Great Britain Line-Engraved Stamps

A concise collector's guide to the history, production, terminology and postmarks of Britain's first postage stamps.

Contents

1. The Road to the Penny BlackPostal reform, Rowland Hill, uniform penny postage and the first adhesive stamps. p. 1
2. How Line-Engraved Stamps Were PrintedMaster dies, transfer rollers, printing plates, repairs, re-entries and transfer roller lines. p. 2
3. What Is Plating?How collectors identify the plate from which a line-engraved stamp was printed. p. 3
4. The Evolution of the Penny RedFrom the Penny Black to imperforate reds, perforated stars, alphabets and plate-numbered issues. p. 4
5. Postmarks and CancellationsMaltese Crosses, coloured crosses, 1844 numerals, duplexes, railway and local marks. p. 5
6. Collecting Line-Engraved StampsCondition, margins, postmarks, shades, multiples, varieties and different ways to build a collection. p. 6
7. Essential Terms ExplainedDies, alphabets, watermarks, perforations, retouches, guide lines and ivory heads. p. 7

Collector's note: These guides are intended as a readable introduction rather than a catalogue substitute, using original QVStamps wording and a practical collector-focused approach.