Lot 307 Canada #594iv, 10c Multicolored Landscapes, 1972-1977 Caricature Issue, A VFNH UL Scarce Field Stock Block Of 4 On Smooth DF Paper, W2B Tagging

A VFNH UL field stock block of 4 of the 10c multicolored landscapes from the 1972-1977 Caricature Issue on smooth DF paper with W2B tagging. This is one of the key blocks of the set, as the vast majority of Winnipeg tagged stamps are on the vertically ribbed paper.

Unitrade values this at $60. The block 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

The caricature and landscape definitive issue is an important issue in the sense that there are several aspects to the stamps that appear on the philatelic scene for the very first time. The most remarkable is that it is the first issue in which the fluorescence of the paper on the front of the stamps can differ from the fluorescence on the back, due both to the properties of the newly developed PVA gum and the chalk coatings found on the mid values. The scarcity of many of these varieties is vastly underestimated by many collectors, largely because Unitrade gives the impression that many are of equal scarcity. However, this is not the case at all. The vast majority, being about 75-85% of all stamps you examine will fall into a fairly narrow range of varieties. On the low values this would be the low fluorescent paper, and on the mid values it would be the vertically ribbed DF or NF paper on the perf. 12.5 x 12 type 1's, or most of the perf. 13.3 type 2's. The perf. 12.5 x 12 type 2 stamps, are much scarcer than the catalogue prices would indicate. The second aspect is the scarcity of field stock corner blocks. Indeed, the vast majority of the better printings are found on field stock corners. A third aspect to this issue is that there are many unlisted combinations of front and back fluorescence that are not listed, and these can be readily identified by comparing them to blocks of other values.