Stamp Collector

65 MAY 2020 www.allaboutstamps.co.uk COLLECTING GUIDE in 1886, to go into specially-produced albums for members of the Stamp Committee. These will be the subject of a future article. SG 99. 10d plate 1. Watermark: Emblems This stamp is also frequently described as ‘abnormal’. But is simply printed on the wrong paper: Emblems, not the later Spray of Rose. It is, however, a genuine rarity. No mint copies are known and of the 13 used examples, eight are cancelled by the ‘C’ of the British Post Office in Constantinople. SG 109. 6d mauve plate 10 Plate 10 was registered in April 1869, but was made redundant by the new hexagonal design of the 6d stamp. Plate 9 printed all copies needed until the 6d chestnut plate 11 appeared in April 1872. With only ten used copies known it’s another rare bird. SG 113. 10d plate 2. Watermark: Spray of Rose The 10d stamp was introduced to pay postage to India, Mauritius and Australia via Marseilles. But the rate was changed in 1870, demand for a 10d stamp fell away and plate 2 was never put to press. Five mint and 63 used copies are known. SG 120b. 2/- plate 3. Watermark: Spray of Rose Plates 1 and 3 of the 2/- blue were registered in April 1867. But plate 1 was used for all copies of the 2/- blue and the 2/- brown besides. No mint copies of plate 3 have been found – but there are 47 used ones. SG 124/a 6d chestnut/pale chestnut. Watermark, Spray of Rose The hexagonal 6d produced 2 abnormals. Both are the result of changing colours – and this produces another collectable variety: a matched pair, with the same stamp in both colours. With the 6d, the first colour used was a chestnut in three shades, so plate 12 was registered in that colour. By the time it was put to press, the colour had changed to buff. No mint copies have turned up – but there are 48 used ones in existence, including one on cover. This – and five other used copies - was used in Halifax. Issues with large coloured corner letters… SG 145 6d pale buff plate 13. Watermark Spray of Rose There is a similar story with plate 13 – but rather more distinctive. It was registered in December 1872 in pale buff. In 1874, the colour changed to grey and plate13 was put to press in that colour. It is likely that all these abnormals were sent to Leeds. Most of the 50 used copies known come colour. Plate 3 has fine lines across the corners of the squares, as found on later printings of the 4d. There are thirteen mint stamps and 68 used copies known. SG 91. Plate 2 = Plate 3 This was the first surface printed stamp to incorporate the plate number in the design. But there was a problem. Plate 1 has the figure 1 on the stamp and the figure 2 in the margin, as this was the second plate produced. Therefore Plate 2 has a figure two on the stamp and a figure ‘3’ in the margin, hence its double- barrelled name. There are six mint copies known but no used examples have turned up so far, making it one of the world’s great rarities. Issues with large white letters, 1865-67… SG 98 9d Plate 5. Watermark: Emblems This usually appears in the list of abnormals but it doesn’t quite qualify. Imprimatur sheets of plate 5 were produced, but they were not perforated at the time. Most experts believe that the stamps were perforated Left: a fine mint example of the 9d hairlines • Not a true abnormal – but a rare stamp nonetheless (images courtesy of BB Stamps) Right: 10ds are always worth checking for an Emblems watermark – especially with a Constantinople cancel (image courtesy of BB stamps) Left: with one straight edge, this stamp would be easy to ignore (image courtesy of BB Stamps) • Nibbled perfs – but still highly desirable (image courtesy of Stanley Gibbons)