The Penny Lilac was the basic penny postage and revenue stamp of the United Kingdom from its first issue on 12 July 1881 until 1901. It superseded the short-lived Penny Venetian Red because the Customs and Inland Revenue Act 1881 necessitated new stamps that were valid for use as both postage and revenue stamps, and so the Penny Lilac was issued in that year, inscribed "POSTAGE AND INLAND REVENUE". All previous stamps had been inscribed merely "POSTAGE". This stamp remained the standard letter stamp for the remainder of Queen Victoria's reign, and very large quantities were printed.