This year marks a special year in remembering and appreciating the history of postage stamps in Singapore. Under British colonial rule, Singapore, Penang and Malacca were then collectively known as the Straits Settlements. The Settlements later became the British Crown Colony on 1 April 1867. Postage stamps used during this period were those issued in India. On 1 September 1867, all stamps of India were overprinted with a crown as well as letterings depicting various postage rates. This marked the official release of the first postage stamps in the Straits Settlements. To commemorate the first postage stamp issued in Singapore, a special stamp issue will be released on 1 September 2017, exactly 150 years to the day they were launched.