Great Britain 1840 1d black Plate 8, SG2 Sierra Leone stamps from vignette plate "3" showing

from vignette plate "3" showing variety "Lightning conductor" (R2/5)

Accompanied with a 2010 British Philatelic Association (BPA) certificate of authenticity

Imprimaturs represent the first stamps printed from the approved and finished printing plate and are highly desirable

The most accepted views are that a harder substance than wax was used to fill the grooves or the area was completely ground away on the printing plate

This is indeed a well deserved and splendid tribute to you and your ability

Great Britain 1840 1d black Plate 8, SG2 Sierra Leone stamps from vignette plate "3" showingGreat Britain 1840 1d black Plate 8, SG2. A superb unmounted mint, with full original gum, four margin pair lettered 'LB LC', beautiful deep impression and pristine gum. A very rare multiple in this quality. It is most certainly one of the finest pairs of the world's first postage stamp we have ever handled. A very difficult printing plate to find in mint condition, never mind unmounted mint as a pair! Stanley Gibbons catalogue value: 45,000. Plate 8