Daniel Matthews Stamps

23/05/2026

Sunday 24 May 2026 marks an exciting day for 'Daniel Matthews Stamps' as I am officially expanding into Perforated Penny Reds.

From tomorrow, I will be listing thousands of fresh Imperforate and Perforated Penny Reds over the coming months and years.

Thank you all so much for the support and encouragement. My aim is for every purchase to be as simple and joyful as possible, and I hope to contribute to this wonderful community for many years.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/danielmatthewsstamps

04/05/2026

I’m currently working through a large and very exciting batch of Penny Red Imperfs, and it is giving me a nice opportunity to share a few of the more interesting varieties and plating features along the way.

This Plate 67 KJ (right) is a particularly strong example of a burr rub.

A burr was a small ridge of metal pushed up during the preparation of the printing plate. These were normally burnished away by hand before the plate was used but, if the work was not quite perfect, it could leave a weakness, blur, or disturbance in the printed design.

In this case, the effect is very clear along the top frame above POSTAGE. Compared with the normal example on the left, the frame on the right is noticeably weakened and broken, giving a very useful visual clue.

Burr rubs are not usually major catalogue varieties, but they are a great little feature for collectors to look out for. They can be very helpful when plating, and they add another layer of interest to these already fascinating stamps.

This particular example is currently in my store here:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/336567762907

Do you tend to look for these sorts of plate characteristics when collecting imperforate reds, or are you more drawn to shades, cancellations and margins?

06/04/2026

One of my favourite pieces from a collection I picked up last year.

A really striking large folded cover bearing a superb strip of four 1d red imperforates (Plate 58, BC–BD–BE–BF), all with four clear margins.

What I particularly like about this one is the combination of scale and presentation. It’s one of the largest covers I have seen, finished off nicely with a clear Rickmansworth CDS on the front, which you don’t always see.

A great example of how these were genuinely used in the post.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/336494846824

06/03/2026

📚 A new book in progress…

Many of you have purchased my book Imperforate Penny Reds. Since then I’ve continued researching the line-engraved issues, and that work has gradually grown into a much larger project.

I’m now writing a new book:
“Great Britain – The Line-Engraved Issues 1840–1870: A Study of Their History, Manufacture and Collection.”

It expands well beyond the earlier work, covering the development of the postal system and the reforms that led to the Penny Black, the design and manufacture of the stamps at Perkins Bacon, and the many changes collectors encounter across the line-engraved period from 1840 to 1870.

As collectors yourselves, I’d love to know:

What would you most want to see covered in a book like this?

For example:
• Identifying the different issues and printings
• Plating and varieties
• Postal history and rates
• The manufacturing process at Perkins Bacon
• Maltese Cross and later cancellations
• Collecting strategies

Are there topics you feel most books overlook?

I’d love to hear your thoughts, the answers will shape what makes it into the final book.

27/12/2025

One of the most distinctive check-letter varieties is the “Squat S” of Plate 29. It looks unlike any other S, or indeed any other letter on any plate.

It’s an excellent indicator that you’re looking at Plate 29.

This example is even more appealing as it also shows a distinctive Dublin Maltese Cross.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/336363320567

14/12/2025

I am working through a huge collection and have come across a Plate 20 SJ, which includes the only known 'triple corner letter', which is now in my store.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/336343639198

About the Corner Letters

Corner letters were hand-punched into the plates. There was significant variation in the exact positions and shapes of the corner letters from plate to plate – something that has turned out to be extremely helpful to collectors wishing to identify the plate a stamp was printed from.

The purpose of the corner letters, and exactly how they were intended to deter counterfeiting, is still subject to debate.

A satisfactory suggestion may be the expectation that counterfeiters would not create entire plates, but instead just one stamp, with one set of corner letters that would be replicated. If postal workers observed a particular combination occurring with unexplained frequency, steps could be taken to double check the authenticity of that stamp, and efforts undertaken to trace the source.

Later stamps, with letters in all four corners and the bottom letters mirrored at the top, benefitted from the anti-fraud feature that it was harder to convincingly join two clean halves of used stamps without the letters mis-matching. But that was not the case for the earlier stamps with only two letters – and so the first explanation may be more likely.

Although there was huge concern around fraud and counterfeiting of stamps from 1840 onwards, the only known major forgery perpetrated against the Victorian Post Office was the infamous Stock Exchange forgery of 1872/73. This involved the counterfeiting of thousands of One Shilling stamps and their application to telegraph forms at the London Stock Exchange.

Although there are isolated examples of fraudulent re-use, there is no evidence of any major fraud related to the imperforate Penny Reds.

About Double and Triple Corner Letters

When hand punching the corner letters into the plate, sometimes the worker would misplace and then adjust the position of the punch, creating a doubled letter image. These letters not only assist greatly with plating but are a particularly collectable variety.

There is also a documented example of a triple letter. On item Plate 20 SJ, the first letter S was misplaced low in the corner square and was only partially erased. A second attempt, or possibly a rebound strike, can also be seen to the left of the final strike.

01/12/2025

🎄 Looking for a gift for someone who loves stamps?
Here’s the perfect Christmas present they’ll genuinely treasure 🎁

Choosing a meaningful gift for a stamp collector isn’t easy — they often know exactly what they already have, and their hobby can feel quite specialised from the outside.

This beautifully produced, full-colour book has become a favourite among collectors, and it’s an ideal choice even if you’re not a collector yourself.

✨ Imperforate Penny Reds – Daniel Matthews

It’s been described by collectors as:
⭐ “The definitive reference work for 1d red collectors”
⭐ “A crowning achievement and wonderful legacy”
⭐ “Approachable and engaging… I don’t want to put it down”
⭐ “Beautifully illustrated and a joy to read”

This 222-page full-colour book is:
🎁 The type of gift they’ll keep, use and appreciate for years
🎁 Beautifully presented, high-quality and modern
🎁 Perfect for anyone who enjoys history, collecting or classic British stamps
🎁 A safe choice when you’re not sure what they already own

With Christmas around the corner, it’s also a great option if you’re short on ideas but want something thoughtful, unique and genuinely useful.

📦 Order now for Christmas delivery:
👉 www.danielmatthewsstamps.co.uk

Give a gift that shows you know what they love — even if you don’t collect stamps yourself.

My name is Dan, and I am the author of 'Imperforate Penny Reds' which was awarded a silver medal at EuroPhilEx Birmingham 2025. I love the authenticity of the GB line-engraved, imperforate stamps and have specialised in imperforate Penny Reds for many years.

02/11/2025

📘 “Imperforate Penny Reds” – the ideal gift for collectors this Christmas 🎁

As we head towards the festive season, it’s a great time to start thinking about a gift that’s a little different; something meaningful for anyone with a love of stamps, history, or collecting.

My book “Imperforate Penny Reds” continues to receive wonderful feedback from readers, and I’m delighted that it’s found a place on so many collectors’ shelves since its launch last year. It offers a fresh, detailed and accessible look at the classic 1d red issues; blending research, illustrations and insights for both new and seasoned enthusiasts.

If you haven’t yet picked up a copy (or would like to gift one this Christmas), it’s available directly from my website:
👉 www.danielmatthewsstamps.co.uk

Thank you for all the support and encouragement; it really does mean a lot. Here’s to another season of discovery, collecting and learning!

Dan

My name is Dan, and I am the author of 'Imperforate Penny Reds' which was awarded a silver medal at EuroPhilEx Birmingham 2025. I love the authenticity of the GB line-engraved, imperforate stamps and have specialised in imperforate Penny Reds for many years.

17/10/2025

Spotlight on Varieties – and Why They Matter

Varieties are one of the things that make plating so fascinating, and they’re always of interest to collectors. Unlike ordinary distinguishing features, true varieties are major characteristics that are listed and collected in their own right, whether or not they help with plating.

There’s also a special type known as a semi-constant variety. These appear when a plate gets damaged partway through a print run, meaning the variety only shows up on the later impressions of a stamp.

In my book, I call these “varieties on later examples.” You might see them referred to as “later states” on the GBPS website (for example, on the Plate Characteristics page), but that term is being phased out because it causes confusion. Technically, “states” refers to plates that were deliberately repaired.

This is one area where there hasn’t been enough original research, so there’s real potential for someone to dig deeper and make a genuine contribution to the field.

Here’s an example I have just found: Plate 65 AG, showing a variety on later examples thought to result from a plate repair, you can see a transfer roller line on the left and damage across the bottom-left corner of the plate.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/336238239091

08/10/2025

Many collectors I know love adding striking multiples as a special feature of their collections.

Here’s an exceptionally scarce example – a Plate 15 block of 8!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/336222757077

10/09/2025

Found a sought-after 'corrected check letter' variety on a Plate 21 LL!

Check it out: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/335894435549

These are distinct from 'double letters.'

About Double Letters

When workers hand-punched corner letters into the plate, a misplaced punch could be adjusted, resulting in a double letter effect.

About Corrected Letters

Corrected check letters, like those on Plate 21, are highly sought after. The letter K was mistakenly punched in positions LL to TL but was burnished out in most cases, though traces remain on some. You can also find some corrected check letters on Plate 66.

Fellow author and Penny Red enthusiast John Tingey also provided an example of a corrected check letter to illustrate the topic on Page 88 of my book: https://danielmatthewsstamps.co.uk/products/imperforate-penny-reds-a-guide-to-collecting-plating-and-valuing