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List of British postage stamps facts for kids

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This is a list of British postage stamps issued by the Royal Mail postal service of the United Kingdom. In the world of stamp collecting, the UK is often called Great Britain. This list shares details about many of the stamps that have been released over the years.

Early Stamps: Queen Victoria

The story of British stamps begins with Queen Victoria. Her reign saw the very first postage stamps ever made!

The Penny Black: A World First

Penny black
The famous Penny Black stamp, the world's first adhesive postage stamp.

The very first stamp, the Penny Black, was issued on May 1, 1840, and could be used from May 6. It cost one penny and changed how people sent letters forever! Before this, the person receiving the letter usually paid. The Penny Black made sending letters much easier and cheaper.

Other early stamps from this time included:

  • The Two penny blue, released around the same time as the Penny Black.
  • The Penny Red, which came out in 1841. It replaced the Penny Black because the red ink was harder to fake.

Different Ways of Printing Stamps

Over the years, stamps changed in how they were made.

  • Embossed stamps (1847–1854) had a raised design, like a bumpy picture. These included stamps worth sixpence, ten pence, and one shilling.
  • Surface printed stamps (from 1855) were made using a different printing method. These stamps often had small letters in the corners to show where they were on the printing sheet.
  • The Penny Lilac (1881) was a very common stamp. More of these were printed than any other Victorian stamp.
  • The Jubilee issue postage stamps (1887–1892) were special stamps released during Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee celebration.

Stamps of the Kings

After Queen Victoria, new stamps were made for each new king.

King Edward VII (1902–1913)

Stamps during King Edward VII's reign were mostly "definitive stamps." These are the regular stamps used every day, not special ones for events. They came in many values, from a halfpenny to £1.

King George V (1911–1936)

King George V's stamps included:

  • The "Mackennals" stamps (1911–1912), designed by Bertram Mackennal.
  • The "Seahorses" (1913–1918) were high-value stamps. They are famous for their beautiful design.
  • The first "commemorative" stamps were issued in 1924 for the British Empire Exhibition. Commemorative stamps celebrate special events or anniversaries.
  • In 1935, the Silver Jubilee stamps were the first to celebrate a royal event.

King Edward VIII (1936)

King Edward VIII's reign was very short. Only one set of Edward VIII postage stamps was issued before he gave up the throne.

King George VI (1937–1951)

Stamps during King George VI's time saw more special issues:

  • The Coronation stamps (1937) were the first to show both the King and Queen.
  • The Centenary of the postage stamp (1940) celebrated 100 years since the Penny Black.
  • The Silver Wedding stamps (1948) were the first to mark a personal royal event. The £1 stamp was also the first British stamp designed by a woman!
  • Stamps were also issued for the Olympic Games in London and the Festival of Britain (1951).

Queen Elizabeth II: A Long Reign of Stamps

Queen Elizabeth II had the longest reign of any British monarch, and many different stamps were issued during her time.

Early Designs and Innovations (1952–1961)

  • The first stamps for Queen Elizabeth II were called "Wildings" (from 1952). These were regular, everyday stamps.
  • Special "Castle series" high-value stamps (1955) featured famous British castles.
  • New technology was introduced to help sort mail. Stamps with graphite-lines (1957) and phosphor bands (1959) were released. These lines glowed under ultra-violet light, helping machines read them.

Commemorative Stamps and New Features (1962–1969)

From 1962 to 1966, many stamps were available with or without phosphor bands. The ones with phosphor bands are often more valuable!

  • The Shakespeare Festival stamps (1964) were the first special set to come in an illustrated "Presentation Pack." They were also the first to honor a historical person.
  • The Winston Churchill Commemoration stamps (1965) honored the famous wartime leader.
  • The World Cup Football Championship stamps (1966) celebrated the sport.
  • The first Christmas stamps were issued in 1966.
  • The famous Machin definitive stamps began in 1967. This simple, elegant design of the Queen's head is still used today!

Modern Stamp Era: Decimalisation (1970s)

In 1971, Britain changed its money system to "decimal currency." This meant new stamps with new values (like 1p, 2p, 5p instead of shillings and pence).

  • The First Flight of Concorde stamps (1969) celebrated the supersonic jet.
  • Many stamps in the 1970s celebrated British architecture, anniversaries, and famous people like J. M. W. Turner and Jane Austen.
  • The Silver Jubilee stamps (1977) marked 25 years of Queen Elizabeth II's reign.

Royal Events and Popular Culture (1980s–2000s)

Stamps continued to celebrate many different aspects of British life and culture.

  • The Wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer (1981) was marked with special stamps.
  • Stamps featured British Motor Cars (1982), Famous Trains (1985), and even Halley's Comet (1986).
  • The Royal Air Force (1986) and Spanish Armada (1988) were also honored.
  • The Millennium stamp Series (1999-2000) was a huge collection of stamps released to celebrate the new millennium, covering many themes like inventors, travelers, and artists.
  • The Golden Jubilee stamps (2002) celebrated 50 years of the Queen's reign.
  • Popular culture started appearing on stamps, with issues for The Lord of the Rings (2004) and Star Wars (2005).

Recent Years (2006–2022)

King Charles III: New Era of Stamps

After the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, new stamps began to feature the silhouette of King Charles III.

2023

  • The first stamps with King Charles III's silhouette were the Flowers issue on March 23, 2023. This was the first change to the royal silhouette on stamps since 1968.
  • A new King Charles III Definitive stamp was also released.
  • Special stamps celebrated the Coronation of King Charles III in May 2023.
  • Other stamps in 2023 featured popular themes like Blackadder, Warhammer, Paddington Bear, and more Harry Potter designs.

See also

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List of British postage stamps Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.