Lot 50088 – 1840 (May 6) lettersheet with 1840 1d black pl.1a BH sent on the 6th May 1840, the first official day of use

1840 (May 6) lettersheet from London to Birmingham with 1840 1d black pl.1a BH, with good to large margins all round, sent on the 6th May 1840, the first official day of use, the top flap showing a clear strike of the “MAY-6/1840” c.d.s. in black which opens perfectly for display, cover has been cleaned to improve the appearance, a great example of the world’s first postage stamp used on the first official day of issue.

Note: Listed in “May Dates” by Mike Jackson

Expertise: Cert B.P.A (1991).

Provenance: Robson Lowe auction 1970; Christies auction 1990.