Stamps showing a plate number 77-

Some thinking on their 'First' appearance

The following are the dates the accepted stamps showing a plate 77 were discovered or first recorded to exist:

- The unused stamps: Stamp AB: 1919, Stamp AC: 1918, Stamp BA: Between 1865 and 1891

- The used stamps: Stamp LL: 1906, Stamp MI: 1944, Stamp NC: 1994, Stamp PH: 1924, Stamp PI: 1920

It is quite safe to say that since all the used stamps were discovered at random then they would have therefore been released to the public in the normal way and at the time this issue was current i.e. between 1864 and 1879.

The unused examples however would merit from some thought and consideration.

In my view if the unused stamps originated from the rejected imperforate imprimatur sheet as some would believe, then these stamps would still be imperforate today. Why would one wish to perforate a rare sheet of stamps and then gum it bearing in mind the fact that it has been badly laid down for perforation and knowing that the result would undoubtedly be stamps of all shapes and sizes?

Investigating the imperforate imprimatur sheets for this issue held at the British Museum Archives, it soon becomes apparent that all the stamps from row A and part of row B are missing. These stamps have been removed by favour at the cost of deforming an archive item indicating that those who acquired them were ‘VIPs’ who may have had an interest in imperforate imprimaturs. Why else would a pristine record item be defaced at the cost of depriving those who wish access to an important and unique record of a 'first impression' of these positions.

One can perhaps see how an imperforate plate 77 imprimatur, if it ever existed, would have fit into this mould. It would have been perfectly collectable as such, i.e. as an imperforate proof, so why would anyone wish to perforate it?

The following link will perhaps help illustrate this point.

http://catalogue.postalheritage.org.uk/dserve/phillips/Phillips.html

Volume XXVIII

The British Postal Museum & Archive

Stamp BA

Stamp BA was only recorded to reside in the Tapling collection. Thomas Keay Tapling started stamp collecting in 1865 at the age of ten. His wealthy position enabled him to purchase the collections of many a known collector at that time which included the collections of W.E. Image, W.A.S. Westoby, Edward B Evans and Georges and Martial Caillebotte. This stamp may either have come from one of these or perhaps from another collection or it may have been purchased privately between 1865 and 1891.

Stamps AB and AC

Stamp AB was purchased by King George V in 1918 and stamp AC was purchased by Chas. Nissen in 1919. It is quite safe to assume that these two unused stamps resided in private collections for most of their lives and remained as such totally undiscovered until persona of note handled them and brought them to light. The philatelic world today abounds with rare stamps which are known to exist but whose whereabouts have been unknown for decades. Plate 77 stamps AC and MI are two classical examples of this.

As far as any other plate 77 stamps that are stated or believed to exist, say stamp AA or any other not mentioned above. While these stamps may well exist, I feel that unless we have some concrete evidence of this in the form of images or other substantiated information then any conjecture about them would be quite worthless to the advancement of the plate 77 case.

The following two links may provide some food for thought as to how these stamps may have come to be.

http://1dplate77.com/1dplate77/OrmondHill.htm

http://1dplate77.com/1dplate77/platesoncover.htm

Further details on the provenance and history of each of the accepted plate 77 stamps can be read on the following link:

http://www.1dplate77.com/1dplate77/provenancedstamps.htm

Abed H Najjar