Who Invented the Postage Stamp?

Postage stamps like these have only been around since 1840.

The modern postage stamp came about as a result of postal reform in England in the late 1830s. History credits Rowland Hill as the creator of the idea of the prepaid stamp.

Old System

Up through the 1830s, the postal system was complicated, expensive and inefficient. Postal rates varied based on distance sent and the number of pages. Additionally, the recipient was expected to pay the postage upon receipt, so the postal service also wasted resources delivering mail that some recipients ultimately refused. The system's inefficiency was not keeping pace with the industrial revolution.

Postal Reform

In the late 1830s, Hill began advocating the postal reform in England that eventually swept the world. He proposed the single rate of a penny for regular mail. Hill also suggested the sender pay postage, and that the sender affix an adhesive stamp to the letter to prove paid postage.

Penny Black

The penny black was the first postage stamp used by the British postal service. It cost one "penny" and had a profile of Queen Victoria on a "black" background, hence the name. Hill hired famous engraver Henry Corbould to create the printing plate for the stamps. The penny black became official postage on May 6, 1840.

References

• National Postal Museum: Postal Reforms