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When talking about the history of British stamps most individuals will have heard about the Penny Black and even this can be regarded as the first of its kind here in great BRITAIN. The penny black was the very first issued postage stamp that was used for the UK's penny post in 1840, though postage stamps were around before that.

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Before adhesive paper stamps, letters would be stamped with ink or hand stamped. The very first postmarks were known as Bishop Marks after the individual who invented them - - Henry Bishop. They certainly were first used in 1661 and acted as a resource by indicating the month and date that the item was sent.

Adhesive postage stamps were first used in 1837 when they were invented by a person by the name of Rowland Hill. The English schoolmaster was knighted for his efforts and he even created the first uniform postage rates that have been based on the weight of the thing being posted rather than the size of it. It had been just after this in 1840 that the penny black became the first postage stamp in use within the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Since that time there has been many changes to GB stamps, especially in the Victorian age when embossed and perforated postage stamps became normal. Stamps had always featured the image of the King or Queen until the first commemorative set of stamps was issued in 1924 to commemorate the British Empire Exhibition. Since that time commemorative stamps have become more and more favored by stamps being issued to remember special events, royal birthdays and important British dates.

In addition to being used as payment for postal services around the UK and overseas, stamps also serve another purpose as a collector's item. Rare stamps are often sold at auction for thousands of pounds and there are many individuals who consider themselves to be stamp collectors or philatelists while they are also known.

Specialist organisations that provide stamp auctions and can buy collections from those people wanting to sell can help anybody who has to value their stamps or really wants to add to their very own group.