1. Parcels Come In All Shapes And Sizes

The word parcel can mean many things. Parcels can be boxes, tube-shaped, small, large, pre-assembled, self-assembled, packet-sized...the list goes on. Today, the vast majority of parcels are delivered in cardboard boxes, as these provide a strong and durable container to ship items inside of and provide value for money.

2. A 400-Year-Old Parcel Delivery Service

The world's first parcel delivery service was created in the middle of the 17th century by the Thurn-und-Taxis Post service, operating out of present-day Germany. Thurn-und-Taxis began shipping items which due to their size and weight could not be sent as normal postal mail. Thurn-und-Taxis operated as a near monopoly throughout western Europe.

3. Parcel Stamps

Parcel stamps were a special type of stamp created specifically for the transportation of parcels. Parcel stamps first appeared in the United States in 1865 and soon began to be used by other countries worldwide such as Belgium, Italy, Denmark, France and Britain. There happened a huge variety in parcel stamps, with stamps used for different purposes. Commonly used parcel stamps included:

• Automobile parcel stamps (used in Finland for parcels shipped via buses.)

• Newspaper parcel stamps

• Railroad parcel stamps (for parcels shipped by rail.)

• Soldier parcel stamps (for parcels sent to military personnel.)

• Urgent/Express Parcel Stamps

By the end of the Second World War, most countries stopped using parcel stamps and switched instead to delivery labels.

4. Priceless Diamond Shipped By Parcel

Renowned as being one of the most famous gems in the world, the Hope diamond most likely holds the record as being one of the most expensive items ever sent by parcel. In 1958 the jeweller Harry Winston, after having owned the diamond for the past 9 years, decided to donate the Hope Diamond to the National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC. To the astonishment of museum officials, the Diamond was shipped by Winston from his New York home to Washington inside a brown papered parcel.

5. 5 Fast Parcel Facts

• In 2017, 74.4 billion parcels were shipped worldwide.

• Every day, UPS receive 294.9 million parcel tracking requests.

• During the busy Christmas season, some self-employed couriers can deliver over 150 parcels every day.