My First Penny Black, I Don't See The Plate Number

Hi, I need help with the plate number and any other info about this stamp. I have penny reds and blues but the penny black is different with the plate numbers. This is my first Penny Black. thanks, Ed

Plate 8. Your stamp has a "O" flaw...the white mark between the O and the N of "ONE". The stamp also has a Right Star flaw (a bit indistinct due to a little scuffing I think)... it affects the right star's south-east large ray.

Thank you scotzm, you have given me a lead, I could not understand how the plate numbers were determined. It was making me dizzy reading so much and finding no answers. I see now that it's similar to finding die errors on coins.

Yes,712,some flaws point the way. The flaws I mentioned are strongly indicative of plates 7,8,9,10... which narrows the field. The black MX cancel also indicates a slightly later plate. After that it is a matter of analyzing the check letters. Hope your Penny Black is the first of many

Hi scotzm
Can you tell me how to identify plate one on the Penny Black ?

Regards
Stewart

Hi 712,

This site may prove useful to you, there is a detailed guide to the penny black. Link doesn't work but google this and it should be top of the list....

pennyreds.tripod

Stanley Gibbons also publish an excellent book, "Plating the Penny Black". About £85 ($100 approx) on Amazon just now. Worth shopping around, though.

Terry

Most plating books or guides are/were based on the photographs by Nissen of reconstructed plates. Costs a fortune to get those kinds of books these days but thankfully the Spink auction house has given access to the photos in high definition... https://www.spink.com/nissen-reconstructions.aspx



As you can see from this easy example, the check letters K and G are in totally different places on the two stamps. This comparison with known plates can be used to identify many examples. More difficult stamps can be plated using known flaws such as "ray" flaws or "O" flaws which appear on certain plates only.