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Brixton Chrome

Lot #161 Canada #455, 455iv 2c Green, Deep Green, Bright Green & Deep Bright Green, Pacific Coast Totem Pole, 1967-1973 Centennial Issue, A Specialized Lot of Plate 2 UR Blocks on DF and NF Papers

Lot #161 Canada #455, 455iv 2c Green, Deep Green, Bright Green & Deep Bright Green, Pacific Coast Totem Pole, 1967-1973 Centennial Issue, A Specialized Lot of Plate 2 UR Blocks on DF and NF Papers

An interesting group of plate 2 upper right corner blocks of the 2c Pacific Coast Totem Pole from the 1967-1973 Centennial issue, printed in both the basic green, bright green, deep green and deep bright green shades, and on different DF and NF papers and with different types of dextrine gum, as follows:

  • NF violet, green, smooth dex.
  • NF violet, deep bright green, smooth dex.
  • DF violet, green, smooth dex.
  • DF violet, bright green, smooth dex.
  • DF violet, deep green, smooth dex.
  • DF violet, bright green, smooth & streaky dex.
  • DF grey, deep green, smooth dex.
  • DF grey, bright green, streaky dex.

Although Unitrade and Harris list both DF and NF-fl papers, in reality there are several variations of DF, NF, NF-fl and DF-fl paper that can be found. Irwin and Freeman list these exhaustively in their book on this issue, and the above selection is only a sampling of some of these variations.

The 2c sheet stamps printed by CBN were printed in a number of different shades, depending on when the printings were made:

  • Plate 1 and 2 printings made between 1967 and 1968 tend to be in shades of green, deep green and deep bright green.
  • Plate 1 and 2 printings made between 1968 and 1970 tend to be printed in shades of deep bright green.
  • Plate 1 and 2 printings made between 1971 and 1973 tend to be printed in shades of bright green, though deep bright green is also found.

The collage shows the differences between some of these shades, though they are easier to see in the flesh for some reason.

The gum used on all printings to 1971 is dextrine, but within this category, there are a number of different types, which differ by the way the gum appears, when viewed in light:

  • Early printings have yellowish gum that appears either completely smooth, mildly streaky, or very streaky, and has a semi-gloss sheen.
  • Later printings made toward 1970 have gum that has a distinct satin sheen, and can occasionally appear grainy.

The PVA gum used on the plate 1 and 2 printings, shows very little variation, but a subtle difference can be found in the sheen and thickness of the gum, with the earlier printings having a thicker gum with a satin sheen, compared to a slightly thinner gum that has an eggshell sheen.

We have not checked the perforations on these blocks, due to time constaints. However, each side can exist with the following measurements: 11.9, 11.85, 11.95 and 12.

Unitrade values these blocks at $38.75, taking the NF block as $7.50, given that Unitrade lists singles at $1.50 each. The blocks are all VF, grading between 75 and 84,

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