Country
Scott #
SG #
Date
Notes
Value £ m/u
Colombia
H1
AR169
1893
Acknowledgement of Receipt
This is a fairly obscure type of stamp. Wood mentions Chile, Columbia and Montenegro as having issued them, and El Salvador as the first, on a pair of stamps in 1897, inscribed Aviso de Recepcion. Mackay favours Columbia in 1865 with another pair.
My Scott Classic 2001 dates Columbia A/R H1 as 1893 and El Salvador as 1897.
Colombia [Illus 1]
This is a fairly obscure type of stamp. Wood mentions Chile, Columbia and Montenegro as having issued them, and El Salvador as the first, on a pair of stamps in 1897, inscribed Aviso de Recepcion. Mackay favours Columbia in 1865 with another pair.
My Scott Classic 2001 dates Columbia A/R H1 as 1893 and El Salvador as 1897.
Colombia [Illus 1]
£2 / £2
5c red
El Salvador
H1
AR53
1897
Acknowledgement of Receipt, see above
15p
5c green
Italy
C1
102
1917
Airmail
The first government-issue airmails are from Italy, two stamps issued in May and June 1917, both overprints of existing Express Delivery stamps. Mackay (as one might expect from the author of a book on the subject) goes into rather more detail, mentioning:
In the Guinness Pages, I also look for the first real airmail for each country, that is the first stamp designed for the purpose - usually with an aeroplane on it - not an overprint of an existing stamp. I will have to find the first real airmail of all.
The first government-issue airmails are from Italy, two stamps issued in May and June 1917, both overprints of existing Express Delivery stamps. Mackay (as one might expect from the author of a book on the subject) goes into rather more detail, mentioning:
- Samuel King's 1877 Buffalo balloon post;
- W Fricker's 1898 pigeon post;
- Labels for various early aviation meetings, starting with 1909 at Bar-sur-Aube;
- German semi-official stamps for Grade's flights between Bork and Brück;
In the Guinness Pages, I also look for the first real airmail for each country, that is the first stamp designed for the purpose - usually with an aeroplane on it - not an overprint of an existing stamp. I will have to find the first real airmail of all.
£4 / £6
25 c red
o/p Express SG-E73
o/p Express SG-E73
Geneva
Sc-2L1
G1
1843
Bipartite stamps
Stamps which can be split and used separately. Mackay identifies the earliest example as the 1843 Double Geneva. These are distinct from Bisect stamps which have been divided in half and used for half their face value (etc.).
[Illus 2]
Stamps which can be split and used separately. Mackay identifies the earliest example as the 1843 Double Geneva. These are distinct from Bisect stamps which have been divided in half and used for half their face value (etc.).
[Illus 2]
£35k / £26k
10 centimes black and green
Luxembourg
SB1
1895
Booklet
Mackay notes that the idea was first suggested in Britain in 1878, but not implemented until 1904. First, then is Luxembourg in 1895. Wood identifies the US as second in 1900. Having consulted the Gibbons Benelux Specialised in my local library - there were two Luxembourg booklets issued in 1895, numbers SB1 and SB2, containing 4 panes of 6xSG155 and 2 panes of 6xSG128 respectively and priced at £1,200 and £2,000. They sold at 5c over face value and I think they were both illustrated with the Grand Duke Adolf.
[Illus Stamp Magazine June 2004]
Mackay notes that the idea was first suggested in Britain in 1878, but not implemented until 1904. First, then is Luxembourg in 1895. Wood identifies the US as second in 1900. Having consulted the Gibbons Benelux Specialised in my local library - there were two Luxembourg booklets issued in 1895, numbers SB1 and SB2, containing 4 panes of 6xSG155 and 2 panes of 6xSG128 respectively and priced at £1,200 and £2,000. They sold at 5c over face value and I think they were both illustrated with the Grand Duke Adolf.
[Illus Stamp Magazine June 2004]
£1,200
Switzerland
?
1538
2003
Braille stamp
The first ever braille stamp might be this March 2003 issue from Switzerland, mentioned in unfavourable terms in the August '03 Gibbons Monthly as unnecessary, given that registered blind Swiss can post for free.
Illustration from the Swiss Federation for the Blind [dead link], who state 'Swiss Post is one of the first postal organisations in the world to issue a Braille stamp' so this might need more research.
The first ever braille stamp might be this March 2003 issue from Switzerland, mentioned in unfavourable terms in the August '03 Gibbons Monthly as unnecessary, given that registered blind Swiss can post for free.
Illustration from the Swiss Federation for the Blind [dead link], who state 'Swiss Post is one of the first postal organisations in the world to issue a Braille stamp' so this might need more research.
70 c red
Finland
?
P471
1949
Bus Parcel Stamps
This is a Finnish speciality and mentioned in Mackay, but I could not find a reference in Wood. First issued in 1949 by the Finnish Post Office for the carriage of parcels on coach services, including private company services.
The only image I have found so far is from Finland Philatelic and shows the first set, complete with a 'watermark' from the dealer.
This is a Finnish speciality and mentioned in Mackay, but I could not find a reference in Wood. First issued in 1949 by the Finnish Post Office for the carriage of parcels on coach services, including private company services.
The only image I have found so far is from Finland Philatelic and shows the first set, complete with a 'watermark' from the dealer.
£1 / £3
[1 m green]
Canada
85
168
1891
Christmas Stamp
There is some controversy over this one. Although it is the first stamp to have "Xmas" on it, it is really nothing to do with Christmas and therefore better claimants may be advanced following further investigation. There are interesting and contradictory articles from PSE and the Christmas Philatelic Club. Other suggestions from those sources include: Austria 1937; Brazil 1939; Hungary 1941 - proposed by the first article and dismissed in the second, which also mentions Netherlands 1926 and 1933 semi-postals.
There is some controversy over this one. Although it is the first stamp to have "Xmas" on it, it is really nothing to do with Christmas and therefore better claimants may be advanced following further investigation. There are interesting and contradictory articles from PSE and the Christmas Philatelic Club. Other suggestions from those sources include: Austria 1937; Brazil 1939; Hungary 1941 - proposed by the first article and dismissed in the second, which also mentions Netherlands 1926 and 1933 semi-postals.
£25 / £5
New South Wales
77
253
1888
Commemorative
There are several claims to this title. Wood lists:
There are several claims to this title. Wood lists:
- An 1871 stamp from Peru, said to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first South American railway; and
- some local German commemoratives issued in 1887, but Wood discounts these as they were not a government issue.
- The first stamp with a specific commemorative inscription is the 1888 New South Wales issue for the centenary of the first colony in Australia.
- Baden and Württenburg, both in 1851 issuing stamps with a 'tiny inscription signifying the German-Austrian Postal Union';
- two New Brunswick issues of 1860, relating to the railways and the Prince of Wales;
- a French reissue in 1863 with a laurel crown added to the image of Napoleon III;
- the Peru 1871 as above;
- the US 1876 stamped envelopes for the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition;
- the German locals above;
£4 / 10p
1d mauve, view of Sydney Centenary of NSW
Charity - see semi-postal
Poland
767-768
1007-1008
1957
Composite stamps
Defined by Mackay as 'where the design is spread over two or more stamps'. The first is a Poland 1957 issue featuring two fencers. I'm not sure what term Wood uses for this feature and so cannot yet list his corresponding entry.
Here's half to go on with (April 2004). See also Se-tenant
Defined by Mackay as 'where the design is spread over two or more stamps'. The first is a Poland 1957 issue featuring two fencers. I'm not sure what term Wood uses for this feature and so cannot yet list his corresponding entry.
Here's half to go on with (April 2004). See also Se-tenant
25p / 15p
20p / 10p
20p / 10p
60g red
60g blue
Great Britain
1
2
1840
Definitive
The clear winner here is, of course, the Penny Black, 1840.
The clear winner here is, of course, the Penny Black, 1840.
£3,400 / £200
Penny Black
Belgium
?
?
1914?
Exile stamps
Issued by governments in temporary exile following invasion. Mackay identifies as first the Belgium government in exile in Le Havre throughout WW1.
Issued by governments in temporary exile following invasion. Mackay identifies as first the Belgium government in exile in Le Havre throughout WW1.
£ / £
text
Express Delivery - see Special Delivery
Netherlands
Netherlands Indies
Netherlands Indies
GY1
GY1
GY1
M238
M257
M257
1921
1921
1921
Floating Safe stamps
These were issued by the Netherlands and Netherlands Indies, for mail shipped between the two countries. Mail with this additional stamp was carried in a special safe designed to float and be recovered if the ship sank. The service was introduced in 1921 and discontinued in 1923 through lack of interest.
These were issued by the Netherlands and Netherlands Indies, for mail shipped between the two countries. Mail with this additional stamp was carried in a special safe designed to float and be recovered if the ship sank. The service was introduced in 1921 and discontinued in 1923 through lack of interest.
£9 / £48
£6 / £28
£6 / £28
15 c green
Turkey
102
175
1901
Foreign Mail stamps
Only in Mackay, stamps specifically for mail going abroad, the first being an issue from Turkey in 1901.
This caused some debate in the FICC pages which I have not yet resolved. [2011 note, the FICC Forum pages crashed a few years ago and never seem to have recovered.]
Only in Mackay, stamps specifically for mail going abroad, the first being an issue from Turkey in 1901.
This caused some debate in the FICC pages which I have not yet resolved. [2011 note, the FICC Forum pages crashed a few years ago and never seem to have recovered.]
25p / 15p
5 pa brown
Spain
S1
F172
1869
Franchise stamps
Issued to certain individuals and groups, effectively allowing free postage. Wood does not name the first, but mentions France, Germany, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland as issuers. Mackay refers to these a Private Stamps and names a Spanish issue of 1869 for the benefit of Don Diego Castell as the first.
[Illus 1]
Issued to certain individuals and groups, effectively allowing free postage. Wood does not name the first, but mentions France, Germany, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland as issuers. Mackay refers to these a Private Stamps and names a Spanish issue of 1869 for the benefit of Don Diego Castell as the first.
[Illus 1]
£ / £
blue
Dominican Republic
G1
R339
1935
Insured Letter stamp
One of Scott's standard prefixes, which Gibbons describes as Registration Stamps.
One of Scott's standard prefixes, which Gibbons describes as Registration Stamps.
£1 / £1
8c on 7c ultra
Language (from Mackay)
This subject is less interesting than it might at first appear. The most intriguing multi-lingual stamp that never was is discussed in Mackay Classics. If Mauritius had not officially adopted English as its language shortly before the issue of the famous Post Office stamps in 1847 then these might have been inscribed in English and French. The Ordinance sanctioning the postal service, dated December 1846, but published in February 1847 was printed in English and French in parallel columns. In the real world, Mackay's Guinness identifies a large number of linguistic categories and distinctions, some of which are shown here.
This subject is less interesting than it might at first appear. The most intriguing multi-lingual stamp that never was is discussed in Mackay Classics. If Mauritius had not officially adopted English as its language shortly before the issue of the famous Post Office stamps in 1847 then these might have been inscribed in English and French. The Ordinance sanctioning the postal service, dated December 1846, but published in February 1847 was printed in English and French in parallel columns. In the real world, Mackay's Guinness identifies a large number of linguistic categories and distinctions, some of which are shown here.
Zurich
1L5
?
1850
Bilingual
In Guinness, Mackay credits Geneva's 1843 cantonal stamp (see above) as it includes a Latin motto. I don't think that Latin really counts and so go with his third choice for using two living languages, the 1850 Zurich issue in German and French.
[Illus n]
In Guinness, Mackay credits Geneva's 1843 cantonal stamp (see above) as it includes a Latin motto. I don't think that Latin really counts and so go with his third choice for using two living languages, the 1850 Zurich issue in German and French.
[Illus n]
£ / £
text
South West Africa
1
1
1923
A Bilingual Pair
was issued by South West Africa in 1923, where South African stamps (already inscribed in both English and Dutch) were overprinted alternately SOUTH WEST AFRICA and ZUID-WEST AFRIKA.
was issued by South West Africa in 1923, where South African stamps (already inscribed in both English and Dutch) were overprinted alternately SOUTH WEST AFRICA and ZUID-WEST AFRIKA.
£1 / £2 each
½d green
Switzerland
14
47a
1854
Trilingual
Switzerland again, with a 1854 issue showing the denomination in centimes (French), centesimi (Italian) and rappen (German), with the used version unusually accessible for early Swiss stamps. [Illus 1]
After that it gets more interesting:
[Illus n]
Switzerland again, with a 1854 issue showing the denomination in centimes (French), centesimi (Italian) and rappen (German), with the used version unusually accessible for early Swiss stamps. [Illus 1]
After that it gets more interesting:
[Illus n]
£100 / £8
5 rappen brown
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