DESCRIPTION
1840 Great Britain Penny Black 1d with letters RJ. Cancelled with Black Maltese Cross, with clear Queen Profile. Almost 4 margins with slight cut into NE corner. Fresh condition in a special presentation folder with short write-up on “Birth of the Penny Black”. Seldom seen. Previouly mounted, right upper conner damage
From Wikipedia
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penny_Black
The Penny Black was the world's first adhesive postage stamp used in a public postal system. It was first issued in the United Kingdom (referred to in philatelic circles as Great Britain), on 1 May 1840, but was not valid for use until 6 May. The stamp features a profile of Queen Victoria. In 1837, British postal rates were high, complex, and anomalous. To simplify matters, Sir Rowland Hill proposed an adhesive stamp to indicate pre-payment of postage. At the time it was normal for the recipient to pay postage on delivery, charged by the sheet, and on distance traveled. By contrast, the Penny Black allowed letters of up to 1⁄2 ounce (14 grams) to be delivered at a flat rate of one penny, regardless of distance
