Identification
Penny Black vs Penny Red: How to Tell the Difference
The simplest difference is colour: the Penny Black is printed in black, the Penny Red in red-brown. They share the same Queen Victoria profile, but the Penny Black came first, in 1840, and is always imperforate, while the Penny Red followed in 1841 and exists both imperforate and, later, perforated. The Penny Black was usually cancelled with a red Maltese Cross, the Penny Red with a black one and later with numeral postmarks.
At a glance
| Penny Black | Penny Red | |
|---|---|---|
| Colour | Black | Red-brown |
| Issued | 1840 | 1841 onwards |
| Perforation | Always imperforate | Imperforate, then perforated from 1854 |
| Usual cancellation | Red Maltese Cross | Black Maltese Cross, then numerals |
| Rarity | Iconic, not rare | Very common |
Colour is the quickest test
In almost every case, colour settles it at a glance. The Penny Black is black; the Penny Red is a shade of red-brown.
The Penny Red replaced the Penny Black in 1841 precisely because a cancellation showed up poorly on a black stamp and could be cleaned off, whereas a black cancellation on a red stamp was clear and permanent. See our Penny Black value and Penny Red value guides.
The other differences
- Date. The Penny Black was issued in 1840 only; the Penny Red ran from 1841 for over twenty years.
- Perforation. The Penny Black is always imperforate, separated by scissors. The Penny Red is imperforate up to 1854, then perforated from 1854.
- Cancellation. The Penny Black was usually cancelled with a red Maltese Cross, the Penny Red with a black Maltese Cross and, from the mid-1840s, with numeral postmarks.
- Corner letters. Both carry check letters in the lower corners on the early issues, while the later perforated Penny Reds also carry letters in the upper corners and a plate number.
Why it matters
Very different values
The two are worth very different amounts. The Penny Black, though common, is the iconic first stamp and carries a premium, while most Penny Reds are very common and inexpensive. Telling them apart is the first step to knowing what you have, as our Penny Black and Penny Red value guides explain.
Frequently asked questions
Mainly colour: the Penny Black is black, the Penny Red red-brown. The Penny Black came first, in 1840, and is always imperforate; the Penny Red followed in 1841 and exists imperforate and perforated.
Look at the colour first. Black means a Penny Black; red-brown means a Penny Red. Perforations confirm a Penny Red, since the Penny Black is always imperforate.
Because a cancellation was hard to see on a black stamp and could be removed, while a black cancellation showed clearly and permanently on a red stamp.
The Penny Black, as the iconic first stamp, carries a premium even though it is common. Most Penny Reds are very common and inexpensive, though a few scarce plates are valuable.
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Founder and stamp dealerLast updated June 2026