Stamp (Santa Claus)

To most people, the word stamp means just this; a small, gummed label for prepaying postage. The term ‘stamp’ comes from the original method for confirming payment for postage; wood, cork or rubber hand-stamps and ink were often used to frank mail. The first printed, adhesive, paper postage stamp, commonly referred to as the Penny Black, was issued in the UK in 1840, purportedly as part of an attempt to reform a postal system that was rife with corruption.

A stamp is comprised of several layers; the paper base is coated with an adhesive on one side, some of which are water-activated gums (i.e. you need to lick them to activate the glue), and others which are pressure-sensitive and self-adhesive so they don’t require moisture to make them stick to the paper. On the other side, inks, pigments, and dyes are used to create an image. Stamps originally all bore images of Queens, Presidents and other political figures, and philatelists (those who study stamps) are often able to tell a lot about the history of a nation from its stamps. It wasn’t until later on in the life of the stamp that other designs not featuring national leaders – like this one with the non-religious seasonal figure of Santa Claus - began to appear. All sent mail should also feature a postmark, sometimes known as a cancellation mark, which signifies that the stamp has been used.