The UK's country-wide postcode system, introduced to speed up mail deliveries but now used for a range of applications, is half a century old.
The whole of the UK was divided into postal districts for the first time after a trial run in Norwich in 1959.
Royal Mail says the UK has more than 1.7 million postcodes, covering about 28 million addresses.
Everything from insurance premiums to satellite navigation systems now rely on them.
Their power over property prices has even led to some residents campaigning to have their postcode changed.
In 2003, the residents of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead fought unsuccessfully to lose their SL postcode because it links them with nearby Slough - made famous by comedy series The Office.
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