mw-redirect" title="Self-adhesive">self-adhesive</a>, without perforations. </p><p>After first- and second-class postage was introduced, <a href="/wiki/Non-denominated_postage" title="Non-denominated postage">Non-Value Indicated (NVI)</a> stamps were produced marked "1st" and "2nd", valid for the lowest weight of that class. Either a "class" stamp can be used, or denominated stamps to the value of the postage. "Class" stamps remain valid for the stated class even after price increases. When letter size in addition to weight came into use to determine postage, additional "large letter" 1st and 2nd class stamps were added.<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Colonies of Great Britain such as Barbados, Nevis, Fiji, Trinidad, British Guiana, and India at one time all used the <a href="/wiki/William_Wyon" title="William Wyon">William Wyon</a> portrait of Queen Victoria on their stamps. Many formerly colonised countries whose head of state is the British monarch still include the monarch's profile, although some have branched out to stamps depicting scenery, birds or beasts without the profile. </p><p>UK stamps bearing the head of <a href="/wiki/Charles_III" title="Charles III">Charles III</a> became available on 4 April 2023. Unlike previous stamps depicting male monarchs, the new set features no crowns or any other decorations.<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Design_trends_of_British_stamps">Design trends of British stamps</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Great_Britain&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Design trends of British stamps"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-left" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Stamp_UK_1953_1shilling3d_coronation.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/23/Stamp_UK_1953_1shilling3d_coronation.jpg/220px-Stamp_UK_1953_1shilling3d_coronation.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="129" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/23/Stamp_UK_1953_1shilling3d_coronation.jpg/330px-Stamp_UK_1953_1shilling3d_coronation.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/23/Stamp_UK_1953_1shilling3d_coronation.jpg/440px-Stamp_UK_1953_1shilling3d_coronation.jpg 2x" data-file-width="720" data-file-height="422" /></a><figcaption>Coronation stamp, 1953 denominated 1s 3d</figcaption></figure> <p>Up to the 1950s, British commemorative stamps were few and far between; most of the stamps were what are officially called "definitives",<sup id="cite_ref-barcode_20-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-barcode-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> in which the portrait of the reigning monarch was the dominant element. Even after commemorative stamps began to appear more often during the 1950s and early 1960s, the monarch's effigy was prominent, usually taking up a quarter to a third of the stamp's design, which limited flexibility and creativity. A change came in 1965 when the then <a href="/wiki/Postmaster_General_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Postmaster General of the United Kingdom">Postmaster General</a> <a href="/wiki/Tony_Benn" title="Tony Benn">Tony Benn</a> issued new criteria for what could appear on stamps. Designer <a href="/wiki/David_Gentleman" title="David Gentleman">David Gentleman</a> wrote to Benn about alternative design approaches, suggesting the monarch's head be replaced by another national symbol, such as a crown or the country name; "Great Britain" or "United Kingdom". A compromise, a small silhouette of <a href="/wiki/Elizabeth_II" title="Elizabeth II">the Queen</a> based on the coinage head of <a href="/wiki/Mary_Gillick" title="Mary Gillick">Mary Gillick</a>, was accepted and this has been the standard ever since for commemorative stamps.<sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> When the monarch's portrait is part of the stamp's main design (as for example in the case of issues commemorating <a href="/wiki/Elizabeth_II" title="Elizabeth II">the Queen</a>'s birthday), then the silhouette is not needed and usually does not appear. </p><p>In 1967, <i><a href="/wiki/The_Red_Boy" title="The Red Boy">The Red Boy</a></i> by <a href="/wiki/Sir_Thomas_Lawrence" class="mw-redirect" title="Sir Thomas Lawrence">Sir Thomas Lawrence</a> became the first artwork to appear on a British postage stamp.<sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Another trend is the growing use of stamps to commemorate events related to the present Royal Family. Up to <a href="/wiki/Elizabeth_II" title="Elizabeth II">Elizabeth II</a>'s accession in 1952 the only commemorative stamps to have been issued related to royal events were for <a href="/wiki/George_V_of_the_United_Kingdom" class="mw-redirect" title="George V of the United Kingdom">George V</a>'s Silver Jubilee in 1935, <a href="/wiki/George_VI_of_the_United_Kingdom" class="mw-redirect" title="George VI of the United Kingdom">George VI</a>'s coronation in 1937, and a 1948 issue to commemorate George VI's 25th wedding anniversary. Since 1952, however, stamps have been issued to commemorate many royal occasions. In addition, memorial stamps have been issued after the deaths of <a href="/wiki/Diana,_Princess_of_Wales" title="Diana, Princess of Wales">Diana, Princess of Wales</a> (in 1998) and <a href="/wiki/Queen_Elizabeth_The_Queen_Mother" title="Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother">Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother</a> (in 2002). </p><p>With regard to previous monarchs, stamps were issued in 1987 to mark the 150th anniversary of <a href="/wiki/Queen_Victoria" title="Queen Victoria">Queen Victoria</a>'s accession, and in 1997 to mark the 450th anniversary of King <a href="/wiki/Henry_VIII_of_England" class="mw-redirect" title="Henry VIII of England">Henry VIII</a>'s death. From 2008 to 2011 stamps were issued featuring all of England's kings and queens and also the Scottish <a href="/wiki/House_of_Stewart" class="mw-redirect" title="House of Stewart">House of Stewart</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-24" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In February 2022 new barcoded "definitive design" stamps were introduced. The <a href="/wiki/Barcode#Matrix_(2D)_barcodes" title="Barcode">rectangular (matrix) codes</a>, unique to each stamp, use a trademarked coding designed to prevent counterfeiting and to enable tracking of letters, and to enable correspondents to link digital content to their stamps. Until 2022 any 1st and 2nd class and decimal currency postage stamps could be used; old Machin and country definitive design stamps without barcodes are no longer valid from 31 July 2023, with old ones exchangeable for barcoded ones indefinitely <sup id="cite_ref-barcode_20-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-barcode-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> through a process which Royal Mail calls the "Stamp Swap Out scheme".<sup id="cite_ref-25" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>25<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Special Stamps with pictures and Christmas Stamps without a barcode continued to be valid.<sup id="cite_ref-reinvent_2-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-reinvent-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Stamps are exchanged like-for-like: a "1st class" stamp will be replaced by a 1st class one, not 95p. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Regional_issues">Regional issues</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Great_Britain&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Regional issues"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Country_definitives" title="Country definitives">Country definitives</a></div> <p>Beginning in 1958, regional issues were introduced in the <a href="/wiki/Channel_Islands" title="Channel Islands">Channel Islands</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Isle_of_Man" title="Isle of Man">Isle of Man</a>, <a href="/wiki/Northern_Ireland" title="Northern Ireland">Northern Ireland</a>, <a href="/wiki/Scotland" title="Scotland">Scotland</a> and <a href="/wiki/Wales" title="Wales">Wales</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-26" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-26"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>26<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> While these issues are only sold at post offices in the respective countries, the Northern Irish, Scottish and Welsh issues are valid throughout the United Kingdom. The Channel Islands (since 1969) and Isle of Man (since 1973) now issue their own stamps which are not valid anywhere else. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="British_postal_services_abroad">British postal services abroad</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Great_Britain&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: British postal services abroad"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/List_of_British_post_offices_abroad" title="List of British post offices abroad">List of British post offices abroad</a></div> <p>The United Kingdom has introduced postal services throughout the world and has often made use of British definitives bearing local overprints. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Great_Britain&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_British_postage_stamps" title="List of British postage stamps">List of British postage stamps</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_people_on_stamps_of_the_United_Kingdom" class="mw-redirect" title="List of people on stamps of the United Kingdom">List of people on stamps of the United Kingdom</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/London_Penny_Post" title="London Penny Post">London Penny Post</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Penny_Blue" title="Penny Blue">Penny Blue</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Post_Office_(United_Kingdom)" class="mw-redirect" title="Post Office (United Kingdom)">Post Office (United Kingdom)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/The_British_Postal_Museum_%26_Archive" class="mw-redirect" title="The British Postal Museum & Archive">The British Postal Museum & Archive</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Revenue_stamps_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Revenue stamps of the United Kingdom">Revenue stamps of the United Kingdom</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Great_Britain&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist reflist-columns references-column-width reflist-columns-2"> <ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFWinchester" class="citation web cs1">Winchester, Levi. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.lancs.live/news/uk-world-news/royal-mail-stamp-deadline-changed-26041856">"Royal Mail stamp deadline changed with added grace period"</a>. <i>LancsLive</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">8 February</span> 2023</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=LancsLive&rft.atitle=Royal+Mail+stamp+deadline+changed+with+added+grace+period&rft.aulast=Winchester&rft.aufirst=Levi&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lancs.live%2Fnews%2Fuk-world-news%2Froyal-mail-stamp-deadline-changed-26041856&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3APostage+stamps+and+postal+history+of+Great+Britain" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-reinvent-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-reinvent_2-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-reinvent_2-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.royalmail.com/sending/barcoded-stamps">"Reinventing stamps for the next generations"</a>. Royal Mail Group Ltd<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">4 July</span> 2022</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Reinventing+stamps+for+the+next+generations&rft.pub=Royal+Mail+Group+Ltd&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.royalmail.com%2Fsending%2Fbarcoded-stamps&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3APostage+stamps+and+postal+history+of+Great+Britain" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.royalmail.com/intellectual-property/reproducing-stamps">"Reproducing Stamps"</a>. Royal Mail Group Ltd.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Reproducing+Stamps&rft.pub=Royal+Mail+Group+Ltd&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.royalmail.com%2Fintellectual-property%2Freproducing-stamps&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3APostage+stamps+and+postal+history+of+Great+Britain" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-keydates-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-keydates_4-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-keydates_4-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-keydates_4-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110517212232/http://postalheritage.org.uk/history/keydates/">"Key Dates"</a>. <a href="/wiki/The_British_Postal_Museum_%26_Archive" class="mw-redirect" title="The British Postal Museum & Archive">The British Postal Museum & Archive</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://postalheritage.org.uk/history/keydates/">the original</a> on 17 May 2011<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">23 July</span> 2009</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Key+Dates&rft.pub=The+British+Postal+Museum+%26+Archive&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fpostalheritage.org.uk%2Fhistory%2Fkeydates%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3APostage+stamps+and+postal+history+of+Great+Britain" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.matt-hancock.com/news/importance-high-quality-address-data-transparency-and-uk-digital-economy-0">"The importance of high quality address data for transparency and the UK digital economy"</a>. Matt Hancock MP for West Suffolk. 28 April 2016<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">26 November</span> 2020</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=The+importance+of+high+quality+address+data+for+transparency+and+the+UK+digital+economy&rft.pub=Matt+Hancock+MP+for+West+Suffolk&rft.date=2016-04-28&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.matt-hancock.com%2Fnews%2Fimportance-high-quality-address-data-transparency-and-uk-digital-economy-0&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3APostage+stamps+and+postal+history+of+Great+Britain" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBeal2008" class="citation book cs1">Beal, P. 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Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://postalheritage.org.uk/history/stamps">the original</a> on 18 May 2011<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">6 December</span> 2010</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=British+Postal+Museum+%26+Archive&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fpostalheritage.org.uk%2Fhistory%2Fstamps&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3APostage+stamps+and+postal+history+of+Great+Britain" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-25"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-25">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Royal Mail, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.royalmail.com/sending/barcoded-stamps">Reinventing stamps for the next generations</a>, accessed 6 September 2022</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-26"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-26">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090811002033/http://postalheritage.org.uk/exhibitions/onlineexhibitions/lions">"Lions, Leopards, Unicorns & Dragons: The first "Regional" Stamps"</a>. <a href="/wiki/The_British_Postal_Museum_%26_Archive" class="mw-redirect" title="The British Postal Museum & Archive">The British Postal Museum & Archive</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://postalheritage.org.uk/exhibitions/onlineexhibitions/lions">the original</a> on 11 August 2009<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">23 July</span> 2009</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Lions%2C+Leopards%2C+Unicorns+%26+Dragons%3A+The+first+%22Regional%22+Stamps&rft.pub=The+British+Postal+Museum+%26+Archive&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fpostalheritage.org.uk%2Fexhibitions%2Fonlineexhibitions%2Flions&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3APostage+stamps+and+postal+history+of+Great+Britain" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Further_reading">Further reading</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Great_Britain&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Further reading"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="General">General</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Great_Britain&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: General"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>Hamilton, Patrick. <i>British Stamps: A description of the postage stamps of the United Kingdom</i>. London: Peter Davies, 1948 338p. (Supplement in 1954; 75p.)</li> <li>Lowe, Robson. <i>British Postage Stamps of the 19th Century</i>. London: National Postal Museum, 1st ed. 1968, 2nd ed. 1979.</li> <li>Lowe, Robson. <i>The Encyclopaedia of British Empire Postage Stamps: Vol. 1, Great Britain and the Empire in Europe</i>. London: Robson Lowe, 1952 456p.</li> <li>Mackay, James. <i>British Stamps</i>. London: Longman, 1985 <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-582-40620-X" title="Special:BookSources/0-582-40620-X">0-582-40620-X</a>, 247p.</li> <li>Mackay, James A. <i>Under the Gum – Background to British Stamps 1840–1940</i>. Limassol: James Bendon, 1997 <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/9963-579-76-0" title="Special:BookSources/9963-579-76-0">9963-579-76-0</a>, 536p.</li> <li>Oliver, Sidney and F. Hugh Vallancey. <i>The Postage Stamps of Great Britain, 1840–1922</i>. London: "Stamp Collecting", 1923, 563p.</li> <li>Rose, Stuart. <i>Royal Mail Stamps: A Survey of British Stamp Design</i>. Oxford: Phaidon, 1980 <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7148-2072-5" title="Special:BookSources/0-7148-2072-5">0-7148-2072-5</a>, 128p.</li> <li>Todd, T. <i>A History of British Postage Stamps</i>. London: Duckworth, 1949, 274p.</li> <li>Wijman, J.J. <i>Postage Stamps of Great Britain and their history</i>. Nuenen: Jeeboer Press, 1986 <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/9071622010" title="Special:BookSources/9071622010">9071622010</a>, 396p.</li> <li>Williams, L.N. & M. <i>Commemorative Postage Stamps of Great Britain</i>. London: Arco, 1967, 206p.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Queen_Victoria_and_King_Edward_VII">Queen Victoria and King Edward VII</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Great_Britain&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: Queen Victoria and King Edward VII"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>Beaumont, K.M. and John Easton. <i>The Postage Stamps of Great Britain. Part 3, The embossed issues; The surface-printed issues of Queen Victoria and King Edward VII</i>. London: Royal Philatelic Society, 1964, 344p.</li> <li>Seymour, J.B. and Clive Gardiner-Hill. <i>The Postage Stamps of Great Britain: Part 1, Introduction to the line-engraved issues: the imperforate line-engraved issues, 1840–1853</i>. London: Royal Philatelic Society, 1967, 336p.</li> <li>Wiggins, W.R.D. <i>The Postage Stamps of Great Britain: Part 2, The Perforated Line-Engraved Issues</i>. London: Royal Philatelic Society, 1962, 220p.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="King_George_V">King George V</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Great_Britain&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: King George V"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>Beaumont, K.M. and J.B.M. Stanton. <i>The Postage Stamps of Great Britain. Part 4, The Issues of King George V</i>. London: Royal Philatelic Society, 1957, 248p.</li> <li>Muir, Douglas N. <i>George V and The G.P.O.: Stamps, Conflict & Creativity</i>. London: British Postal Museum & Archive, 2010 <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-9553569-2-6" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-9553569-2-6">978-0-9553569-2-6</a>, 275p.</li> <li>Phillips, Stanley. <i>The Stamps of Great Britain, 1911–21</i>. London: Stanley Gibbons, 1921, 105p.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="King_Edward_VIII">King Edward VIII</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Great_Britain&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section: King Edward VIII"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>Kirk, A.J. <i>King Edward VIII: a study of the stamps of the reign of King Edward VIII</i>. Leigh-on-Sea: G.B. Philatelic Publications Ltd for the Great Britain Philatelic Society, 1974 <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-9015121-1-7" title="Special:BookSources/0-9015121-1-7">0-9015121-1-7</a>, 31p.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="King_George_VI">King George VI</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Great_Britain&action=edit&section=18" title="Edit section: King George VI"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>Worsfold, Peter. <i>Great Britain King George VI Low Value Definitive Stamps: An illustrated study of the development of their design</i>. London: GBPS, 2001 <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-9076301-7-0" title="Special:BookSources/0-9076301-7-0">0-9076301-7-0</a>, 40p.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Queen_Elizabeth_II">Queen Elizabeth II</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Great_Britain&action=edit&section=19" title="Edit section: Queen Elizabeth II"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>Potter, David. <i>British Elizabethan Stamps: The Story of the Postage Stamps of the United Kingdom, Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man, from 1952 to 1970</i>. London: Batsford, 1971 <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-71340-381-0" title="Special:BookSources/0-71340-381-0">0-71340-381-0</a>, 190p.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Postage_dues">Postage dues</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Great_Britain&action=edit&section=20" title="Edit section: Postage dues"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>Furfie, Michael. <i>British Postage Due Mail, 1914 – 1971: a study of uses of the pre-decimal postage due stamps</i>. Ashford: The Author, 1993 <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-9522208-0-6" title="Special:BookSources/0-9522208-0-6">0-9522208-0-6</a>, 74p.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Postmarks">Postmarks</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Great_Britain&action=edit&section=21" title="Edit section: Postmarks"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>Alcock, R.C. and F.C. Holland. <i>British Postmarks: A Short History and Guide</i>. Cheltenham: R. C. Alcock, 1960, 299p.</li> <li>Hendy, John G. <i><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/cu31924030133536">The History of the Postmarks of the British Isles from 1840–1876</a></i>. London: Stanley Gibbons, 1909, 184p.</li> <li>Pearson, George R. <i>Special Event Postmarks of the United Kingdom</i>. Hemel Hempstead: British Postmark Society, 1984 <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-9002140-1-5" title="Special:BookSources/0-9002140-1-5">0-9002140-1-5</a>, 276p.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/J._T._Whitney" title="J. T. Whitney">Whitney, J.T.</a> <i>Collect British Postmarks</i>. Benfleet, 1990.</li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://philatelicweb.com/pmks/">British Postmark Database</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Postal_stationery">Postal stationery</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Great_Britain&action=edit&section=22" title="Edit section: Postal stationery"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>Huggins, Alan. <i>British Postal Stationery</i>. London: Great Britain Philatelic Society, 1971 188p.</li> <li>Huggins, Alan and Colin Baker. <i>Collect British Postal Stationery: A Simplified Listing of British Postal Stationery 1840 to 2007</i>. GB Philatelic Publications, 2007 <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-907630-22-7" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-907630-22-7">978-0-907630-22-7</a>, 151p.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Postal_history">Postal history</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Great_Britain&action=edit&section=23" title="Edit section: Postal history"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>Campbell-Smith, Duncan. <i>Masters of the Post: The Authorized History of the Royal Mail</i>. London: Penguin, 2012 <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-2-4195766-0" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-2-4195766-0">978-0-2-4195766-0</a>, 849p.</li> <li>John Bartholomew and Son. <i>Postal History Map of Britain: an illustrated map in full colour with a border of postage stamps</i>. Edinburgh: John Bartholomew & Son, 1970?</li> <li>Dendy Marshall, C. F. <i><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://library.si.edu/digital-library/book/britishpostoffi00mars">The British Post Office from its beginnings to the end of 1925</a></i>. London: Humphrey Milford, Oxford University Press, 1926, 354p.</li> <li>Robinson, Howard. <i>The British Post Office: A History</i>. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1948, 467p.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Bibliography">Bibliography</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Great_Britain&action=edit&section=24" title="Edit section: Bibliography"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>Summers, Howard. <i>Bibliography of the Philately and Postal History of the British Isles</i>. Borehamwood: <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.amazon.com/Howard-Summers/e/B0774Y8K2W">Howcom Services</a>, 2020 <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-7025-2236-6" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-7025-2236-6">978-1-7025-2236-6</a> 210p.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Great_Britain&action=edit&section=25" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1235681985">.mw-parser-output .side-box{margin:4px 0;box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid 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.navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Postal_services_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="Template:Postal services in the United Kingdom"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Postal_services_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="Template talk:Postal services in the United Kingdom"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Postal_services_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Postal services in the United Kingdom"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Postal_services_in_the_United_Kingdom" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Postal_services_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="Postal services in the United Kingdom">Postal services in the United Kingdom</a></div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Postal geography</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Postcodes_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="Postcodes in the United Kingdom">Postcodes</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_postcode_areas_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="List of postcode areas in the United Kingdom">List of postcode areas</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_postcode_districts_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="List of postcode districts in the United Kingdom">List of postcode districts</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postal_counties_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Postal counties of the United Kingdom">Postal counties</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Post_town" title="Post town">Post town</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_post_towns_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="List of post towns in the United Kingdom">List of post towns</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/London_postal_district" title="London postal district">London postal district</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postcode_Address_File" title="Postcode Address File">Postcode Address File</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mailsort" title="Mailsort">Mailsort</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Organisations<br /></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/British_Forces_Post_Office" title="British Forces Post Office">British Forces Post Office</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/PayPoint" title="PayPoint">Collect+</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/DHL" title="DHL">DHL</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/DX_Group" title="DX Group">DX</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hermes_Europe" title="Hermes Europe">Evri</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/FedEx" title="FedEx">FedEx</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Geopost" title="Geopost">Geopost</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/InPost" title="InPost">InPost</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Parcelforce" title="Parcelforce">Parcelforce</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Post_Office_Limited" title="Post Office Limited">Post Office</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Royal_Mail" title="Royal Mail">Royal Mail</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/TNT_Express" title="TNT Express">TNT</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/UK_Mail" title="UK Mail">UK Mail</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_Parcel_Service" title="United Parcel Service">UPS</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Whistl" title="Whistl">Whistl</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yodel_(company)" title="Yodel (company)">Yodel</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Philately</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Postage stamps and postal history</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Infrastructure</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Royal_Mail#Mail_centres" title="Royal Mail">Mail centres</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Royal_Mail#Integrated_mail_processing" title="Royal Mail">Integrated mail processing</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Royal_Mail#Intelligent_letter_sorting_machines" title="Royal Mail">Intelligent Letter Sorting Machines</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2"><div><small><a href="/wiki/British_Overseas_Territories" title="British Overseas Territories">British Overseas Territories</a> and <a href="/wiki/Crown_Dependencies" title="Crown Dependencies">Crown Dependencies</a> have <a href="/wiki/List_of_postal_entities" title="List of postal entities">different operators</a> and regulatory arrangements.</small></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Europe" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Postal_history_of_Europe" title="Template:Postal history of Europe"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Postal_history_of_Europe" title="Template talk:Postal history of Europe"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Postal_history_of_Europe" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Postal history of Europe"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Europe" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamp" title="Postage stamp">Postage stamps</a> and <a href="/wiki/Postal_history" title="Postal history">postal history</a> of Europe</div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><div style="display: inline-block; line-height: 1.2em; padding: .1em 0;">By country or<br />territory</div></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_%C3%85land" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Åland">Åland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Albania" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Albania">Albania</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Allenstein" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Allenstein">Allenstein</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Andorra" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Andorra">Andorra</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Armenia" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Armenia">Armenia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Austria" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Austria">Austria</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Azerbaijan" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Azerbaijan">Azerbaijan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Belarus" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Belarus">Belarus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Belgium" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Belgium">Belgium</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Czechoslovakia" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Czechoslovakia">Bohemia and Moravia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Bosnia_and_Herzegovina" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Bosnia and Herzegovina">Bosnia and Herzegovina</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Bulgaria" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Bulgaria">Bulgaria</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Crete" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Crete">Crete</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Croatia" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Croatia">Croatia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Cyprus" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Cyprus">Cyprus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_the_Czech_Republic" title="Postage stamps and postal history of the Czech Republic">Czech Republic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Czechoslovakia" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Czechoslovakia">Czechoslovakia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Dalmatia" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Dalmatia">Dalmatia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_the_Free_City_of_Danzig" title="Postage stamps and postal history of the Free City of Danzig">Danzig</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Denmark" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Denmark">Denmark</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Eastern_Rumelia" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Eastern Rumelia">Eastern Rumelia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Estonia" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Estonia">Estonia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_the_Faroe_Islands" title="Postage stamps and postal history of the Faroe Islands">Faroe Islands</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Finland" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Finland">Finland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Fiume" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Fiume">Fiume</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_France" title="Postage stamps and postal history of France">France</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_of_the_French_colonies" title="Postage stamps of the French colonies">French colonies</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Funchal" class="mw-redirect" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Funchal">Funchal</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Georgia" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Georgia">Georgia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Germany" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Germany">Germany</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_the_German_colonies" title="Postage stamps and postal history of the German colonies">German colonies</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Gibraltar" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Gibraltar">Gibraltar</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Great Britain</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Country_definitives" title="Country definitives">GB regions</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Greece" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Greece">Greece</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Greenland" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Greenland">Greenland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Guernsey" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Guernsey">Guernsey</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Heligoland" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Heligoland">Heligoland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Hungary" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Hungary">Hungary</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Iceland" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Iceland">Iceland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_of_Ireland" title="Postage stamps of Ireland">Ireland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_the_Isle_of_Man" title="Postage stamps and postal history of the Isle of Man">Isle of Man</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Italy" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Italy">Italy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Jersey" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Jersey">Jersey</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Karelia" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Karelia">Karelia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Kastellorizo" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Kastellorizo">Kastellorizo</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Kosovo&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Kosovo (page does not exist)">Kosovo</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Latvia" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Latvia">Latvia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Liechtenstein" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Liechtenstein">Liechtenstein</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Lithuania" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Lithuania">Lithuania</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Luxembourg" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Luxembourg">Luxembourg</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Malta" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Malta">Malta</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Moldova" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Moldova">Moldova</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Monaco" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Monaco">Monaco</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Montenegro" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Montenegro">Montenegro</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Mount_Athos" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Mount Athos">Mount Athos</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_the_Netherlands" title="Postage stamps and postal history of the Netherlands">Netherlands</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Northern_Cyprus" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Northern Cyprus">Northern Cyprus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Northern_Epirus" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Northern Epirus">Northern Epirus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_North_Ingria" title="Postage stamps and postal history of North Ingria">North Ingria</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_North_Macedonia" title="Postage stamps and postal history of North Macedonia">North Macedonia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Norway" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Norway">Norway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Turkey" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Turkey">Ottoman Empire</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Poland" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Poland">Poland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Portugal" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Portugal">Portugal</a> (<a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_the_Azores" title="Postage stamps and postal history of the Azores">Azores</a>, <a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Madeira" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Madeira">Madeira</a>)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Romania" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Romania">Romania</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Russia" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Russia">Russia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_the_Saar" title="Postage stamps and postal history of the Saar">Saar</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_San_Marino" title="Postage stamps and postal history of San Marino">San Marino</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Schleswig-Holstein" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Schleswig-Holstein">Schleswig</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Serbia" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Serbia">Serbia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Slovakia" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Slovakia">Slovakia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Slovenia" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Slovenia">Slovenia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_the_Sovereign_Military_Order_of_Malta" title="Postage stamps and postal history of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta">Sovereign Military Order of Malta</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_of_the_Soviet_Union" title="Postage stamps of the Soviet Union">Soviet Union</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Spain" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Spain">Spain</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Sweden" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Sweden">Sweden</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Switzerland" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Switzerland">Switzerland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Transnistria" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Transnistria">Transnistria</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Turkey" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Turkey">Turkey</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Tuscany" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Tuscany">Tuscany</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Ukraine" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Ukraine">Ukraine</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Vatican_City" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Vatican City">Vatican</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_West_Ukrainian_National_Republic" title="Postage stamps and postal history of West Ukrainian National Republic">West Ukraine</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Yugoslavia" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Yugoslavia">Yugoslavia</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/List_of_postal_services_abroad" title="List of postal services abroad">Post abroad</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Austrian</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Austrian_post_offices_in_Crete" title="Austrian post offices in Crete">Crete</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Austrian_post_offices_in_Liechtenstein" title="Austrian post offices in Liechtenstein">Liechtenstein</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Austrian_post_offices_in_the_Ottoman_Empire" title="Austrian post offices in the Ottoman Empire">Ottoman Empire</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/List_of_British_post_offices_abroad" title="List of British post offices abroad">British</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/British_military_post_offices_in_Africa" title="British military post offices in Africa">Africa (military)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_postal_agencies_in_Eastern_Arabia" title="British postal agencies in Eastern Arabia">Arabia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_post_offices_in_China" title="British post offices in China">China</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_post_offices_in_Crete" title="British post offices in Crete">Crete</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_post_offices_in_Morocco" title="British post offices in Morocco">Morocco</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_of_Bushire_under_British_occupation" title="Postage stamps of Bushire under British occupation">Bushire occupation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_of_Batum_under_British_occupation" title="Postage stamps of Batum under British occupation">Batum occupation</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/French_post_offices_abroad" title="French post offices abroad">French</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/French_post_offices_in_China" title="French post offices in China">China</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/French_post_offices_in_Crete" title="French post offices in Crete">Crete</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/French_post_offices_in_Egypt" title="French post offices in Egypt">Egypt</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/French_post_offices_in_the_Ottoman_Empire" title="French post offices in the Ottoman Empire">Ottoman Empire</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/French_post_offices_in_Zanzibar" title="French post offices in Zanzibar">Zanzibar</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/German_post_offices_abroad" title="German post offices abroad">German</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/German_post_offices_in_China" title="German post offices in China">China</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/German_post_offices_in_Morocco" title="German post offices in Morocco">Morocco</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/German_post_offices_in_the_Ottoman_Empire" title="German post offices in the Ottoman Empire">Ottoman Empire</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/German_post_offices_in_Zanzibar" class="mw-redirect" title="German post offices in Zanzibar">Zanzibar</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">German states</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Baden" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Baden">Baden</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Bergedorf" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Bergedorf">Bergedorf</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Hamburg" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Hamburg">Hamburg</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Schleswig-Holstein" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Schleswig-Holstein">Holstein</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_L%C3%BCbeck" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Lübeck">Lübeck</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Mecklenburg" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Mecklenburg">Mecklenburg</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_the_North_German_Confederation" title="Postage stamps and postal history of the North German Confederation">North German Confederation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Schleswig-Holstein" title="Postage stamps and postal history of Schleswig-Holstein">Schleswig-Holstein</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Russian_post_offices_abroad" title="Russian post offices abroad">Russian</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Russian_post_offices_in_China" title="Russian post offices in China">China</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Russian_post_offices_in_Crete" title="Russian post offices in Crete">Crete</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Russian_post_offices_in_the_Ottoman_Empire" title="Russian post offices in the Ottoman Empire">Ottoman Empire</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2"><div> <dl><dt>See also</dt> <dd><span class="nowrap"><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/Stamp_UK_Penny_Red_pl148.jpg/13px-Stamp_UK_Penny_Red_pl148.jpg" decoding="async" width="13" height="16" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/Stamp_UK_Penny_Red_pl148.jpg/20px-Stamp_UK_Penny_Red_pl148.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/Stamp_UK_Penny_Red_pl148.jpg/27px-Stamp_UK_Penny_Red_pl148.jpg 2x" data-file-width="450" data-file-height="534" /></span></span> </span><a href="/wiki/Portal:Philately" title="Portal:Philately">Philately portal</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Template:Postal_history_of_Africa" title="Template:Postal history of Africa">Africa</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Template:Postal_history_of_the_Americas" title="Template:Postal history of the Americas">Americas</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Template:Postal_history_of_Asia" title="Template:Postal history of Asia">Asia</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Template:Postal_history_of_Oceania" title="Template:Postal history of Oceania">Oceania</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Philately" title="Wikipedia:WikiProject Philately">WikiProject</a></dd></dl> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1130092004">.mw-parser-output .portal-bar{font-size:88%;font-weight:bold;display:flex;justify-content:center;align-items:baseline}.mw-parser-output .portal-bar-bordered{padding:0 2em;background-color:#fdfdfd;border:1px solid #a2a9b1;clear:both;margin:1em auto 0}.mw-parser-output .portal-bar-related{font-size:100%;justify-content:flex-start}.mw-parser-output .portal-bar-unbordered{padding:0 1.7em;margin-left:0}.mw-parser-output .portal-bar-header{margin:0 1em 0 0.5em;flex:0 0 auto;min-height:24px}.mw-parser-output .portal-bar-content{display:flex;flex-flow:row wrap;flex:0 1 auto;padding:0.15em 0;column-gap:1em;align-items:baseline;margin:0;list-style:none}.mw-parser-output .portal-bar-content-related{margin:0;list-style:none}.mw-parser-output .portal-bar-item{display:inline-block;margin:0.15em 0.2em;min-height:24px;line-height:24px}@media screen and (max-width:768px){.mw-parser-output .portal-bar{font-size:88%;font-weight:bold;display:flex;flex-flow:column wrap;align-items:baseline}.mw-parser-output .portal-bar-header{text-align:center;flex:0;padding-left:0.5em;margin:0 auto}.mw-parser-output .portal-bar-related{font-size:100%;align-items:flex-start}.mw-parser-output .portal-bar-content{display:flex;flex-flow:row wrap;align-items:center;flex:0;column-gap:1em;border-top:1px solid #a2a9b1;margin:0 auto;list-style:none}.mw-parser-output .portal-bar-content-related{border-top:none;margin:0;list-style:none}}.mw-parser-output .navbox+link+.portal-bar,.mw-parser-output .navbox+style+.portal-bar,.mw-parser-output .navbox+link+.portal-bar-bordered,.mw-parser-output .navbox+style+.portal-bar-bordered,.mw-parser-output .sister-bar+link+.portal-bar,.mw-parser-output .sister-bar+style+.portal-bar,.mw-parser-output .portal-bar+.navbox-styles+.navbox,.mw-parser-output .portal-bar+.navbox-styles+.sister-bar{margin-top:-1px}</style><div class="portal-bar noprint metadata noviewer portal-bar-bordered" role="navigation" aria-label="Portals"><span class="portal-bar-header"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Contents/Portals" title="Wikipedia:Contents/Portals">Portals</a>:</span><ul class="portal-bar-content"><li class="portal-bar-item"><span class="nowrap"><span typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="map" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c6/Europe_%28orthographic_projection%29.svg/19px-Europe_%28orthographic_projection%29.svg.png" decoding="async" width="19" height="19" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c6/Europe_%28orthographic_projection%29.svg/29px-Europe_%28orthographic_projection%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c6/Europe_%28orthographic_projection%29.svg/38px-Europe_%28orthographic_projection%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="541" data-file-height="541" /></span></span> </span><a href="/wiki/Portal:Europe" title="Portal:Europe">Europe</a></li><li class="portal-bar-item"><span class="nowrap"><span typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/Stamp_UK_Penny_Red_pl148.jpg/16px-Stamp_UK_Penny_Red_pl148.jpg" decoding="async" width="16" height="19" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/Stamp_UK_Penny_Red_pl148.jpg/24px-Stamp_UK_Penny_Red_pl148.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/Stamp_UK_Penny_Red_pl148.jpg/32px-Stamp_UK_Penny_Red_pl148.jpg 2x" data-file-width="450" 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