The Penny Red is one of the most familiar British stamps, but it is not a single simple issue. It developed over many years, passing through changes in colour, paper, perforation, lettering and plate identification.
From Penny Black to Penny Red
The Penny Black was introduced in 1840, but it was soon replaced by the Penny Red. The change of colour made it easier to use black cancellation ink, which was more effective and harder to remove than the red ink first used on the Penny Black.
Although the colour changed, the basic line-engraved design continued. The familiar portrait of Queen Victoria remained at the centre of the stamp, surrounded by the engine-turned background, corner stars and check letters.
Imperforate Penny Reds
The earliest Penny Reds were imperforate, meaning they had to be cut from the sheet by hand. Condition is therefore strongly affected by the margins left around the design. A fine imperforate stamp with four clear margins is usually much more desirable than one cut into the design.
The imperforate Penny Red was printed from a very large number of plates. Some were former Penny Black plates used again in red, while later plates were made specifically for red printings. Because the plate number was not printed on the stamp, these issues are a major field for plating.
Stars in the upper corners
Early one penny line-engraved stamps had stars in the upper corners and check letters in the lower corners. These stars are one of the most recognisable features of the early design.
For collectors, the star-corner issues are especially interesting because the plate number is not shown. The plate must be identified from other evidence, including the check letters, their position, frame details, flaws, repairs and other constant characteristics.
The arrival of perforation
As postal use increased, cutting stamps from sheets by hand became inconvenient. Perforation was introduced to make stamps easier to separate. This was a major practical change and created important collecting distinctions between imperforate and perforated issues.
Early perforating methods were not always perfectly consistent. Collectors may encounter different perforation gauges and occasional misperforations, both of which can be important in identifying and describing a stamp.
Changes in lettering and alphabets
The style of the corner letters changed over time. Collectors refer to these styles as different alphabets. These alphabet changes help distinguish between issues and periods of production.
Lettering is particularly important because the check letters were entered separately when the plates were produced. Their shape and position can provide valuable evidence for plating and for understanding how a particular stamp fits into the wider Penny Red series.
Plate-numbered Penny Reds
Later Penny Reds incorporated the plate number into the stamp design. This made plate identification much more straightforward, because the number could be read directly from the stamp itself.
Plate-numbered issues are still highly collectable. Collectors may seek particular plate numbers, scarce plates, fine used examples, mint examples, multiples, varieties, postmarks or complete plate runs.
Why the Penny Red is so collectable
The Penny Red offers collectors an unusually wide range of study. It can be collected by issue, shade, plate, postmark, watermark, perforation, alphabet, variety, state, multiple or postal-history use.
This is why the Penny Red remains one of the most rewarding areas of Great Britain philately. A stamp that appears common at first glance may become far more interesting once its plate, condition, postmark, shade or variety is understood.