| Halfpenny Yellow | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Definitive local postage stamp |
| Country of issue | Malta |
| Date of issue | 1 December 1860– September 1884 |
| Engraver | Jean Ferdinand Joubert de la Ferté |
| Printer | De La Rue, London, UK |
| Perforation | 14, 12½ or 14 x 12½ |
| Depicts | Queen Victoria |
| Notability | First Maltese stamp |
| Nature of rarity | Classic stamp |
| No. printed | 1,223,760 |
| Face value | ½ penny |
| Estimated value | £20–£1400 |
The Halfpenny Yellow is the first postage stamp issued by the Crown Colony of Malta. Depicting Queen Victoria, it was only valid for local postage and it was originally issued on 1 December 1860. It was the only stamp issued by Malta for two and a half decades, and during this period various reprints were made with differences in colour shade, perforation and watermark. When control of Malta's postal service was transferred to the island's colonial government on 1 January 1885, the stamp was withdrawn and it was replaced by a set of definitive stamps.