Q 01/05

Which country, having issued the world's first postage stamp, is the only one that leaves its name off its stamps?

A) United Kingdom

B) Switzerland

C) Germany

D) United States of America

Answer · why

A) United Kingdom

The United Kingdom is the only country that does not need to print its name on its stamps, an arrangement foreign post offices accepted provided the s...

Q 02/05

On the 1918 Inverted Jenny, the most famous error in American stamp printing, what is printed upside down?

A) A steam locomotive

B) An airplane

C) A sailing ship

D) A US flag

Answer · why

B) An airplane

An airplane, a Curtiss JN-4 biplane modified to carry mail, is printed upside down on the 24-cent stamp, and only one pane of 100 was ever found.

Q 03/05

Whose profile, copied from an 1834 William Wyon cameo, appears on the Penny Black, the world's first adhesive stamp?

A) Queen Anne

B) King William IV

C) Queen Victoria

D) King William III

Answer · why

C) Queen Victoria

Queen Victoria's head came to the stamp via a sketch by Henry Corbould, engraved by Charles Heath and his son; Wyon's cameo had been used on a medal f...

Q 04/05

Which singer’s 1993 US stamp design was picked by 1.2 million mailed ballots, the young image beating the older one?

A) Buddy Holly

B) Frank Sinatra

C) Bruce Springsteen

D) Elvis Presley

Answer · why

D) Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley’s young likeness took more than 75% of the vote, and the 29-cent stamp was unveiled at Graceland on what would have been his 58th birthd...

Q 05/05

A character poisoned by licking envelope gum in a 1996 episode of which sitcom is tied to the rise of self-stick stamps?

A) Seinfeld

B) Mad About You

C) Frasier

D) Cheers

Answer · why

A) Seinfeld

Seinfeld's Susan Ross was poisoned after licking the flaps of too many gummed envelopes, and the episode has been linked anecdotally to growing Americ...