In 1680, William Dockwra, an English merchant in London, and his partner Robert Murray established the London Penny Post, a mail system that delivered letters and small parcels inside the city of London for the sum of one penny. Throughout modern history, numerous methods were used to indicate that postage had been paid on a mailed item, so several different men have received credit for inventing the postage stamp. Thus the United Kingdom remains the only country in the world to omit its name on postage stamps the monarch's image signifies the United Kingdom as the country of origin. The first postage stamps did not need to show the issuing country, so no country name was included on them. Within three years postage stamps were introduced in Switzerland and Brazil, a little later in the United States, and by 1860, they were in 90 countries around the world. On, the Penny Black, the first adhesive postage stamp, was issued in the United Kingdom. Because collectors often buy stamps from an issuing agency with no intention to use them for postage, the revenues from such purchases and payments of postage can make them a source of net profit to that agency. The item is then delivered to its addressee.Īlways featuring the name of the issuing nation (with the exception of the United Kingdom), a denomination of its value, and often an illustration of persons, events, institutions, or natural realities that symbolize the nation's traditions and values, every stamp is printed on a piece of usually rectangular, but sometimes triangular or otherwise shaped special custom-made paper whose back is either glazed with an adhesive gum or self-adhesive.īecause governments issue stamps of different denominations in unequal numbers and routinely discontinue some lines and introduce others, and because of their illustrations and association with the social and political realities of the time of their issue, they are often prized for their beauty and historical significance by stamp collectors whose study of their history and of mailing systems is called philately. ![]() The item is then processed by the postal system, where a postmark or cancellation mark-in modern usage indicating date and point of origin of mailing-is applied to the stamp and its left and right sides to prevent its reuse. The public may refer to the Hongkong Post website ( for more information.A postage stamp is a small piece of paper issued by a post office, postal administration, or other authorized vendors to customers who pay postage (the cost involved in moving, insuring, or registering mail), who then affix the stamp to the face or address-side of any item of mail-an envelope or other postal cover (e.g., packet, box, mailing cylinder)-that they wish to send. Hongkong Post will continue with its efforts to generate revenue through business development and manage its costs with a view to providing affordable and quality postal services," the spokesperson said.ĭetails of the postage rate adjustments are in the Annex. These pose great challenges to Hongkong Post's business. "With the development of information technology, electronic communication is replacing traditional correspondence while market competition from commercial delivery services is severe. letters by surface mail weighing 20 grams or less to the Mainland, Macao and Taiwan will be adjusted from the existing postage of $2.60 to $2.80, while those to other places will be adjusted from $3.20-$4.80 to $3.50-$5.30.letters by airmail weighing 20 grams or less to the Mainland and Taiwan will be adjusted from the existing postage of $3.40 to $3.70, while those to other places will be adjusted from $3.70-$5 to $4-$5.50 and.local letters weighing 30 grams or less will be adjusted from the existing postage of $2 to $2.20.The principal postage adjustments of the basic tiers for posting letters will be as follows: The expected impacts on both the general public and the commercial sectors are considered to be mild," the spokesperson said. Overall, the postage increases for 80 per cent of local mail will be within $0.30, while those for 80 per cent and 90 per cent respectively of airmail and surface mail will be within $0.50. "The current postage adjustments are broadly in line with the cumulative inflation since the last adjustments in January 2018 up to September 2022. ![]() However, there is a need to periodically adjust postage rates in order to offset escalating operating costs, in particular increases in major cost components such as conveyance costs and terminal dues payments," a spokesperson for Hongkong Post said. ![]() "Hongkong Post is committed to providing reliable and efficient postal services to the public at reasonable prices. Hongkong Post today (August 24) announced that the principal postage rates will be adjusted with effect from September 26.
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