Lot 99 Canada #341ii 5c Bright Blue Queen Elizabeth II, 1954 Wilding Definitives, A VFNH UR Blank Block Of 4 On Smooth Fluorescent Paper

A VFNH UR blank block of 4 of the 5c bright blue Queen Elizabeth II from the 1954 Wilding Definitives on smooth fluorescent paper.

Unitrade values this at $150. The block offered here grades 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

In lotting the plate blocks for this issue this week, my approach was a little different, due to time constraints. Rather than gather all the blocks I had from the various sources, sorting and then makign up lots, I made up all the lots from the first source, and then as I went through subsequent sources,. I made comparisons to what I already had picked out and added any new varieties. Thus my initial descriptive sentences describe the blocks that were first selected. Then, the points underneath this describe any new items added. Where I list a plate with "X shades" next to it, this means there are X shade variations of the paper type first referred to in the description. Where I list a paper type that is different from the main description this means that it is an additional variety that I found and included.

The plate blocks are one the key itens necessary to form a comprehensive collection of this issue, because they are the only way you can properly sequence the many printings that were made of these stamps. They are a fantastic way to display the myriad of shades that can be found on the 4c and 5c values, and to a lesser extent the 1c, 2c and 3c values. I have written several blog posts on this issue which you can access via the links in the main auction page. These will explain the terminology used in the lot descriptions, and the significance of plate blocks to this issue. We have not attempted to describe the shades, but where we state that there are multiple shades, they are different from one another, whether those differences are obvious or subtle. We have also not attempted to measure the perforations using an Instanta gauge, as it would take far too long to check the many hundreds of blocks listed in this sale. Please be aware though that although Unitrade lists these stamps as perf. 12, the measurements vary from 11.85 to 12.15 on both sides and many compounds exist.

Other than fluorescence, which does not really come into play until the early 1960's, with the latest printings, the thickness, opacity and texture of the paper used to print the stamps varies considerably, and there are four main types of paper found on the low plates , and three on the high plates. On the low plates the most common type is horizontal ribbed on both sides. You can also find ribbed on the front and smooth on the back, or smooth on front and ribbed on the back. There is also a very strongly ribbed paper that can be found also, where the ribbing is obvious, without having to hold it at an angle to a light source. Gradually as you approach 1957-1958 the paper becomes smooth on the front, ribbed on the back, and then finally it is smooth on both sides. On the high plates the ribbing runs vertically, when it is visible. The earlier plates tend to be smooth on the front and ribbed on the back. Some of the intermediate plates are ribbed on both sides, and finally the very last plates had the paper smooth on both sides. Gum also varies from streaky to smooth and from shiny to satin sheen. We did not attempt to describe the gums on the blocks offered in the sale, except where it was necessary to properly identify a printing. We would note that there are many different colours of gum and sheens to be found on the blocks in each lot.