Want to catch a glimpse of the world’s first postage stamp? Step into the philatelic exhibition at the Regional Rail Museum in ICF Chennai. Touted to be a rare stamp, the first postage stamp christened ‘The Penny Black’ was released in 1840 at England.
“India has the distinction of printing the first bi-colour stamp at the Government Press in Kolkata during 1854,” said Baskar, secretary of the South India Philatelists’ Association (SIPA).
Narrating an interesting story that unfolded during the printing of the red and black bi-colour stamp, he said, “Two sheets of the printed papers, inadvertently carried the mugshot of the queen in an inverse position.Though the mistake was unearthed in a couple of few days, the sold stamps became precious later.” A bi-colour stamp is exhibited here, he added.
The exhibition organised in connection with the Children’s Day celebrations, has 8,000 postage stamps, postal covers, commemorative stamps and aerogrammes on 30 different themes on display.
M V S Prasad, a participant from Guntur, who had exhibited stamps and postal covers on the eternal journey of Railways, has displayed the first postal stamp in the world, which carried the image of a train.
A postal cover, recovered from a derailed train in Texas during 1958 was also an unique piece on display.
‘“These postage stamps will educate the students on the evolution of railways,” observed, K S Vijaykumar, who came from Bengaluru to participate in the event.
A few other interesting themes were scout movement and light houses. Postage stamps made using gold, silver, crystal, and wood are also on display.
The philatelic exhibition is on till November 16, between 10.30 am and 5.30.