Pillar box, Type A, Croom's Hill Grove, Greenwich
Emma H · Map listing
UK Postbox Identification Guide
Use this when adding or editing map entries. Start with the quick workflow if you are unsure of the form. Each subtype has an example: PostboxMap contributor photos where we have them, otherwise a credited stock photo. Then: Form and subtype → Type tips and posting slot clues → optional pillar and pedestal checklist → Cipher (reign).
Quick identification workflow
If you are unsure what box you are looking at, start here. Answer in order, then pick the form in the add-postbox flow and narrow the subtype.
- Is it freestanding? → likely pillar or pedestal (rectangular on a short base).
- Is it built into a wall? → wall box or Ludlow (recessed cast front, separate back).
- Is it mounted on a pole? → lamp box.
- Is it a large street cabinet for parcels? → Parcel postbox or Business box (same equipment; two labels in the app).
Then use the form examples, type tips, and field checklist below, and match the royal cipher when you can see it.
What to do if you are unsure
- Choose Unknown (or the closest form) rather than guessing a rare subtype.
- Upload clear photos of the whole box and a close-up of the cipher (if present).
- Include the collection plate where visible; it helps moderators and the community refine the entry later.
Feedback on this guide
Think something here is wrong or out of date? Contact us. We welcome corrections and clearer field notes.
What this guide covers
Use this page as a field guide to identify UK postbox types when you map them: form, subtype, and royal cypher postbox dating. It supports pillar box identification (UK), wall box types (UK), lamp box types (UK), Ludlow-style fronts, parcel and business cabinets, and Victorian postbox identification where it helps you pick the right subtype.
Forms and subtype examples
Pick the form first, then the subtype in the dropdown. Contributor examples link to a map listing; stock photos are labelled and linked to the source. Parcel postbox and Business box share one section below (same cabinets; two dropdown options). Pillar Type A/B/C and wall Type A/B/C are different forms: cylindrical pillars are under Pillar box; cast wall boxes (including Type A, B, and C wall box) are under Wall box. Under each form, the pattern and subtype list matches the full dropdown.
Pillar box
Freestanding roadside postboxes: most are cylindrical, but named designs sit outside the standard cylindrical pattern list. Identify pattern first, then subtype, then cipher. Type L and Type M Royal Mail sizes are pedestal-mounted boxes: use form Pedestal box, not Pillar. Introduced in the Channel Islands (1852); mainland standard pillars from 1853. Introduced 1852.
Most pillars are cylindrical, but several important named designs sit outside the standard cylindrical pattern list. Identify the pattern first (dropdown group), then the type, then the cipher. Photos below are curated examples plus Reference · … stock images; use Unknown when you cannot match confidently.
Standard cylindrical pillar patterns
Main traditional cylindrical designs (pattern Standard cylindrical pillar patterns): Type A, Type B, Type C, Type H, Type J, Type N, Type O, Type P.
Pillar type letters are collector shorthand in postal-history writing. They do not form a continuous official Post Office sequence. Some letters name specialised or experimental patterns rather than standard cylindrical pillars. Always match shape first, then confirm the type.
Type L and Type M in Royal Mail sizing are pedestal boxes: use form Pedestal box, not Pillar.
1931 oval vending-machine pillars
Type D (large oval combination) and Type E (small oval combination), with integrated stamp vending machines. Pattern 1931 oval vending-machine pillars. Reference photos in the grid (PB29/PB30).
Modern engineering pillars
Pattern Modern engineering pillars: Type F (1968 steel), Type G and Double Type G (cast iron family). Type K (early and late variants) sits under standard cylindrical patterns, not modern engineering.
Special pillar patterns
Liverpool Special (square-section Liverpool district pillar; pattern Liverpool Special). Penfold pillar, Fluted pillar (early fluted column), Anonymous pillar (Type A / B), Scottish and Irish pillar types, experimental hexagonal types, and Earliest mainland standard pillars (First / Second National Standard) in their own pattern groups.
Pillar box, Type B, Sydney Road, Leigh on Sea
Keepmepostboxed · Map listing
Cylindrical pillar (form: Pillar box), Type C, dual aperture. Ryknild Street, Lichfield. Not the same as a Type C Wall Box.
JPG (profile) · Map listing
Pillar box, Type G
John from the Coast (profile) · Map listing
Pillar box, Type H (Double G)
JPG (profile) · Map listing
Pillar box, Type K early (1980–mid production; short cylindrical run)
Stavioni (profile) · Map listing
Pillar box, Fluted pillar pattern (Smith & Hawkes fluted column)
Luke (profile) · Map listing
Reproduction Standard Penfold pillar, Newhalls Road, City of Edinburgh
Emma (profile) · Map listing
Pillar box mounted indoors, Kerbey Street, Greater London
Emma H · Map listing
The larger 1931 oval combination pillar with an integrated stamp vending machine at one end (often linked to PB29). In specialist writing, Type D and Type E usually refer to these oval machines (PB29 and PB30), not to cylindrical subtypes. Published production totals for D vs E vary between sources; treat numbers as provisional.
Photo: British Postal Museum & Archive via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
The smaller 1931 oval combination pillar with integrated stamp machine (often PB30). Surviving street example (Woolwich). Same letter clash as for Type D: choose pattern 1931 oval vending-machine pillars, not standard cylindrical. See also the Commons category of George V type D/E oval boxes.
Post box of the type in use in Liverpool in 1863 (heritage wording). Cast iron: cylindrical body with plinth, horizontal slot, “POST OFFICE” in raised lettering, crown-topped cap. Salthouse Quay, Liverpool. Select pattern Liverpool Special and subtype Liverpool Special.
Authority: Historic England list entry 1292279 (Grade II) · Royal Mail and Historic England joint policy statement (July 2015)
Photo: DM · PostboxMap listing
Illustrative: Edward VII pillar with a bolt-on stamp vending machine housing. Notice C1501 (29 December 1936) describes Case CI Type H (single machine on a Type A pillar with small cash tray) and Case CI Type J (on a Type B pillar). Colne Valley Postal History Museum summarises these case types. They are stamp machine housings, not cylindrical pillar body types Type H or Type J in the standard cylindrical list.
Photo: Mike Quinn, Geograph via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Pattern and subtype list (dropdown reference)
- Standard cylindrical pillar patterns: Type A, Type B, Type B, Nigerian export pattern (LBSG; occasional UK install; c.1979–1980), Type C, Cylindrical pillar Type H, Cylindrical pillar Type J, Type K, early to mid production (1980s; POST OFFICE wording), Type K, later production (ROYAL MAIL branding), Type N, Type O, Type P
- Early Victorian: First National Standard, Second National Standard
- Liverpool Special: Liverpool Special
- Penfold pillar: Early Penfold, Standard Penfold, Late Penfold, Reproduction Penfold
- Fluted pillar: Fluted pillar
- Scottish pillar: Scottish pillar
- Irish Free State pillar: Irish Free State pillar
- Anonymous pillar (Type A / B): Anonymous pillar Type A (cipherless contractor casting), Anonymous pillar Type B (cipherless contractor casting)
- Experimental hexagonal pillar: Experimental hexagonal pillar
- 1931 oval vending-machine pillars: Type D (large oval vending-machine pillar), Type E (small oval vending-machine pillar)
- Modern engineering pillars: Type F, Type G, Type H (Double G)
- Indoor pillar: Indoor pillar
Pedestal box
Freestanding boxes on a pedestal base (including Royal Mail types L and M). Distinct from a full in-ground pillar box. Introduced unspecified.
Pedestal Type L example from the map
Noah (profile) · Map listing
Pedestal Type M example from the map
Paulf (profile) · Map listing
Pattern and subtype list (dropdown reference)
- Pedestal: Type L, Type M
Lamp box
Small box on lamp posts, poles, or sometimes set in a wall. Lamp rows use LB2xx pattern names aligned with common supplier numbering. Introduced 1896.
Lamp box silhouettes
Collector and museum pages (for example CVPHM: George V (part 2)) describe two common George V lamp roof nicknames. The Hovis name refers to the fully rounded, bread-loaf crown on LB206–LB210 (cipher, door length, and foundry vary). The waggon top name refers to the elliptical roof on the 1935 pattern: LB211 (George V) and LB212 (George VI, revised 1935 pattern), usually all-cast iron. Then comes the 1940 pattern rectangle with softer corners (LB213), then modern flat lamps from the late Elizabeth II era (chiefly LB223 and newer LB3426; see below). The first photo below is a pole-mounted LB206 with that loaf-shaped crown; the same casting family appears on wall boxes in some locations, so use the form (lamp vs wall), not the silhouette alone.
Modern lamp boxes: LB223 and LB3426
LB223 (Machan Engineering, Scotland) is the standard cast-aluminium lamp box seen UK-wide from the late E II R period onward: flat front face, shallow curved top edge, separate cipher plate, usually E II R, also Scottish Crown; examples were still being installed into the 2000s and 2010s. For most contributors this is the default modern lamp.
LB3426 (Royal Mail Manufacturing) is a newer stainless steel fabrication, not a casting: sharper edges, flatter industrial finish, lighter modular construction rather than a single casting; seen with E II R and C III R. Expect these on newer installs and replacement programmes.
Quick field rule: if it looks cast and slightly rounded → LB223. If it looks fabricated sheet metal with sharp edges → LB3426. Both use a separate cipher plate; tell them apart by body material and industrial “sharpness”, not by plate alone. Examples of both are in the grid below.
For Elizabeth II lamp letter box types from 1952 (LB214 onwards), foundry signatures, and Post Office to Royal Mail branding, see CVPHM: Elizabeth II lamp letter boxes. Independent museum page; not affiliated with PostboxMap.
Type letters A–F for wall and lamp boxes are reference labels used to help contributors distinguish common cast patterns where no single national naming scheme exists. They are not Royal Mail product codes. For lamps, the LB2xx subtype list follows common supplier numbering.
Rounded loaf-shaped top (the collector "Hovis" nickname). George V lamp LB206 on a pole: Church Lane, Aldringham, Suffolk. The same cast shape also exists as a wall box in places; pick Wall box vs Lamp box from the form, not from the loaf crown alone.
John from the Coast (profile) · Map listing
Elliptical "waggon top" roof, George VI (LB212 in the dropdown; same 1935-pattern silhouette as LB211 under George V). Lamp box on the A4155, Hambleden, Buckinghamshire. Listing subtype shown as Other (Waggon Top); cipher and era match the LB212 family.
postboxesofinsta (profile) · Map listing
George VI (GVIR) lamp box: rectangular 1940-pattern family casting with softer corners, Ladybower area. Illustrative stock photo for LB213 (George VI reign in the app taxonomy).
Lamp box LB216 (Carron Company, Stirlingshire): 1940-pattern rectangle with softer corners, Cawley Road, Chichester.
Keith Stroud (profile) · Map listing
LB223 (Machan Engineering, Scotland): the standard modern cast-aluminium lamp box across the UK from the late E II R period onward. Cast aluminium body, flat front, shallow curved top edge, separate cipher plate; usually E II R, also Scottish Crown; still installed into the 2000s and 2010s. Default modern lamp most contributors meet. Waldorf Heights, Frogmore.
Stavioni (profile) · Map listing
Lamp box, LB224 Type N Bantam
Keith Stroud (profile) · Map listing
LB3426 (Royal Mail Manufacturing): newer stainless steel fabrication, not a casting. Sharper edges than LB223, flatter industrial finish, lighter modular assembly; seen with E II R and C III R. Typical on newer installs and replacement programmes. Field rule: fabricated sheet with sharp edges vs LB223’s cast, slightly rounded look. Brushed stainless cypher plate on the red shell. This example shows C III R on the plate. B3225, Porlock, Somerset.
Keith Stroud (profile) · Map listing
Pattern and subtype list (dropdown reference)
- By LB type: LB201 (Letters above aperture) – letters above slot, LB202 (Letters Only), LB203 (EviiR Open cipher), LB204 (EviiR Closed cipher, small tablet), LB205 (EviiR Closed cipher, large tablet), LB206 (GR crown and small cipher) – loaf / Hovis-style, LB207 – loaf / Hovis-style, LB208 – loaf / Hovis-style, LB209 – loaf / Hovis-style, LB210 – loaf / Hovis-style, LB211 (GvR 1935 Pattern) – waggon top, LB212 (1936 revised 1935 Pattern) – waggon top, LB213 (1940 Pattern) – 1940 rectangle, LB214 (1952) – 1952 pattern, LB215 (Allied Iron Founders) – Allied foundry, LB216 (Carron Company), LB216 (Carron Company Stirlingshire), LB217 (Carron Company Stirlingshire 1977 pattern), LB218 (Carron Stirlingshire), LB219 (Lion Foundry Kirkintilloch), LB220 (Carronade), LB221 (Machan Scotland), LB222 (Abbott Engineering), LB223 (Machan Scotland, Royal Mail) – modern flat, LB224 (Type N Bantam), LB3426 (Stainless steel, RM Manufacturing)
Wall box
Set into a wall or sometimes a free-standing pillar. Wall box sizes A–F follow conventional UK cast wall box lettering and manufacturer sizing; they are not pillar type letters. Introduced 1857.
Examples below include pattern Early Victorian: First National Standard and Second National Standard (1857–1859 wall designs), then Type A Wall Box, Type B Wall Box, and Type C Wall Box (cast boxes set into masonry; not the same as pillar Type A/B/C).
Wall box identification hints (types A–F in the app): these are visual rules of thumb only; casting varies by era and foundry. Type A often has a smaller aperture surround relative to the front plate. Type B can read as a deeper casting or heavier moulding around the door. Type C often shows wider frame proportions on the front. Type E and Type F usually denote larger-capacity or wide-format wall installations. Use photos and the pattern list together; when uncertain, prefer Unknown.
Type letters A–F for wall and lamp boxes are reference labels used to help contributors distinguish common cast patterns where no single national naming scheme exists. They are not Royal Mail product codes. For lamps, the LB2xx subtype list follows common supplier numbering.
Wall box, pattern Early Victorian, First National Standard (1857 design). Gabled hood, POST OFFICE and LETTER BOX lettering, VR cipher. Welford Road, Weston, West Berkshire.
postboxesofinsta (profile) · Map listing
Wall box, pattern Early Victorian, Second National Standard (1859 revision). Same family as First National Standard with detail changes in the casting. B3227, North Devon.
Keepmepostboxed · Map listing
Wall box, Type A Wall Box, Mosley Street, Manchester city centre
marxistnarnian · Map listing
Wall box, Type B Wall Box, The Green, Bonehill
Angella · Map listing
Wall box (form: Wall box), Type C Wall Box, Dartbridge Road, Buckfastleigh, Devon. Different from cylindrical pillar Type C.
Keepmepostboxed · Map listing
Pattern and subtype list (dropdown reference)
- Early Victorian: First National Standard, Second National Standard
- Standard cast iron: Type A Wall Box, Type B Wall Box, Type C Wall Box, Type D Wall Box, Type E Wall Box, Type F Wall Box
- Large capacity: Type E Large, Type F Large
- Anonymous pillar (Type A / B): Anonymous wall box (cipherless contractor casting)
- Double aperture: Double Aperture Wall Box
Ludlow
Recessed wall box with a cast front plate and separate wooden or steel back box. 'Ludlow' is used generically for this family. Introduced 1885.
Ludlow-style boxes use a cast iron front plate with a separate wooden or steel rear chamber set inside the wall. They were widely used where a full cast wall box was unnecessary or too expensive, including many villages and smaller sites; replacement fronts often reuse the same opening.
Ludlow wall box (Pattern Wall, cast front), Queen Victoria cipher. Kingsgate Street, Winchester. Listed manufacturer E. Cole.
postboxesofinsta · Map listing
Pattern and subtype list (dropdown reference)
- Wall: Size A, Size B
- Lamp: Size A Lamp, Size B Lamp
Parcel postbox and Business box
Royal Mail large street cabinets for parcels and franked / meter mail. The same physical units are listed in the app as Business box or Parcel postbox; pick the form that matches the listing. Introduced 1994 (business-era cabinets). Parcel-only wording and locations vary; this is one equipment family, not two different box types.
Royal Mail large street cabinet (same family as Parcel postbox), meter mail pouches
Emma · Map listing
Royal Mail large street parcel cabinet (same equipment family as Business box), illustrative stock photo.
Pattern and subtype list when form is Business box
- Modern business: Royal Mail Business Box
Pattern and subtype list when form is Parcel postbox
- Pillar parcel: Parcel Pillar Type
- Wall parcel: Parcel Wall Type
Type tips
Pillar production dates (selected)
- Type C (dual aperture common): introduced from 1899
- Type D / E (oval vending-machine pillars): introduced 1931
- Type F (steel) / Type G (cast replacement): introduced 1968 / later cast
- Type K (modern cylindrical): introduced 1980
Pillar Type A vs Type B
Among standard cylindrical pillars, Type A is wider and Type B is narrower; height alone is a poor guide.
The hug test and other pillar checks are spelt out in Quick field recognition (same page, below).
Finishes and special designsExpand
- Penfold (pillar): Hexagonal Victorian pillar. Form Pillar box; types Early Penfold, Standard Penfold, Late Penfold, or Reproduction Penfold.
- Early Victorian (National Standard): First or Second National Standard (1857–1859). Pillar or wall form; pattern Early Victorian; type First or Second National Standard.
- Dual aperture: Two slots. Pillar: often Type C. Wall: type Double Aperture Wall Box.
- Anonymous: No royal cypher or POST OFFICE lettering. Often Handyside or other contractor patterns, early VR production, or cipher-omitted variants; many examples appear in Scotland and early Victorian contexts. Pattern Anonymous pillar (Type A / B); choose subtype Anonymous Type A or Anonymous Type B where collectors can tell them apart. Not the 1931 oval-machine Type D/E pillars.
- Airmail blue and Olympic Gold 2012: Promotional or commemorative paint. Record as finish (Standard Red, Airmail Blue, Olympic Gold 2012), not as a separate box type.
Using the posting slot to estimate age
Slot shape and position are not a substitute for cipher and subtype, but they are strong dating clues when combined with photos.
- Narrow horizontal slot → often earlier (many Victorian and Edwardian boxes).
- Wider slot → often mid-20th century onward (larger mail pieces; many standard cylindrical pillars and wall boxes).
- Vertical slot → can appear on some regional or experimental fronts; the Liverpool Special is usually described with a horizontal slot in heritage listings, so treat slot shape as a clue only. Liverpool Special pattern; subtype value Liverpool Special in the pillar form.
- Slot set unusually high on the casting → sometimes seen on early cylindrical pillars; compare with subtype notes and full-height photos.
- Dual aperture → very common on Type C pillars; also appears on wall boxes as double-slot types.
Manufacturer marks
Foundry or contractor names and marks help confirm era and pattern when the subtype is unclear. Look for cast or stamped text on:
- the base of pillar boxes;
- the lower door edge or hinge area;
- rear plates where accessible;
- pedestal bases and lamp backplates.
Names you may see include (not exhaustive): Carron, Machan, Lion Foundry, McDowall Steven, WT Allen. Partial text still helps narrow the casting family when paired with photos.
Elizabeth II lamp lettering and branding evolution are summarised on external references such as CVPHM: Elizabeth II lamp letter boxes.
Pillar and pedestal
Pillar type letters are collector shorthand for British street boxes. Royal Mail and Post Office engineering notices sometimes reuse the same letters for other equipment (1931 oval combination pillars; stamp machine housings on pillar hosts). The examples grid below includes Reference · … stock photos for those other meanings. Many rare pillars need good photos; use Unknown if unsure.
Same letter, different catalogues (read this once)
- Type D and Type E (1931 oval combination): in much specialist literature these letters mean the 1931 oval vending-machine pillars (PB29 larger, PB30 smaller), with an integrated stamp machine. See Wikimedia Commons: George V type D/E oval boxes. Type D and Type E for 1931 oval vending-machine pillars are the large and small oval combination designs (PB29/PB30). They are not cylindrical Victorian subtypes.
- Anonymous (pattern) means early boxes cast without cipher or POST OFFICE lettering. That is not the 1931 oval-machine Type E (PB30).
- Case CI Type H and Type J (notice C1501, 1936): stamp machine housings on pillars (Type H on a Type A pillar host, Type J on a Type B pillar host), not cylindrical pillar body types Type H or Type J in the standard cylindrical list. Overview: CVPHM: stamp vending machine cases.
- Liverpool Special (1863 Liverpool district design): heritage listings describe a cast-iron pillar type with horizontal slot and crown-topped cap; Royal Mail and Historic England use the name Liverpool Special. Use pattern and subtype Liverpool Special in the form, not standard cylindrical types.
Pillar map labels Type H and Type J (not stamp machine cases)
Type H and Type J here mean cylindrical pillar types in the standard cylindrical pattern list. Check panels, door, and collection plate details against photos before you label a box.
Do not confuse them with Post Office Notice C1501 Case CI Type H/J stamp machine housings bolted to cylindrical pillar hosts; those are separate engineering case codes.
Quick field recognition
1. Pick the form
- Pillar: freestanding cast body in the open.
- Wall box: set into masonry; cast front in a wall opening.
- Lamp box: small box on a post or pole.
- Ludlow: recessed wall box, cast front plate, separate back chamber (often timber or steel).
- Pedestal: rectangular body on a short base (Royal Mail families Type L and Type M in this form; not full in-ground pillars).
- Penfold: hexagonal Victorian pillar (pattern Penfold); decorative panels and finials, not the same casting as cylindrical Type H or Type J.
- Parcel / Business: large modern cabinet; same kit, two form labels (combined section).
2. Standard pillar checks
- Type A vs B: similar height, different girth. Rough hug test: on many Bs hands meet behind the cast; on A they often will not. Varies by person; confirm with photos and subtype.
- Type C: often dual aperture; common late Victorian onward.
- Fluted pillar (pattern Fluted pillar): vertical ribs. Not the 1968 steel cylindrical Type F. Example: fluted pillar.
- Type K: short cylindrical run from the 1980s, under standard cylindrical patterns. Subtype distinguishes Type K early (1980–mid production, POST OFFICE wording) from Type K late (ROYAL MAIL branding).
- Double slot, wide oval: Type C or Type P (large double-aperture oval pillar); cities more likely.
- Type N (pillar): narrow Victorian pillar; not the Bantam lamp.
3. Type J (cylinder); Types D and E (1931 ovals); Types O and P
Type D and Type E appear only under pattern 1931 oval vending-machine pillars: large and small oval combination boxes (PB29/PB30). They are not cylindrical subtypes.
Type J is a late Victorian cylindrical pillar under standard cylindrical patterns; not Case CI Type J stamp machine housing on a Type B pillar host.
Type O and Type P are oval-plan pillar bodies in the standard cylindrical group where applicable; do not confuse with the 1931 vending-machine ovals unless the pattern matches.
Stock photos labelled Reference · Type D/E (1931 oval) in the examples grid show the 1931 integrated-machine design. Use detail photos; when in doubt, choose Unknown.
- Type J: late Victorian cylindrical variant; confirm cipher and casting.
- Type O: oval-bodied pillar (distinct from standard round cylinders when the casting is oval in plan).
- Type P: large double-aperture oval pillar (often urban; do not confuse with Type C dual slot on a round body without the oval casting).
4. Hexagonal pillars: Penfold vs other hex designs
Penfold pillars are hexagonal with decorative panels and finials (pattern Penfold in the form). Other hexagonal experimental or special castings use different pattern names; rely on photos and the pattern list rather than guessing from silhouette alone.
Do not confuse cylindrical pillar Type H with Case CI Type H stamp machine housings fixed to Type A pillars in notice-era engineering lists; see the blue callout and the Reference · Case CI Type H or J photo in the examples grid.
5. Bantam (lamp form)
Bantam entries are compact late-20th-century lamp boxes (e.g. LB224 Type N Bantam), often mistaken for small pedestals. Look for a swept top profile, small body, and pole mount rather than a pedestal plinth.
6. Scottish Crown cipher and Scottish pillar
In Scotland, many postboxes carry the Crown of Scotland instead of E II R (see the reign table). Under pattern Scottish pillar, use subtype Scottish pillar when the casting matches Scottish pillar production; pair with Scottish Crown cipher in the field where applicable.
7. Wall vs lamp in masonry
Lamp casts often have rounder corners; wall fronts in masonry surrounds are usually sharper. When a small box is set in a wall, check form notes: wall box vs lamp-in-wall.
8. Pedestal (L and M)
Type L and Type M read as large and medium on the front casting. This form covers Royal Mail pedestal families only; choose Pedestal when the box is a short rectangular cabinet on a plinth, not a full in-ground pillar.
If the box is a full cast pillar in the ground, form is Pillar, not Pedestal.
9. Collection plate surround (dating clue)
Next to the slot, the collection plate frame can hint at era: a thin frame often suggests an older installation; a thick universal-style frame is often seen on post-1980 replacement plates. Use as a clue only, with cipher and subtype.
10. Cipher, colour, photos
- Match cipher to the reign table.
- Unusual paint is finish or repaint, not form or subtype.
- Whole box plus cipher close-up. Use Unknown if needed.
Royal cipher (reign)
The cipher is usually on the front or door. It shows the monarch in reign when the box was made; it is not updated when a new monarch accedes.
| Cypher | Code | Monarch | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | VR | Queen Victoria | 1837–1901 | First standardised pillar boxes; often hexagonal, cylindrical, or oval (domed or shallow-arch top). Penfold and early anonymous designs; Ludlow wall boxes. Green until 1874, then red. |
 | E VII R | King Edward VII | 1901–1910 | Cypher E VII R. Many pillar and wall boxes still in use; Type A and later pillar designs; wall boxes Type A–C. |
 | GR | King George V | 1910–1936 | Cypher GR (George Rex). Very common on interwar pillar and wall boxes; Type B–K pillars; double aperture and lamp boxes. |
 | E VIII R | King Edward VIII | 1936 | Cypher E VIII R. Approximately 200–250 boxes made before abdication. |
 | G VI R | King George VI | 1936–1952 | Cypher G VI R. Wartime and postwar designs; Type K pillar and later variants; austerity and standard types. |
 | E II R | Queen Elizabeth II | 1952–2022 | Cypher E II R. Most widespread on current boxes; Type N–P pillar boxes, Type L–M pedestal boxes, modern wall and lamp boxes; long reign so many variants. |
 | C III R | King Charles III | 2022–present | Cypher C III R. First postbox with this cypher entered service 12 July 2024 (Great Cambourne). Newest boxes; still relatively few in place. |
 | SCOTTISH_CROWN | Scottish Crown | 1953–present (Scotland) | Used in Scotland instead of E II R on postboxes installed from 1953, after the Pillar Box War; reflects the separate Scottish royal tradition. Select this when the box shows a crown without EIIR lettering. |
Quick tips
- Quick workflow → forms and subtype examples → type tips and slot clues → pillar and pedestal checklist if needed → cipher table.
- See if you are unsure for photos, Unknown, and collection plates.
Pillar patterns are grouped by shape and era in the form (standard cylindrical, special patterns, 1931 ovals, modern engineering). Wall and lamp letters A–F are reference labels (see above). Match shape before letter names.
For wider context on UK postboxes, see our guide to UK postboxes.