There was a time in early Canada when letters were mailed without stamps and the person who received the mail was supposed to pay for the delivery services. In May of 1849, this tradition changed forever when the Legislative Assembly of United Canada resolved to allow the use of postage stamps for prepayment. Postmaster General James Morris set to work to produce Canada's first postal stamp and selected a young civil engineer named Sanford Fleming to assist him with the design - a beaver building a dam. As the cornerstone of a nation that was founded on the fur trade, the beaver was the perfect choice. And the industrious dam building mirrored the bustling development of a young nation. In addition to its symbolism, the actual printing of stamps was also a major consideration. Since postage stamps were as valuable as currency, they had to be produced in a way that could not be easily counterfeited. The services of Rawdon, Wright, Hatch and Edson were retained. A security printing firm based in New York, it was the only company capable of printing with engraved plates and fulfilling the lead time that James Morris required. Canada's inaugural three-pence beaver stamp was issued on April 23, 1851. It was also the first animal stamp in the world. Comes as issued by the Royal Canadian Mint in 2001 to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the first Canadian Postage Stamp. The set contains a 47 Cent stamp as well as a Three Cent coin that was minted from .925 Sterling Silver and plated with 24 karat gold. The set also includes a gold plated medallion that replicates part of the first stamp issued.