Which country issued the world's first adhesive postage stamp?
- A.France
- B.United States of America
- C.Britain
- D.Switzerland
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is C, Britain. The Penny Black, issued in 1840 and bearing the head of Queen Victoria, was the world's first adhesive postage stamp, and it came out of the postal reform that fixed a single low rate paid by the sender rather than the receiver.
Option A, France, and option B, the United States, both issued their own stamps within the following decade, after the British reform proved successful, so they are late rather than first. Option D, Switzerland, issued early cantonal stamps in the 1840s, which makes it the most tempting distractor for a well-read candidate, but these also came after the Penny Black. Note the related Indian fact kept separate in the paper: the first postage stamp of India was issued in the Sindh province in 1852, and the first all-India stamps came in 1854.
Read the full article: First in the World: Space, Exploration and Records
Practice Questions
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