Four penny stamps with Queen Victoria, from the beginning of the international post. 
* One Penny Black stamp from 1840 [from the first series without serration] with a red postmark, and a Two Penny Blue stamps from 1841 with a black postmark. Nicely packaged from "The World's Most Famous Stamps" series.
* Envelope sent in the mail in 1869 with two "Two Penny Blue" stamps and the Orange Penny [4 penny]. Postmarked.
The Penny Black was the first official postage stamp issued by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland on the 1st of May, 1840. The stamp marked the start of reforms to the British postal system and the creation of the postal system that is still being used worldwide. This is considered the first official postage stamp ever. The Penny Black was used for less than a year. It was difficult to see the red postmarks on the black background, and it was very easy to remove the ink and reuse the stamp. Therefore, in 1841, the British Treasury switched the Penny Black for a similar stamp with a red background. The postmark was also changed to black so that it was easier to see and harder to remove.
Overall very fine condition.
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