Penny Black Stamp: Pioneering Piece of Mail Valued at $25 Million in Auction
Penny Black stamp, considered the first mail using a stamp, could fetch a staggering $25 million, making it one of the most valuable pieces of postal history ever auctioned by Sotheby's
The first piece of mail sent with a prepaid stamp, considered a significant advancement in human communication, is expected to be auctioned at Sotheby's in New York next month for $1.5 to $2.5 million. If it sells for that amount, Sotheby's stated that it would be one of the most valuable pieces of postal history ever auctioned.
On May 2, 1840, the original recipient of the letter was William Blenkinsop Jr., the 35-year-old manager of a Victorian iron works in Bedlington, a town in the north of England. According to Sothebys, the only information known about the sender is that they posted the letter in London, about 300 miles to the south, and paid for it with the Penny Black stamp.
The envelope was resent as a Mulready.
Sotheby's
Upon receiving the letter, Blenkinsop Jr. inverted the envelope and transformed it into a "Mulready," a decorative wrapper adorned with images symbolizing the British Empire, which served as an alternative form of prepaid postage launched concurrently with the Penny Black.
The subsequent envelope was delivered to a Mr. Blenkinsop, presumably his father, residing 75 miles away in Dalston, Carlisle. Although the letters enclosed within have since been misplaced, Mr. Blenkinsop retained the envelope.
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"The ornate Mulready envelope, sealed with a Penny Black, has survived for over 180 years and has revolutionized the way people from all walks of life correspond, exchange ideas, share news, and express themselves," stated Richard Austin, the Global Head of Books & Manuscripts at Sotheby's.
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The Penny Black stamp revolutionized the postal service.
Sotheby's
The stamped dates of both envelopes, May 2, 1840 and May 4, still remain on display. The Penny Black, created by teacher and social reformer Sir Rowland Hill, was the first adhesive stamp, introduced to simplify and standardize the costly and confusing postal rates that were previously the responsibility of the recipient.
The system was difficult to navigate for users and the postal service, often resulting in unrecovered delivery costs for unpaid items. Despite the widespread success of the stamp, the Mulready envelope was ultimately withdrawn due to public ridicule.
