Lot 270 Bahamas (C) #162var, 166var 1/2d & 2.5d Bluish Green & Ultramarine King George VI, 1942-1945 Landfall Of Columbus Issue, 2 Fine & VFOG Singles Overprinted 1938 Printings With Toned Gum Showing Unlisted Plate & Overprint Varieties

2 fine & VFOG singles of the 1/2d & 2.5d bluish green & ultramarine King George VI from the 1942-1945 Landfall Of Columbus Issue overprinted 1938 printings with toned gum showing unlisted plate & overprint varieties. The landfall overprints were made first using old, unoverprinted stock, which will be primarily 1938, 1941 and in some cases early 1942 printings. Then, in late 1942 new printings were made for the express purpose of using them for the overprinting. The 1/- and 5/- on the thin, striated paper being 2 examples. As a result, very, very few exist without the overprint, and when found are rarities. The basic set was printed by both De La Rue, Bradbury Wilkinson and Waterlow. De La Rue printed the keyplate designs, while Waterlow printed the engraved low value designs, and Bradbury printed the 2/- and 3/- values. The initial 1938 De La Rue Printings can be identified by the plate-glazed paper, that appears completely smooth under magnification. The gum on these printings is usually yellowish and has a somewhat random crazing pattern. This crazing pattern is also common to all 1938 Waterlow printings, which can also be identified by the opaque paper. The initial Bradbury printings show the centres in a slate purple colour. Subsequent printings have this in what Gibbons calls brownish black, but in reality is a brownish grey that lacks the violet tone. The clarity of the watermark can be a guide to identifying the 1944 versus the 1942 printings, with the later having a less clear watermark.

Stanley Gibbons 2019 does not list this variety, but values the basic stamp at GBP0.8. Our estimate of the value, in the condition offered is $30. The stamps offered here grade 70, 84 as follows:

Centering/Margins: 40/70, 54/70

Paper Freshness: 5/5

Colour: 5/5

Impression: 5/5

Absence of Visible Paper Flaws: 5/5

Perforations: 10/10

The 1/2d shows a plate a variety consisting of a dot to the right of the A of Half and a small dash between L&F of Half. The 2.5d shows the constant dot in "O" of "Of". I know this is constant because I have seen it on other values of this issue.