π The Penny Black, first stamp (1840)
Where: London, UK
π On This Day: May 6
May 6, 1840: The Penny Black, first stamp. On this day in 1840, the Penny Black, the world's first postage stamp, became valid for letters in Britain. It showed Queen Victoria's profile on a black background and cost one penny. Paying in advance with a stamp made sending letters cheap for everyone.
β¨ More events on this day
- 1889 ποΈ The Eiffel Tower opened to the public at the World's Fair in Paris, and at 300 metres it was the tallest structure on Earth. Eiffel Tower β
- 1954 π Roger Bannister became the first person to run a mile in under four minutes, finishing in 3 minutes 59.4 seconds in Oxford.
- 1994 ποΈ The Channel Tunnel opened, letting trains travel under the sea between England and France through one of the longest undersea tunnels in the world.
π§ Question of the day
Whose face is on the Penny Black?
- Isaac Newton
- Queen Victoria
- Shakespeare
Show the answer
Answer: Queen Victoria
π Landmarks that opened on May 6
Questions
What happened on May 6?
May 6, 1840: The Penny Black, first stamp. It happened in London, UK.
Which landmarks opened on May 6?
Science World (opened 1989).
In the game, the "Today on Earth" panel shows this story on its day, with a question to answer and a place to fly to.