Lot 98 Canada #J31iii 4c Carmine Rose 1973-1977, 3rd Centennial Postage Due Issue, 2 VFNH Center Block Of 4 And A Single On HB Paper With PVA Gum, Perf 12, Plate Varieties

2 VFNH center block of 4 and a single of the 4c carmine rose 1973-1977 from the 3rd Centennial Postage Due Issue on HB paper with PVA gum, perf 12, Plate Varieties.

Dot in margin under VO of recevoir (pos 21) & short dash in LL corner of UR stamp (pos 65).

Unitrade values these at $20. The stamps offered here grade 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

There are several important points to keep in mind when reading the lot descriptions for the Centennial postage due stamps. First, there are a large number of constant and semi-constant plate varieties, including donut flaws that are not listed in Unitrade, despite the fact that they are constant, as evidenced by the fact that I have seen them on multiple blocks and sheets in the exact same positions. The donut flaws are particularly significant because it has been long thought that they are random printing flaws and have little philatelic signifcance. However, they are constant, at least on this issue and therefore have as much philatelic significance as any other plate variety. The varieties on the first and second issue consist mainly of dots and small dashes of lines in the margins, very similar to the cylinder flaws found on the BABN printed 6-8c Cemtennial issue stamps. Then, with the third issue, the varieties persist on the smooth paper printings, but are almost entirely absent on the ribbed paper printings. They then reappear again on the fourth issue, particulatly the 8c, which has some wonderful flaws. The second point to bear in mind is that the fluorescence designations are all wrong in Unitrade. Many stamps described as being LF are actually MF and many DF stamps are actually LF-fl. There are also many variations that are not listed for all issues. The third point to bear in mind is that despite what Unitrade asserts about not being able to distinguish used examples of the third issue on smooth paper from the second issue, it is in fact possible to tell them apart. The paper on the second issue has a high degree of surface porosity and often appears slightly ribbed on the back. The colour is usually closer to carmined red. The third issue stamps are rosier in shade and the paper is rough on the surface under a loupe, and lackes the porosity. Finally I do believe that the listing for J35iii the 10c on ribbed effect strongly specked MF paper is incorrect: the only such paper we have seen is smooth. The only ribbed paper we have seen on the 10c is DF.