Lot #209 Canada #455pv 2c Bright Green, Pacific Coast Totem Pole, 1967-1973 Centennial Issue, A Specialized Group of 3 LL VFNH Blank General Tagged Blocks on Different LF-fl Bluish Ribbed Papers, Satin PVA Gum

An interesting group of 3 lower left corner blocks of the 2c Pacific Coast Totem Pole from the 1967-1973 Centennial issue, printed in the bright green shade, all general Ottawa tagged, and printed on different LF-fl papers. Satin PVA gum and different perforations as follows:

• LF-fl ribbed paper with an ambient fluorescence of LF bluish, which is made brighter by sparse concentrations of LF and MF fibres, perf. 11.85, and 11.85 x 11.9.
• LF bluish ribbed paper, perf. 11.85 x 11.9.

Although Unitrade and Harris list LF-fl paper, in reality there are several variations of LF paper and this also exists MF-fl and HF-fl. The basic colour under UV and the concentration and brightness of fluorescent fibres in the paper is what separates the different varieties. 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 position in the print layout of a block can often be determined by examining the relative widths of the selvedge, as well as by carefully examining the continuity of the tag bars, though in the case of general tagging, this is less telling, as the bars do not pass all the way through the selvedge. For Winnipeg tagging upper and lower panes will have the tag bars stop just short of the edge of the selvedge, wheras blocks that show the tagging going all the way through the selvedge will be from the top edge of the bottom panes, or the bottom edge of the top pane. Similarly, the blocks from the centre panes will show a discontinuity in the tagging where one set of tagging bars ends and another begins.

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 or deep bright green.
• Plate 1 and 2 printings made between 1968 and 1970 tend to be printed in shades of paler green or deep bright green.
• Plate 1 and 2 printings made between 1971 and 1973 tend to be printed in shades of bright green.

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 after 1971, 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.

Unitrade values these blocks at $18. The blocks are VF grading between 75 and 84.