FOURTH ISSUE
This issue was typewritten on thin wove unwatermarked transfer paper cut from a folio letter-copying book. As this paper did not take ink, all sheets, with the exception of one black carbon sheet of the 2d. value from Plate 1, were initialled in black indelible pencil. The exceptional sheet was initialled in red ink; it is listed by Stanley Gibbons as S.G.30c. This entire issue, perhaps even more so than is the case with the previous issue, is on extremely flimsy paper; many creases are to be expected. They consist of pre-typing paper creases, production paper creases and post-production creases.
Halfpenny Value
One plate was produced; Plate 6 consisting of 24 stamps. Paper slippage caused the stamps of the bottom row to be 42-43mm. high instead of the usual 38-39mm. Each of these four stamps has ten colons in the frame at either side instead of the usual nine. On the second stamp in the bottom row, a lower case "r" was typed in error and an upper case "R" was typed over the top of it. The major varieties were:
a) Large and small "R" in "Revenue",
10 colons at both sides Plate 6; Pos. 22
b) 10 colons at both sides Plate 6; Pos. 21
Plate 6; Pos. 23
Plate 6; Pos. 24
A total of 144 stamps in all were produced made up of ½d. stamps in black top impressions, in black carbons copies, in blue, and in mauve. 30 remainders were destroyed. A distinction has to be made between top impressions and black carbon copies and they are treated as two separate stamps.
½d. Black, top impressions, (S.G.23)
24 were produced, consisting of one sheet of twenty-four from Plate 6. All were top impressions typed with black ribbon. 7 unused examples, including one in the Royal Collection, and four used examples, consisting of one used on small piece, one used on cover back, and two used on front and back of the same cover, have been recorded. No multiple has been recorded. Some may have been among the remainders of the ½d. black carbon copies destroyed, but no separate record was kept.
Plate 6
unused Single [21], showing 10 colons at both sides, unused; minor creasing; very rare.
Details
unused Single [21], showing 10 colons at both sides, unused; minor creasing; very rare.
Further details
Note: This is one of seven recorded unused examples of this stamp and the only recorded example from the bottom row.