The first modern postal stamp, the Penny Black, appeared in England in 1840 and marked a decisive step in the democratization and modernization of telecommunications. The hobby of stamp collecting and the study of philately are pursuits that draw on this fascinating history. Rowland Hill, the inventor of the Penny Black, was essentially a reformer. His intent was to provide the impetus and the means to make communication across distances available to the many, rather than to just the well-off few. On the one hand, his goal was to bring about a cheap, efficient postal service. On the other hand, he hoped that this would encourage the spread of literacy itself, as people were encouraged to write to one another. The stamps that carried letters and parcels across the globe by the end of the 19th century sported a range of inventive designs and were issued in numerous shapes. This variety has continued to the present day. Stamps are issued in rectangular, square, round, and irregular (about a bird!) shapes. In this book, you will find many colorful stamps designed with the purpose of enhancing communication. We can only ask ourselves if the era of postal stamps is ending as the world relies more and more heavily on electronic communication

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