Royal Cyphers Guide

UK postboxes usually display the royal cypher of the monarch in reign when the box was made. The cypher is often on the front or the door. This helps date the box and is required when submitting to PostboxMap.

The main cyphers you will see are: VR (Queen Victoria, 1837–1901), E VII R (Edward VII, 1901–1910), GR (George V, 1910–1936), E VIII R (Edward VIII, 1936 (very rare)), G VI R (George VI, 1936–1952), E II R (Elizabeth II, 1952–2022), and C III R (Charles III, 2022–present). E II R is the most common on current boxes.

For form examples, field notes, and a reign quick reference on the same site, see the Identification Guide. Use it with this article when you're unsure which reign to select when adding or correcting a postbox.