Postal History of Great Britain - 1840 Onwards

[Marcus Antonius]

1 May 1840

The Penny Black was the world's first adhesive postage stamp of a public postal system.

The Penny Black was the world's first adhesive postage stamp used in a public postal system. It was first issued in Great Britain on 1 May 1840, but was not valid for use until 6 May. It features a profile of Queen Victoria.

In 1837, British postal rates were high, complex and anomalous. To simplify matters, Sir Rowland Hill proposed an adhesive stamp to indicate pre-payment of postage. At the time it was normal for the recipient to pay postage on delivery, charged by the sheet and on distance travelled. By contrast, the Penny Black allowed letters of up to 1⁄2 ounce (14 grams) to be delivered at a flat rate of one penny, regardless of distance.

Series: Queen Victoria - Line Engraved

Issued on:
1840-05-01
Format: Stamp
Emission: Definitive
Perforation: Imperforate
Printing: Recess
Colors: Black
Face value: 1 d - British penny (old)

Value as of 25 October 2018 = £175.00 for a used example - £3,943.00 for an unused example

The Penny Black was the world's first adhesive postage stamp of a public postal system.

The Penny Black was printed from 11 plates. There are no plate numbers on the stamps and the different plates can only be identified after careful examination. However, as plate 1 was completely overhauled due to excessive wear, it is generally considered as two separate plates, 1a and 1b. Plate 11 was intended originally solely for the new red stamps, but a small number were still printed in black. These are now very rare.

 

[Marcus Antonius]

6 May 1840

Series: Queen Victoria - Line Engraved

Issued on: 1840-05-06
Format: Stamp
Emission: Definitive
Perforation: Imperforate
Printing: Recess
Colors: Blue
Face value: 2 d - British penny (old)

Value as of 25 October 2018 = £262.00 for a used example - £6,134.00 for an unused example

The Two Penny Blue was the world’s second official postage stamp.

It was issued in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in May 1840, and was essentially the same format as the Penny Black. It was intended that the 2d blue was to be issued at the same time as the 1d black, however there is doubt about this - the earliest post mark seen on one of these was the 8th of May 1840, two days later than the Penny Black. The first issues of this value (intended for double rate letters), were printed from plates 1 and 2. Copies of the stamp are now significantly rarer and more expensive than the Penny Black.

Later when the colours of the stamps were being revised, the inks chosen were red-brown for the penny value and a new blue ink for the two pence value. As the printed stamps in the new ink looked the same as the original issue, it was decided to add a horizontal line at the top and bottom of the label so as the newer printings could be easily identified. These are generally referred to as the white lines added issue.

The Penny Black allowed a letter weighing up to half an ounce to be sent anywhere within Britain; the Two Penny Blue's weight limit was a full ounce.

 

[Marcus Antonius]

10 February 1841

Series: Queen Victoria - Line Engraved

Issued on: 1841-02-10
Format: Stamp
Emission: Definitive
Perforation: Imperforate
Printing: Recess
Colors: Red
Face value: 1 d - British penny (old)

Value as of 25 October 2018 = £8.76 for a used example - £175.00 for an unused example

The Penny Red, issued in 1841, 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 cancel was readily visible on a Penny Red.

The era of the Penny Red came to its close at the end of 1879, along with Perkins Bacon's contract. It was superseded by the Penny Venetian Red printed by De La Rue, which was in use for a little over a year before being succeeded in turn by the long-lived Penny Lilac.

 

[Marcus Antonius]

13 March 1841

Series: Queen Victoria - Line Engraved

Issued on: 1841-03-13
Format: Stamp
Emission: Definitive
Perforation: Imperforate
Printing: Recess
Colors: Blue
Paper: Blued Paper
Face value: 2 d - British penny (old)

Value as of 25 October 2018 = £35.06 for a used example - £876.00 for an unused example

These stamps were printed from two plates, Plate 3 and Plate 4.

Stamps from Plate 3 were printed in three shades of blue, "pale blue", "blue" and "deep blue".

Stamps from Plate 4 were printed in four shades of blue, "pale blue", "blue", "deep blue" and "violet blue".

To Be Continued

 

[Marcus Antonius]

11 September 1847

Series: Queen Victoria - Embossed

Issued on: 1847-09-11
Format: Stamp
Emission: Definitive
Perforation: Imperforate
Printing: Typography and Embossed
Size: 24 x 26 mm
Colors: Green
Face value: 1 s - British shilling

Value as of 25 October 2018 = £350.00 for a used example - £3,067.00 for an unused example

Three values of the octagonal stamps were introduced to cover higher foreign and registered postal charges on the following dates: 1 Shilling (green) - 11 September 1847, 10d (brown) - 6 November 1848, 6d (mauve/lilac/purple) - 1 March 1854.

The 1 shilling was the first British postage stamp to bear a value above 2d.

The dies used for this type of printing have the embossed, (raised), portions of the stamp design cut away, (recessed), into the metal.
The colourless detail as appears on the hair and diadem are achieved by variations in the depth of the engraving.

The master die was engraved by William Wyon using as his basis the City medal of 1837 which he had also engraved. (This was the same model used for the head engraved on the Penny Black).
The original master die did not show the pendant curl at the back of the hair and was not used in this form on the postage stamps, although it was used at the Royal Mint for coinage.
From this master, a series of sub-dies were made and the curl added to the back of the hair. As such the curl differs on each value. Also added to the dies, after the outer design had been completed, was a die number. This takes the form of a number with the letters W W either before or after and appears at the base of the neck of Queen Victoria.

For the ten pence and one shilling values, Dickinson silk thread paper was used. The threads are blue and are embedded into the paper at the time of manufacture.
The paper used for the six pence value was watermarked with the letters V R which were arranged so that it appeared complete on each impression.

Tinted gum was introduced on the six pence value following a printing which was made in error on the gummed side of the paper. Prior to the introduction of the tinted gum, it was colourless.

The presses used for the embosses dies, allowed for only one stamp to be printed at a time. This method of production meant that the spacing on the sheets varied from wide spacing, (which is uncommon), to very narrow which is why examples with four margins are rare. In some cases the impressions were impressed overlapping each other by quite a large amount.

The stamps were embossed, (printed), at Somerset House. Early collectors would often cut the stamps to shape retaining only the embossed central design and cut square examples are much more valuable.

In 1856 after the European postage rate was reduced the stamps were replaced by surface printed issues.

To Be Continued

 

[Marcus Antonius]

6 November 1848

Series: Queen Victoria - Embossed

Issued on: 1848-11-06
Format: Stamp
Emission: Definitive
Perforation: Imperforate
Printing: Typography and Embossed
Size: 24 x 26 mm
Colors: Brown
Face value: 10 d - British penny (old)

Value as of 25 October 2018 = £525.00 for a used example - £2,629.00 for an unused example

Three values of the octagonal stamps were introduced to cover higher foreign and registered postal charges on the following dates: 1 Shilling (green) - 11 September 1847, 10d (brown) - 6 November 1848, 6d (mauve/lilac/purple) - 1 March 1854.

The dies used for this type of printing have the embossed, (raised), portions of the stamp design cut away, (recessed), into the metal.
The colourless detail as appears on the hair and diadem are achieved by variations in the depth of the engraving.

The master die was engraved by William Wyon using as his basis the City medal of 1837 which he had also engraved. (This was the same model used for the head engraved on the Penny Black).
The original master die did not show the pendant curl at the back of the hair and was not used in this form on the postage stamps, although it was used at the Royal Mint for coinage.
From this master, a series of sub-dies were made and the curl added to the back of the hair. As such the curl differs on each value. Also added to the dies, after the outer design had been completed, was a die number. This takes the form of a number with the letters W W either before or after and appears at the base of the neck of Queen Victoria.

For the ten pence and one shilling values, Dickinson silk thread paper was used. The threads are blue and are embedded into the paper at the time of manufacture.
The paper used for the six pence value was watermarked with the letters V R which were arranged so that it appeared complete on each impression.

Tinted gum was introduced on the six pence value following a printing which was made in error on the gummed side of the paper. Prior to the introduction of the tinted gum, it was colourless.

The presses used for the embosses dies, allowed for only one stamp to be printed at a time. This method of production meant that the spacing on the sheets varied from wide spacing, (which is uncommon), to very narrow which is why examples with four margins are rare. In some cases the impressions were impressed overlapping each other by quite a large amount.

The stamps were embossed, (printed), at Somerset House. Early collectors would often cut the stamps to shape retaining only the embossed central design and cut square examples are much more valuable.

In 1856 after the European postage rate was reduced the stamps were replaced by surface printed issues.

To Be Continued

 

[Marcus Antonius]

1 March 1854

Series: Queen Victoria - Embossed

Issued on: 1854-03-01
Format: Stamp
Emission: Definitive
Perforation: Imperforate
Printing: Typography and Embossed
Size: 24 x 26 mm
Colors: Violet
Face value: 6 d - British penny (old)

Value as of 25 October 2018 = £701.00 for a used example - £3,943.00 for an unused example

Three values of the octagonal stamps were introduced to cover higher foreign and registered postal charges on the following dates: 1 Shilling (green) - 11 September 1847, 10d (brown) - 6 November 1848, 6d (mauve/lilac/purple) - 1 March 1854.

The dies used for this type of printing have the embossed, (raised), portions of the stamp design cut away, (recessed), into the metal.
The colourless detail as appears on the hair and diadem are achieved by variations in the depth of the engraving.

The master die was engraved by William Wyon using as his basis the City medal of 1837 which he had also engraved. (This was the same model used for the head engraved on the Penny Black).
The original master die did not show the pendant curl at the back of the hair and was not used in this form on the postage stamps, although it was used at the Royal Mint for coinage.
From this master, a series of sub-dies were made and the curl added to the back of the hair. As such the curl differs on each value. Also added to the dies, after the outer design had been completed, was a die number. This takes the form of a number with the letters W W either before or after and appears at the base of the neck of Queen Victoria.

For the ten pence and one shilling values, Dickinson silk thread paper was used. The threads are blue and are embedded into the paper at the time of manufacture.
The paper used for the six pence value was watermarked with the letters V R which were arranged so that it appeared complete on each impression.

Tinted gum was introduced on the six pence value following a printing which was made in error on the gummed side of the paper. Prior to the introduction of the tinted gum, it was colourless.

The presses used for the embosses dies, allowed for only one stamp to be printed at a time. This method of production meant that the spacing on the sheets varied from wide spacing, (which is uncommon), to very narrow which is why examples with four margins are rare. In some cases the impressions were impressed overlapping each other by quite a large amount.

The stamps were embossed, (printed), at Somerset House. Early collectors would often cut the stamps to shape retaining only the embossed central design and cut square examples are much more valuable.

In 1856 after the European postage rate was reduced the stamps were replaced by surface printed issues.

To Be Continued

 

[Marcus Antonius]

24 February 1854

Series: Queen Victoria - Line Engraved

Issued on: 1854-02-24
Format: Stamp
Emission: Definitive
Perforation: 16
Printing: Recess
Colors: Red
Face value: 1 d - British penny (old)

Value as of 25 October 2018 = £4.38 for a used example - £153.00 for an unused example

Perforations, (experimental gauge 16), first came into use in 1850 and were officially adopted in 1854 (in the same size as the experimental issue). The experimental issue can be distinguished from the general issue as the later was applied to stamp which used a different alphabet type for the letters in the lower corners. Each stamp has unique corner letters AA, AB, AC ... AL etc., so its position on the plate can be identified.

To Be Continued

 

[Marcus Antonius]

1854

Series: Queen Victoria - Line Engraved

Issued on: 1854
Format: Stamp
Emission: Definitive
Perforation: 16
Printing: Recess
Colors: Blue
Face value: 2 d - British penny (old)

Value as of 25 October 2018 = £35.06 for a used example - £1314.00 for an unused example

Perforations, (experimental gauge 16), first came into use in 1850 and were officially adopted in 1854 (in the same size as the experimental issue). The experimental issue can be distinguished from the general issue as the later was applied to stamp which used a different alphabet type for the letters in the lower corners. Each stamp has unique corner letters AA, AB, AC ... AL etc., so its position on the plate can be identified.

To Be Continued

 

[Marcus Antonius]

1855

Series: Queen Victoria - Line Engraved

Issued on: January 1855
Format: Stamp
Emission: Definitive
Perforation: 14
Printing: Recess
Colors: Red
Face value: 1 d - British penny (old)

Value as of 25 October 2018 = £1.75 for a used example - £26.29 for an unused example

In January 1855 the perforation size was changed from 16 to 14 as it was found that the sheets were coming apart too easily.
The reduced size allowed the sheets to remain intact until pressure was applied to force the separation.

To Be Continued

 

[Marcus Antonius]

1855

Series: Queen Victoria - Line Engraved

Issued on: 1855
Format: Stamp
Emission: Definitive
Perforation: 14
Printing: Recess
Colors: Blue
Face value: 2 d - British penny (old)

Value as of 25 October 2018 = £26.29 for a used example - £1051.00 for an unused example

In January 1855 the perforation size was changed from 16 to 14 as it was found that the sheets were coming apart too easily.
The reduced size allowed the sheets to remain intact until pressure was applied to force the separation.

To Be Continued