World’s first postage stamp goes to auction
'The Penny Black' is the world’s first postage stamp
It was introduced in 1840
featuring a profile of Britain's Queen Victoria
Location: London, England
This is one of three Penny Blacks believed to have survived
from the very first sheet of printed stamps
It's now being offered at auction
with a price estimate of up to $8.25 million
SOUNDBITE) (English) OWNER OF PENNY BLACK, ALAN HOLYOAKE, SAYING:"The auction price in sterling will be set at between four and 6 million. I'd be disappointed if it didn't therefore exceed that because this is a world icon, it is the world's first stamp. It took me three years with a team of people to collect the information and to be able to validate. It is certified by all of the top authorities and has been shown in major events as the star item, so today you have a different thing to that that I bought and the price of which I paid originally."
