Everything you need to know about the SG43 Penny Reds

Plate Numbers

April 1864 the 1d Penny Red was first printed with its plate number engraved down both left and right sides. The stars in the NW and NE corners were also removed and replaced with position letters.

The plate number is very difficult to spot even on the cleanest of stamps, however, the images below show you where to find the plate number on penny reds. They are always in the same position running up both sides of the stamp.

A faint ' 2 2 5 ' can be seen hidden within the design of the stamp. The plate numbers run from 71 up to 225 with some exceptions such as 126 and 128.

Some plate numbers are rarer and more valuable than others such as plate 225s and 77s as much fewer of these stamps were ever produced.

Watermarks

Watermarks are created when a metal device is pressed down tightly on the stamp creating an indentation and thinning this part of the stamp out. Watermarks are very difficult to spot but they can sometimes be seen on the back of the stamp in a well-lit environment. They have been used on British stamps ever since stamps were first produced in the 1840s up until 1967, Most stamps were printed with one of many watermarks. For example, the Penny Red can have either a 'Small Crown' or 'Large Crown' watermark as shown below.

Dye Colours

The Penny Red was printed in a number of different dyes each being a slightly different shade of red. Knowing the plate number may help you identify the dye colour as some plates were only printed with a certain dye colour.

Other factors can affect the colour of the stamp such as toning, exposure to chemicals & sunlight and water damage