Post Stamp | 8 Oct 2009

When stamps started in 1840 it was all black but soon was changed to Red and can you find the reason why?

It was changed to red ink to make the cancellation marks much easier to distinguish.

it was difficult to see a black postmark on a black stamp the color was changed to red in 1841. It was a matter of concern that there was a possibility that the cancellation might be removed from the used adhesive stamp. Many experiments were made to produce a black ink which could not be removed. On 21st July 1840 Rowland Hill wrote that one:

'Mr Donovan, a chemist of Dublin had succeeded in removing not only the black but also the red colour of the obliterating stamps.'

nice question