Monk's moments: A penny for your thoughts

The ‘Penny Black’, first issued in 1840, was the world’s first postage stamp. Prior to that time, the cost of delivering letters was the responsibility of the recipient, and since the charge was quite high, people often refused to take the letter, especially if they thought that it might be a bill or a writ. The unique feature of the new postal service was that, for the payment of just one (old) penny, you could be certain that the letter you posted would arrive.