Need To Learn About GB Stamp

I'm not sure is this the correct thread to post this topic ?

Just wish to learn the following :

1.) what is the alphabet on the left & right bottom mean ?
2.) I noticed the value of the same type of GB Queen penny stamp
are vary with different plate number, how to identify these
plate number ?

Thanks

Hi,
The letters indicate the position on the printing plate and were used to prevent forgery.
Identifying these by plate is an expert task. This type with two letters are known as penny stars so try here for some info

http://pennystars.com/

Thanks AnthonyUK

Ken, this is the place to ask questions, so, just fire away

Welcome to the forum.

Chimo

Bujutsu

The values of the 1841 Penny Reds/Red Browns depends on if the stamp was printed from a Penny Black plate or not, in most cases.
Often the postmark plays a bigger part in the value.
If you haven't found out before, I can find out the plate number tomorrow, but it does not look like an early printing, therefore of lowewr value.
But it does have a nice post 1844 Square numbered cancel for Edinburgh !

Londonbus1

Appreciate that, and I have a lot of undefined GB stamp which I can't find any info on scott catalog

ken11, probably the best starting point is the Stanley Gibbons specialised catalog, volume 1 which covers Queen Victoria. The stamp you have shown is the penny red imperf with stars in the upper corners. Plating this stamp requires some rather specialized knowledge and good reference materials. A later issue showing letters in all four corners has the plate number incorporated into the design of the stamp and therefore requires only a good magnifying glass for the most part.

On the penny red imperfs with stars, look for Maltese Cross cancellations. These usually, but not always, indicate early usages of the stamps, and therefore early plate numbers. These can have considerable value depending on the plate and variety.

Is this catalog in soft copy like CD or DVD ?

No, or at least not yet. The current edition of the SG Specialised Vol I (QV) just recently came out and is hardbound. It can be found, in the US at $74 at http://www.regencystamps.com/ItemDe...x?itemid=888

For the occasional stamp I don't think it would be really useful and if you were interested in seriously getting into plating the imperf red pennies, you'd need some pretty specialized reference material that would likely set you back a bit.

I can't plate these based on a web based jpg, but in the flesh I can. If you were to send me the stamp, I'd be happy to take a shot for you. Perhaps others, can plate from the web image.

-Larry

I haven't checked lately, but I would think some earlier editions of the QV specialised would be available on Amazon for considerably less than 74 dollars.

To clarify my original post on this topic---I did not mean to say or imply that with the QV specialised you can plate the penny reds. In some cases yes, but to select a penny red at ramdom and expect to plate it from the QV catalog is very unrealistic.

Larry, what are the fees involve for this ?

Ken,

Two things:

1. please check your email
2. Bill Barrell in the UK does plating for a fairly low fee of £2 a stamp plus postage. check him out at http://www.barrell.co.uk/services.htm I think there are others who do plating for a nominal fee, but Bill is the first to come to mind.

-Larry

Ken,

The stamp you have is after Plate 70 so the value is low, considering the condition. It is not worth your time or money to send it for plating.
My friend on a Plating Group could not tell exactly the Plate because of the cancel.
Just keep it as an example of a Penny Red with a nice Edinburgh strike !

Londonbus1