A postage stamp is a small piece of paper issued by a post office, postal administration, or other authorized vendors to customers who pay postage. Then the stamp is affixed to the face or address-side of any item of mail—an envelope or other postal cover —which they wish to send. The item is then processed by the postal system, where a postmark or cancellation mark—in modern usage indicating date and point of origin of mailing—is applied to the stamp and its left and right sides to prevent its reuse. Next the item is delivered to its addressee.
The main components of a stamp: 1. Image 2. Perforations 3. Denomination 4. Country name
Lovrenc Košir, 1870s
Rowland Hill
The Penny Black, the world's first postage stamp (1 May 1840)
A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letters and parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post offices may offer additional services, which vary by country. These include providing and accepting government forms, and processing government services and fees. The chief administrator of a post office is called a postmaster.
A post office building in Edithburgh, Australia
The West Toledo Branch Post Office in Toledo, Ohio, in 1912
The old General Post Office on Lombard Street, London, in 1803
A Canadian sorting office in 2006