Introduced in 1841
The successor to the Penny Black kept the one-penny denomination.
Discover Victorian postal history
A change of colour.
A lasting legacy.
Meet the Penny Red: the one-penny British postage stamp introduced in 1841 to replace the Penny Black.
Discover its story
1841
A new colour. A new chapter.
Why did the Penny Black become red?
The Penny Black was a breakthrough, but its red cancellation mark could be removed, allowing a used stamp to be used again.
The solution was to change the stamp's colour to red-brown and use a black cancellation. The Penny Red continued the story of prepaid postage with a practical change to help protect postal revenue.
The Penny Red at a glance
Queen Victoria
Like its predecessor, the stamp featured Queen Victoria's portrait.
Red-brown ink
A black cancellation marked the stamp as used against its red-brown background.
From scissors to perforations
The earliest Penny Reds had no perforations: individual stamps were cut from their sheets. In 1854, Britain began issuing perforated Penny Reds, making stamps easier to separate.
Take a closer look
Look at the edges, portrait and postmark. Was the stamp cut from a sheet or separated along perforations? What can you make out of the cancellation? Each detail offers a starting point for exploring its story.
Historical references: The Postal Museum and Smithsonian National Postal Museum .
Small stamps. Fascinating stories.
Continue your journey into the world of stamps. Visit the Ipswich Stamp Museum website to find out more.
Explore Ipswich Stamp Museum