Auction 250 - 256 Day 1

1883: 10 s. grey-green on slightly blued paper, Plate 1, wmk. Anchor, lettered BD, an imperforate (re-registered) Imprimatur, large margins all round, overprinted SPECIMEN (Type 9) in black. The stamp with two minor gum wrinkles on large part og. Exceptionally rare in this form with just four examples believed extant, see Marcus Samuel & Alan Huggins 'Great Britain Specimen Stamps & Postal Stationery' page 127-128 where this stamp is discussed "5 sent to Cleave". Extremely rare. Cert. BPA (1995) Gi J125 = £ 46'000.rnProvenance: Collection Bailey, Harmers, London, 24 Jan. 1955, lot 479 (as a pair BC-BD); R. Lowe, 14 Nov. 1956, lot 444 (as a single); Phillips, 7 Sept. 1995, lot 398.