Lot 427 Canada #597aivar 25c Multicolored Polar Bears, 1972-1977 Landscape Definitives, A VFNH Single Showing Siamese Bears Variety, Type 2, Perf 13.3 On NF Gray/LF-fl Smooth Paper

A VFNH single of the 25c multicolored Polar Bears from the 1972-1977 Landscape Definitives showing siamese bears variety, type 2, perf 13.3 on NF gray/LF-fl smooth paper.

The Siamese Bears variety in which the bears appear to be joined. This arises due to a color shift: the second layer of blue that was added to strengthen the shaodws of the bears, and appears on the back of each bear is shifted rightward joining them. It is the scarcest of the color shift varieties on this issue, and while i used to see them offered for sale years ago, i seldom see them now. I have only seen these on the perf 13.3 type 2. The back of the paper is LF-fl which is NF-fl with sparse LF & MF fibers &43:43woodpulp.

Unitrade values this at $12. The stamp offered here grades 75 as follows:

Centering/Margins: 45/70

Paper Freshness: 5/5

Colour: 5/5

Impression: 5/5

Absence of Visible Paper Flaws: 5/5

Perforations: 10/10

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 varieties that exists on this value are the Siamese bears and the water on ice variety, in which water appears on the ice sheet to the right of the bears. This value also comes in two very distinct shades: a pale blue water, which often has a greenish cast, and a much deeper, brighter blue, which lacks the greenish tone, that I call the baby blue. This colour appears on both the type 1 and type 2 printings, and all perf. 13 printings are exclusively this colour. The pale blue seems to be limited to type 1 printings.

The original OP-4 migratory tagging can be found in two colours: bluish white bars and yellow bars. The difference does not appear to be due to the migration, as non-migrated examples can be found of the faded, bluish white tagging, while the yellow bars are almost always migrated, but there are a few non-migrated examples. The scans show what the difference between migrated and non-migrated tagging looks like. Often, the migration makes the inks appear to be fluorescent, when they are not. Unitrade asserts that non-OP4 tagges stamps contaminated with the tagging are damaged stamps, which may lead one to conclude that migrated OP-4 stamps are defective, but such is not the case. Most OP4 stamps are fully or partially migrated at this point, some 50 years after they were issued, and very little migration will occur now.