Great Britain postage stamps year 1881 Queen Victoria 1 Penny

Great Britain postage stamps year 1881 Queen Victoria 1 Penny Used lot

The 1881 Great Britain Queen Victoria 1 Penny postage stamp is an iconic piece of philatelic history. Here’s some detailed information about it:

Overview

• Year of Issue: 1881
• Denomination: 1 Penny
• Design: Features the profile of Queen Victoria, facing left.
• Color: Lilac (officially known as “Lilac” or “Purple”).
• Perforation: 14
• Paper: Line-engraved, printed on unwatermarked paper.

Key Features

1. Material and Printing:
   • This stamp was the first British stamp printed on unwatermarked paper, setting it apart from earlier issues.
   • The design was created using the line-engraving process, which allowed for detailed and intricate patterns.
2. Purpose:
   • Part of the effort to simplify and standardize postal rates introduced in the Unified Postage and Revenue Act of 1881.
   • This stamp was dual-purpose, usable for both postage and revenue collection.
3. Design Details:
   • The Queen’s portrait is surrounded by a simple circular frame, a departure from earlier, more elaborate designs.
   • The word “POSTAGE” appears at the top, and “ONE PENNY” at the bottom.
4. Color Shift:
   • The Lilac shade was selected to reduce the potential for fraudulent reuse of stamps, as the color reacted poorly to cleaning chemicals.
5. Cancellation Marks:
   • Many surviving stamps are found with circular date stamps (CDS) or barred oval obliterations.

Rarity and Collectability

• Commonness:
  • This stamp was issued in large quantities, making it relatively common among collectors.
  • However, mint-condition examples (unused, without cancellation marks) are scarcer and more valuable.