Unique History of UK Red Post Boxes

The red post box is the most recognizable symbol of the United Kingdom. Each one bears the royal cypher of the monarch who was reigning when it was installed.

For example, some bear the initials VR (Victoria Regina), which might lead you to think, "Wow, a post box from the time of Queen Victoria!" However, she ruled for over 60 years, and the first post boxes appeared during her reign. So, they are far from rare—there are over 2,000 of them across the UK.

What is truly unique are the post boxes with the cypher of King Edward VIII. He was Elizabeth's father's brother and famously ruled for less than a year before abdicating the throne for the woman he loved.

There are fewer than 170 of these boxes!