The 1865 Queen Victoria 4d – Persistence pays off!

Peter McCann gave members an update on his long-running attempt to collect all the GB surface printed stamps from Queen Victoria’s reign with a circular date stamp (cds.)

Remarkably, after 20 years, he had finally completed the set of the 1865 4d vermilion stamps! Note the variety of shades on the photo below.

Plates used were 7 – 14. Plate 9 was the last and the hardest for Peter to find.

Killer cancelled stamps obliterating the stamp are very common apparently. Interestingly, Peter located over 1200 on one particular day on eBay of which only thirteen featured a cds (and all were plate 13 or 14).

Many collectors are totally puzzled why Stanley Gibbons price fine used stamps of this era often higher than their counterparts used abroad.

Surely used abroad cancels would be much more scarce? No. Not so. 

Even just looking at the picture, it is quickly apparent how many of the stamps are cancelled with clear Malta cds marks. 

They are relatively common compared to GB cds examples, which are like hen’s teeth.

Peter set the challenge to try collecting these 1865 4d plates each with a Preston cds …it may well be literally impossible, whilst for Malta, it is probably fairly easy.