# Penny Black: The World's First Postage Stamp — WHE Definition Discussion **URL:** \ **Category:** WHE Articles\ **Created:** [September 5, 2025, 9:03am UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/penny-black-the-worlds-first-postage-stamp-whe-definition-discussion/1381 "2025-09-05T09:03:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![markzcartwright](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/community.worldhistory.org/markzcartwright/32/35_2.png) [@markzcartwright](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/markzcartwright)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2025, 9:03am UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/penny-black-the-worlds-first-postage-stamp-whe-definition-discussion/1381/1 "2025-09-05T09:03:28Z")
People have been sending letters to each other ever since paper and pen were invented, but it was not until 1840 that a new idea was introduced where people could prepay the cost of delivering their letter to their chosen destination using a Penny Black postage stamp. This was the Universal Penny Post. No longer did the recipient have to give money to the person who delivered the letter or pay a wildly differing amount depending on how far and how long the letter had travelled. The post system became highly efficient, and at one penny a stamp, it was a service just about anyone could afford. * * * _This is a companion discussion topic for the original content at [https://www.worldhistory.org/Penny\_Black/](https://www.worldhistory.org/Penny_Black/)._ ---
**Author:** ![markzcartwright](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/community.worldhistory.org/markzcartwright/32/35_2.png) [@markzcartwright](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/markzcartwright)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2026, 6:56pm UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/penny-black-the-worlds-first-postage-stamp-whe-definition-discussion/1381/2 "2026-07-28T18:56:59Z")
Unlisted on July 28, 2026, 6:56pm UTC