GB Scott 20

I know very little about the GB classic era since I'm more of
a Modernist collector. Therefore I have a couple of questions for
the more knowledgeable members here.

I believe this is Scott 20 but is it rose red or red brown ?
Also I don't see any plate number.




I know the one below is Scott 58 but where can I find the plate number ?

Hi lithograving, there were no plate numbers printed on the 1d red with two corner letters. However, they are at the left and right sides of the 1d red and 2d blue with four corner letters.

The plate numbers on the ½d stamps are on the left and right sides inside the large 1 with the top of the plate numbers pointing out towards the edge of the stamp. I'd guess this one is plate 12 but I'm not at all sure. They're often easier than this to read and my eyes aren't very good!

Thanks Nigel, now I know where to look but I still can't see
it. Perhaps the cancellation is covering it.

Would you guess as to colour? Rose red or red brown ?

I think I can see the "2" of 12 where I've drawn the blue 2 on your picture:

I think I can see it now but maybe it's only the power
of suggestion.

For some reason this stamp does not scan well.
Either I have a lousy copy or the engraving is poor on these.

Can you do a 600-1200dpi scan of the stamp?

Hi jubilee

I did scan it at 800dpi but this is the best I get.

Litho,

If you get a preview of the area to be scanned before you actually scan then crop the image down to just around the plate number area and just scan that. Pic should be bigger of that small area then.

OK thanks for the suggestion Puzzler.
I scanned it now at 1200dpi and I can finally
see what looks like a 2
Rotating the image also helped.

Hi Litho,
I don't mean to dishearten you but the penny red is notoriously difficult to identify.
There is some useful info here to start - http://www.kernunnos.com/Philately/GBQVLE.html

The following excerpt might make yoy think twice though -

The term 'Penny Stars' is often used for this incomparably complex series of stamps which were in continual production from Fed. 10, 1841 until April 1862. The complexity of this series is due, ignoring at least 20 distinct shades color shades, not only to the hundreds of plates used for printing, but to that fact that 2 master dies, both imperforate and perforate issues (2 gauges as well as experimental perforations), 2 watermarks (and 2 varieties of one) and 4 fonts (alphabets) as well as various combinations were used for these stamps.

The scan of the penny red is really top notch
Stamps come out to play in all their glory like this.
You are to be commended.
Would agree plate 12.

AnthonyUK, could you check that link again. It doesn't lead to anything useful. Thanks.

Link updated.

Thanks for the link Anthony.

Mine would appear to be Die II, Alphabet III, perf 14, large crown,
red brown.
Paper wise it doesn't look either bluish or white.
but yellowish.