Penny Red

This article is about the postage stamp. For British columnist and blogger, see Laurie Penny.

An unperforated Penny Red, position 2, row 2
Date of production1841 (1841)–1879 (1879)
PrinterPerkins, Bacon & Co
Perforation
  • 1841: none
  • 1850: 16 gauge (experimental)
  • 1854: 16 gauge
  • 1855: 14 gauge
DepictsQueen Victoria (1837–1901)
Face value1d
A perforated Penny Red with letters in four corners and plate 148, therefore printed 1871 or later
The plate number, 148 in this case, may be found in the margin of the stamp.

The Penny Red was a British postage stamp, issued in 1841. It succeeded the Penny Black and continued as the main type of postage stamp in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until 1879, with only minor changes to the design during that time. The colour was changed from black to red because of difficulty in seeing a cancellation mark on the Penny Black; a black cancellation mark was readily visible on a Penny Red.[1]

  1. ^ "1840 2d and 1841 2d a plating aid". Steven Allen British and Colonial Stamps. Archived from the original on 29 June 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2013.