Lot 297 Lagos SG#35 (SC#27) 6d Deep Dull Purple & Claret, 6d Deep Dull Purple & Maroon and 6d Lilac & Plum, Queen Victoria, 1887-1902 Bicoloured Crown CA Watermarked Issue, 1st, 2nd and 5th Printing, Fine and Very Fine Mint OG Examples

Three fine and very fine mint OG examples of the 6d deep dull purple & claret, 6d deep dull purple & maroon and 6d lilac & plum Queen Victoria De La Rue Keyplate stamp from the 1887-1902 bicoloured Crown CA watermarked issue. According to J.F Ince in his definitive work, there were a total of 86,340 stamps sent to the colony and 23,400 remainders returned to London in 1905 for destruction. Thus, the net quantity issued was 62,940. This was spread out over what I believe to be 59 printings, made between March 1887 and October 1902. Although there is some variation in the head plate colour, most of the variation is in the ink used for the duty plate, which shows an astonishing amount of variation, from claret to aniline crimson. Like most values of this set, the progression of the printings can be identified by the degree of plate wear which first shows up in the detail of the Queen's hair and the diadem, as I explain in my blog posts. The very last printings made in October 1902 are from the new plate 2, and show full detail in the Queen's hair and crown. These stamps come from the first, 2nd and 5th printings respectively.

Stanley Gibbons values three VF-75 mint examples at 14.25 pounds = $29, for hinged. These are all early printings and are much scarcer than the later ones, which the catalogue price is based on. So my estimate of the value for these is $35.

I have written four blog posts which outline the differences between the printings. You can access the first one here.

The stamps offered here grade between F-66 and VF-80 as follows:

Margins/centering: 40/70 and 50/70

Paper freshness: 5/5 and 1/5

Colour: 5/5

Impression: 5/5

Absence of visible paper flaws: 5/5

Perforations: 10/10