Liberec exhibition to display world's first stamp, other rarities

The largest philatelist event in the Czech Republic, held at the Posta coffeehouse in Liberec on September 25-29, will offer the world's first adhesive postage stamp used on its day of issue, organising committee chairman Josef Chudoba told CTK today. The event will display the Penny Black, a black stamp featuring a profile of Queen Victoria, issued in the U.K. on May 6, 1840. "There were almost 70 million of these stamps issued, but only a small number (about 20) survived to this day," Chudoba said.