Lot 271 St. Vincent #17 1/- Deep Rose Red Queen Victoria, 1875 Line Engraved Issue, A Fine Used Example, Sideways Small Star Watermark, Perf. 11-12.5

A Fine Used Example 1/- deep rose red Queen Victoria 1875 Line Engraved Issue, with sideways small star watermark, perf. 11-12.5..

Gibbons values this at £140, but we're estimating at $120. The stamp offered here grades 70 as follows:

Centering/Margins: 45/70

Paper Freshness: 5/5

Colour: 5/5

Impression: 5/5

Absence of Visible Paper Flaws: 5/5

Perforations: 5/10

Cancellation: 10/10

It is important to note that like all line engraved issues printed by Perkins Bacon and De La Rue, this issue was generally very poorly centered, due to the very narrow spacing between stamps in the sheets. In addition, the perforations are usually very rough with those described as rough perf, being almost indistinguishable as to specific perforation teeth. Even those stamps described as having clean cut perf, are still very rough compared to the subsequent De La Rue issues. On these, it is still the norm to find perfs that are hard to make out and both short perforations and somewhat rounded corners are the norm, rather than the exception. Generally speaking, VF stamps will be those that appear well balanced, but will generally have perforations touching, or cutting lightly into the design on at least one side, and on as many as 4 sides. Perforatons on VF stamps will be clearly all present, with no or very few pulled perfs, but the perforations will not be of even length. Fine stamps will be those that are noticeably, but not wildly off-center in 1 or 2 directions. Fine stamps may have between 1 and 3 short or pulled perforations. VG examples will be wildly off-centre and may have several pulled perforations.