Lot 318 Lagos SG#40 (SC#36) 5/- Dull Green & Ultramarine, Queen Victoria, 1887-1902 Bicoloured Crown CA Watermarked Issue, a VF OG Example, 2022 Scott Classic Cat. $50 USD, Click on Listing to See ALL Pictures

A very well centered and very fine mint OG example of the 5/- dull green & ultramarine, Queen Victoria De La Rue Keyplate stamp from the 1887-1902 bicoloured Crown CA watermarked issue. According to J.F Ince in his definitive work, there were a total of 28,320 stamps sent to the colony and 18,900 remainders returned to London in 1905 for destruction. Thus, the net quantity issued was 9,420. This was spread out over what I believe to be 18 printings, made between March 1887 and August 1901. Both the head plates and the duty plates show significant shade variations. Like most values of this set, the progression of the printings can be identified by the degree of plate wear which first shows up in the detail of the Queen's hair and the diadem, as I explain in my blog posts. This stamp comes from a mid-period printing.

2022 Scott Classic values a VF-75 mint OG example at $50.

I have written a blog post which outlines the differences between the printings. You can access it here.

The stamp offered here grades VF-78 as follows:

Margins/centering: 54/70

Paper freshness: 3/5

Colour: 5/5

Impression: 5/5

Absence of visible paper flaws: 5/5

Perforations: 6/10