Lagos SG#1 1d Reddish Lilac & Dull Purple 2nd Printing Crown CC Watermark Perf. 12.5 F-69 UN

A fine mint small part OG example of the 1d reddish lilac & dull purple Queen Victoria De La Rue Keyplate stamp from the 1874-1876 Perf. 12.5 Crown CC issue. According to J.F Ince in his definitive work, there were a total of 19,800 stamps issued across 6 different printings between May 12, 1874 and May 13, 1875. This example is from the scarce second printing from September 14, 1874, of which only 2,400 stamps were printed. Vertical wove paper showing no visible mesh and watermarked crown CC. Very small part original gum, which has toned brownish. We have therefore considered this exampleto be unused, which does not detract significantly as full original gum is not often found on crown CC issues. Stanley Gibbons values a VF-75 mint example of the more common sixth printing at 80 pounds = $160. However, only 12% of all stamps in existence are from the second printing, and consequently in our opinion, they are worth at least double the Gibbons price. A fine unused example should be worth about 25% of this higher amount, so approximately $80. The stamp offered here grades F-69 unused as follows: Margins/centering: 54/70 Paper freshness: 0/5 (some soiling at the top margin) Colour: 5/5 Impression: 5/5 Absence of visible paper flaws: 5/5 Perforations: 0/10 (a few nibbed perfs at top and short perf at lower left)