Postage stamp design Postage stamp design Postage stamp design is the activity of graphic design as applied to postage stamps. Many thousands of designs have been created since a profile bust of Queen Victoria was adopted for the Penny Black in 1840; some designs have been considered very successful, others less so. A stamp design includes several elements required for it to accomplish its purpose satisfactorily. Most important is the denomination indicating its monetary value, while international agreements require a country name on almost all types of stamps. A graphic design is very nearly universal; in addition to making counterfeits harder to produce
Bull's Eye (postage stamp) Bull's Eye (postage stamp) The Bull's Eye "(Portuguese Olho-de-boi)" postage stamps were the first stamps issued by Brazil, on 1 August 1843, having face values of 30, 60, and 90 réis. Brazil was the second country in the world, after the United Kingdom, to issue postage stamps valid within the entire country (as opposed to a local issue). Like the United Kingdoms's first stamps, the design does not include the country name. The unusual name derives from the ornamental value figures inside the oval settings, and the arrangement of the stamps in the sheet, which permitted se-tenant pairs that looked