Penny Red (Plate 77)

Overview

The Penny Red was introduced in 1841 to replace the Penny Black because red cancellation marks were too easy to remove from black ink, enabling fraud. Over its lifespan, billions of Penny Reds were printed, making standard copies very common. However, the 'Plate 77' Penny Red is arguably the most famous and highly sought-after stamp in British philately. In 1863, printing Plate number 77 was created but immediately rejected by postal officials because the stamp alignments were mispositioned. The plate was ordered to be destroyed before any sheets could be officially issued to post offices. Somehow, a single test sheet (or perhaps a tiny handful) sneaked out into the public and was perforated and used. For over a century, finding a Plate 77 Penny Red became the ultimate treasure hunt for British stamp collectors. Today, only nine examples are known to exist worldwide (four in mint condition, five used). In 2016, a fine used example was sold to an anonymous collector by Stanley Gibbons for £495,000 (approx. $645,000).

Design & Technical Details

A portrait of Queen Victoria facing left, extremely identical to the Penny Black but printed in brick-red ink. The crucial identifier is the microscopic '77' engraved within the intricate lacework border on the left and right sides.

Historical Facts

• The Penny Red was the world's longest-running stamp design of the 19th century.
• Plate 77 was officially condemned and destroyed in 1863.
• The tiny '77' number is barely visible to the naked eye and requires a magnifying glass.
• One of the nine known copies was stolen from an exhibition and has never been recovered.
• Stanley Gibbons holds the auction record for the Plate 77.

How to Identify This Stamp

If you believe you may have found a Penny Red (Plate 77), here are key identification characteristics to check:

• You must find the incredibly tiny numbers engraved in the vertical lacework on the left and right sides of the Queen's portrait.
• If the number says 71, 72, 73, 74, or 78 through 225, it is a common normal stamp.
• If the number says 77, it must be expertized. Beware of Plate 71 or 177 stamps that have been fraudulently scraped to look like a 77.

Frequently Asked Questions