The Penny Black was the first British stamp to be issued in 1840 and pictured the profile of Queen Victoria. Today the Penny Black is much sought after by stamp collectors with some willing to pay as much as £200 depending on the condition. The first stamp was produced on a sheet without perforations and had to be cut off before use. Postage stamps are used all over the world and many people enjoy stamp collecting as a hobby. All that is needed to begin a stamp collection is a stamp album where stamps (Briefmarken) can be hinge-mounted or a stock book with clear plastic pockets. One very rare stamp is a United States postage stamp the Inverted Jenny which was issued in 1918 with the image of the Curtiss JN-4 airplane in the middle. Unfortunately, the design was printed upside-down making this stamp one of the most famous stamps ever.
Nowadays stamps don’t just feature a picture of the reigning King or Queen as anyone buying stamps will have noticed. Stamps have featured famous bands and Punk Rock bands such as the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Police and the Sex Pistols to name just a few. By using a Rock Band picture on stamps this has encouraged more people buying stamps. Stamps very often change to celebrate different times of the year particularly at Christmas when the stamps may feature Angels, Shepherds, and the Virgin Mary with Jesus, the Three Kings or perhaps a Snowman, Reindeers or Father Christmas. People buying stamps (Briefmarkenankauf) to post Christmas Cards will perhaps buy a few extra ones to save for themselves because they like the picture. The Royal Mail also produces Commemorative stamps to mark special anniversaries which will only be on sale for a short time. Also stamps featuring wildlife and country scenes can often be purchased. As different Rock Bands become famous many will be pictured on stamps to encourage young fans into buying stamps.