Postage Stamps

Postage Stamps are used in the UK and the world to deliver mail from one place to another. They show that the mail being sent has been

paid for by the sender. Postage Stamps typically are printed on special made paper, have a country name and a value on the front and have a gum adhesive on the back. To get a stamp and therefore send mail, you must go to a postal administration authority, such as the Post Office, and buy them. Once your mail is sent off, the Royal Mail will deliver it to it’s destination.

A stamp, or a frank, is always needed when sending mail, and they are usually a rectangular shape. Postage stamps have been used in the UK to deliver mail since the 1840’s. However, before the 1840’s mail was sent via ink or a hand made stamp. Since then, alternative methods have been created and used to send mail at a much cheaper price. One such method is franking mail, and this allows users to save money when sending mail. To use this method a franking machine is needed and this gives you access to all the franking machine benefits, such as saving money.

The price of a postage stamp will vary depending on the mail class. For example First Class Postage Stamps will cost you more than Second Class Postage Stamps, and this is because of the speed of the delivery. If you frank your mail, you will save money instead of using postage stamps. For example a First Class Stamp will cost 60p to send mail, whereas a First Class Frank will cost you 47p, saving you 13p per first class frank.