British Penny Red Postage Stamp with Maltese Cross Cancellation

This is a Penny Red postage stamp, a classic British issue. The stamp itself is reddish-brown or vermilion in color, featuring a portrait of Queen Victoria in profile, facing left, enclosed within an ornate oval frame. Surrounding the oval, there are decorative elements, including what appears to be floral or foliate patterns, typical of mid-19th century stamp designs. The value, 'ONE PENNY', is prominently displayed at the bottom center of the stamp, flanked by the numeral '1' on both the left and right sides. The stamp exhibits perforation along its edges, indicating it was intended to be separated from a sheet. A significant and distinguishing feature of this particular stamp is the cancellation mark: a black, Maltese Cross postmark is heavily impressed over the Queen's portrait and extends across a good portion of the stamp's surface. This type of cancellation was used in the early period of stamp usage in Great Britain. The exact date or location of the cancellation is obscured by the cross, though some faint alphanumeric characters might be visible underneath. The stamp shows signs of use, consistent with its age, including the clear cancellation mark and potentially some wear or faint creasing, although the resolution makes a definitive assessment challenging. The color appears somewhat faded or muted due to age and light exposure, or possibly the low resolution of the image. The general style points to a Victorian era production, likely mid-19th century, given the design and cancellation type. The craftsmanship appears to be of the standard quality for contemporary postal issues, with detailed engraving visible in the portrait and surrounding ornamentation.