Lot 409 Canada #594,ii,iii 10c Multicolored Forest, 1972-1977 Landscape Definitives, 12 VFNH Singles Showing The Variations That Exist In The Fluorescence & Appearance Of Green Background, Type 1, Perf. 12.5 x 12, Vertical Ribbed Paper, W2B, OP2 and OP4

12 VFNH singles of the 10c multicolored Forest from the 1972-1977 Landscape Definitives showing the variations that exist in the paper fluorescence & appearance of green background. All are typpe 1, perf. 12.5 x 12, and on vertical ribbed paper. The lot includes:
• LF grayish/NF grayish with sparse woodpulp flecks, nearly solid background, W2B tagging, off white paper
• LF gray-blue/DF gray-blue, nearly solid background, off white paper, W2B tagging
• DF gray-blue/NF gray, nearly solid background, off white paper, OP2 tagging
• LF/DF blue, nearly solid background, OP2
• DF gray/fluorescent yellow, yellow OP4 tagging, vertical ribbed screened background – 594
• DF gray/fluorescent yellow, pale yellow tagging, semi solid background - 594
• DF gray-blue/fluorescent yellow, yellowish tagging, screened background
• DF gray blue/fluorescent yellow, pale yellow tagging, semi solid background
• DF gray/DF gray, pale tag, screened background
• DF grayish/DF grayish flecked, sparse LF, semi solid background, W2B tagging
• DF grayish/NF gray semi solid background, W2B tagging, off white paper
• LF gray-blue/NF gray, sparse woodpulps, nearly solid background, W2B tagging

Unitrade values this at $15.8. The stamps offered here grade between 75 and 84 as follows:

Centering/Margins: 45/70, 50/70, 54/70

Paper Freshness: 5/5

Colour: 5/5

Impression: 5/5

Absence of Visible Paper Flaws: 5/5

Perforations: 10/10

The 10c Forest, in addition to the two main types can be found with background printing that varies in terms of how solid the printing appears. The coarsest is the screened background, in which individual screening dots are visible in the numerals, postes-postage and the background colour. These dots are clearly separated. The screened background is by far the scarcest of the types. Then, there is the semi-solid background, in which the dots are still visible, but are beginning to merge into one another. The nearly solid background is almost solid, but some screening dots can still be made out. The solid background may have some jaggedness to the lines, but there will be no individually discremable screening dots visible. Nearly all of the type 2 printings are either the nearly solid or solid background. The perf. 13.3 printings all have the solid background.

We have listed the two or three colour shift varieties that can be found on each of the values in this issue. For some strange reason, Unitrade only listed, until recently those varieties related to the 15c and 25c values. They de-listed them in the 2023 edition of the catalogue on the grounds that they aren't constant. However, our position is that this was a poor decision because these varieties are visually striking and thus very much collectible in our opinion. They also are not anywhere near as common as one might think, making up between 5-10% of all the stamps printed for each major printing. For each of the varieties found on the 10c, 20c and 50c that were never listed in Unitrade, we have coined a name for the variety and explained what causes it. We have generally estimated most at between $5-$15 each, which is in line with what Unitrade valued them at before they de-listed them. The main variety that exists on this issue is the Vegetation Invasion issue, in which green ink appears inside one or two letters of "Canada", due to a sideways shift of the deep green colour. I have only found this variety on perf. 12.5 x 12 type 2 printings, which suggests they are limited to plate 2.