The Great Britain
1858-1879 1d rose-red showing a plate number 77.
With only eleven or so recorded copies, this stamp rates as one of the world's
greatest philatelic rarities.
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It is only now that thanks to the discovery of
a most remarkable part cover franked with three copies of this iconic stamp
that questions have been raised over the way the accepted stamps showing a plate
number 77 were printed.
The corner letters on the stamps on this cover matched those from plate 73,
and this revelation could mean that all the stamps showing a plate number 77
were produced from other re-engraved plates. This cover has without doubt stirred
up much controversy and scepticism and has opened the doors to research hitherto
never executed before.