Lot 265 Nigeria SC#59/68 1938-1952 King George VI Issue, Different Printings and Shades, 8 VFNH Singles, Click on Listing to See ALL Pictures, 2022 Scott Classic Cat. $60.5 USD

8 VFNH singles from the 1938-1952 King George VI Issue. Different printings. Specialized group of 8 different printings of the 3d black, 4d blue & 4d orange. The Scott numbers range from 59 to 68, and include 59, 67-68. 2022 Scott Classic cat. $60.5.

The 1938-1952 King George VI definitive issue provides a fascinating study for specialists, as the set was reprinted at least oce a year throught the King's reign. Most of the printings can be distinguished by differences in the shades, paper, perforation and gum. The low values were printed by Bradbury Wilkinson, while the high values were printed by De La Rue. On the low values the printings can be split into pre-war, wartime and postwar printings, and each of these can be further subdivided. Generally the pre-war printings are on cream paper and have a gum with an uneven shine, that sometimes has irregular vertical cracks running through it. On these the watermark sometimes appears indented on the paper surface. The wartime printings are on whiter paper and usually have crackly gum, and on the 1943-44 printings, the watermark is highly transaparent and appears quite dark. The gum is either white crackly gum or yellowish smooth gum. The postwar printings can be separated into the line perforated stamps, issued before 1950 and the perf. 11.5 comb perforated stamps issued in 1950. The paper is generally white, the watermark of average clarity and the gum is smooth and white. On the comb perforated printings the earlier printings show no mesh in the paper, while the late 1951-52 printings are on paper that shows very distinct cross hatched mesh. The high values are trickier to separate, as the two main perforations 13.5 and 14 were used for short periods, before being replaced by the other perforation. Generally you have to look at subtle differences in the orange and ultramarine shades, the gum and the paper, though many of the same comments as applied to the low values will apply here also.