Lot 270 Lagos SG#21 1/2d Dull Green Queen Victoria, 1884-1886 Queen Victoria New Color Keyplates Issue, 6 Very Fine Used Singles Crown CA Wmk, De La Rue Printing, Various Shade Combinations From 1885-1886 Printings

6 very fine used singles of the 1/2d dull green Queen Victoria from the 1884-1886 Queen Victoria New Color Keyplates Issue crown ca wmk, de la rue printing, various shade combinations from 1885-1886 printings.

The shades include pale dull green, dull green, deep dull green & dark green, deep dull green, gray green & deep green and bluish gray green. Catalogued in gibbons for the common printings made in 1900-1902, but these should be worth much more.

Gibbons values these at £4.8, so we estimate them at $20. The stamps offered here grade between 75 and 84 as follows:

Centering/Margins: 35/60, 40/60, 44/60

Paper Freshness: 5/5

Colour: 5/5

Impression: 5/5

Absence of Visible Paper Flaws: 5/5

Perforations: 10/10

Cancellation: 10/10

With the exception of the 1/2d and 1d, there were 11 printings between July 1884 and December 1886. The 1/2d and 1d continued to be produced after 1886 all the way up to 1902. The total quantities issued up to Dec. 1886 were; 1/2d (24,300 - 6 printings), 1d (41,400 - 11 printings), 2d (41,760 - 11 printings), 4d (41,760 - 11 printings), 6d (22,500 - 6 printings), 1/- (22,200 - 6 printings), 2/6d (900), 5/- (600) and 10/- (420). The 1/2d and 1d printed after 1886 outnumber the earlier printings by more than 10:1. 34 printings of the 1/2d totalling 805,980 to 1900 and a further 2 printings from plate 2 between 1901 & 1902 totallling 219,780. 3 printings of the 1d totalling 687,660 to 1900 and a further 2 printings from plate 2 totalling 375,900. The Gibbons prices for these 2 stamps of £2 and 50p are for the alter printings. Earlier ones eing identified by the appearance of the gum, or killer cancels.on used stamps.