Lot 498 Canada #O40 1c Reddish Violet Brown & Reddish Chocolate Queen Elizabeth II, 1954-1962 Wilding Issue, 3 Fine & VFNH Plate 8n Pairs DF1 Smooth/Ribbed Paper, Thin G Overprint, Semi-Gloss Cream and Streaky Semi-Gloss Cream Gums

3 Fine & VFNH plate 8n pairs of the 1c reddish violet brown & reddish chocolate Queen Elizabeth II from the 1954-1962 Wilding Issue DF1 smooth/ribbed paper, thin g overprint, semi-gloss cream and streaky semi-gloss cream gums. Includes: (1) streaky semi-gloss cream gum, & reddish violet brown; (2) semi-gloss cream gum, reddish violet brown; (3) streaky semi-gloss cream gum, & reddish chocolate brown.

Unitrade values the blocks at $55. Our estimate for the pairs is $28. The pairs offered here grade 70-84 as follows:

Centering/Margins: 40/70, 45/70 and 50/70

Paper Freshness: 5/5

Colour: 5/5

Impression: 5/5

Absence of Visible Paper Flaws: 5/5

Perforations: 10/10 and 6/10

The Wilding Issue is considerably more complex than both Harris and Unitrade suggest. In addition to the basic horizontal/vertical ribbed paper distinction, the horizontal ribbed paper can be found with ribbing on both the front, and the back, as well as ribbed on front and smooth on back. Then, starting in the later half of the 1950's, the paper becomes smooth on front and ribbed on back, before finally becoming smooth on both sides. Each value can be collected thus, and in addition, the DF paper can actually be broken down into two fluorescence levels and two predominant colours under UV for each of these levels. The dullest paper is DF1, and can be found to give either a light violet glow under UV, or a brownish grey colour. Then, there is a brighter DF2 paper, which is not quite bright enough to be LF, but is noticeably brighter than the DF1 paper. It can be give either a bluish white glow under UV, or a cream glow under UV. Finally, there is a true LF paper, which is bluish white under UV and is quite scarce. For these printings, a plethora of shade varieties can be found, especially on the 4c and 5c values. Each value can be found in at least 2 shades though. Finally, the gum exhibits collectible differences also, with the early printings having a glossy yellowish to yellowish cream gum, which becomes less glossy and more streaky as one progresses through the 1950's. The printings made on the vertical ribbed paper, between 1960 and 1963 can be found with clear vertical ribbing on the gum side, and with no clear ribbing, and in a variety of levels of fluorescence other than those listed. The subcategories of DF paper, described previously for the horizontal wove paper, can more or less be found on the vertical ribbed papers also. Satin and semi-gloss yellowish gums can be found on these printings, and there are a variety of shades to be found on these also.