1 Aug 1843·South America

BrazilFirst Postage Stamp

Name: Stamp Origins: First Postage Stamps Database
Creator: Stamp Origins
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Keywords: first postage stamps, philately, postal history, stamp forgeries, stamp collecting, first issue stamps, classic stamps, rare stamps

First postage stamp of Brazil, 1 Aug 1843

Image Reference:30r black intermediate — Sc 1, Y&T 1, RHM 1, SG 4 (worn impression)

Meet the Bull’s Eye

One of the world’s earliest stamps, and one of the boldest. The nickname “Bull’s Eye” comes from how the stamps supposedly look when arranged on a sheet, like rows of staring eyes. Personally, I don’t quite see it. A big part of their rarity today comes from 1846, when over 460,000 unsold stamps were burned at the Brazilian Mint. Adding to the scarcity, it was common in Brazil to use stamps to seal letters, so many were torn when opened. Seventeen types of forgeries are known, from the Spiro brothers in 1864 to master forgers like Sperati in 1914, so getting a certificate of authenticity is probably a wise move.

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