Lot 291 Lagos #21 1/2d Dull Bluish Green Queen Victoria, 1884-1886 Queen Victoria New Color Keyplates Issue, A Very Fine Unused Single Crown CA Wmk, De La Rue Printing, White Dot To left of 'A' Of Lagos

A very fine unused single of the 1/2d dull bluish green Queen Victoria from the 1884-1886 Queen Victoria New Color Keyplates Issue Crown CA Wmk, De La Rue printing, white dot to left of 'a' of Lagos.

Gibbons doesn't list tis variety, so we estimate it at $10. The stamp offered here grades 80 as follows:

Centering/Margins: 50/70

Paper Freshness: 5/5

Colour: 5/5

Impression: 5/5

Absence of Visible Paper Flaws: 5/5

Perforations: 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.