United Kingdom stamps began in 1840, with the world’s first stamp, the Penny Black. The idea, of course, proved spectacularly successful, and the UK would prove to be a tireless innovator and issuer of postage stamps in the ensuing decades, lasting until the present day.
Soon after the Penny Black proved to be tricky to use postally due to its color, the UK issued other stamps that have become notable-cum-famous in collectors’ circles; some of the most famous early United Kingdom stamps include the Penny Red, the Penny Lilac, and the 1887 Jubilee Issue stamps for beloved Queen Victoria.
Some collectors concentrate on stamps featuring a specific monarch, or from a specific monarch’s era. In addition to Victoria, her successor King Edward VII, who ruled from 1901 until 1910, saw several stamp issues, as did his successor, King George V (1910 — 1936).
See also: Sverige Stamps: Collecting Swedish Postage Stamps
Interestingly, King Edward VIII, who ruled for less than a year in 1936 before abdicating his throne, actually had a small number of stamps issued, and many collectors don’t consider a collection of British monarch stamps complete without at least one. Finally, Queen Elizabeth II (1952 — now) oversaw great advances both in postage stamp quality of design and printing, but in philatelic collectible pieces such as first day covers (FDC). Her definitives series, first Wilding and then Machin, have proven endurably popular with collectors.
Check our current selection of stamps from the United Kingdom in this section; check the several subcategories for specific types of British stamps. The selection changes quite a lot each day, so come back often to see the newest listings and offers.
