AUSTRALIA – TASMANIA – Sc #AR26 – 6p – LILAC – USED - 1880

Description

AUSTRALIA – TASMANIA – Sc #AR26 – 6p – LILAC – USED - 1880
Subject = Duck-billed Platypus
Sc # = AR26
Value =
6p
Color = Lilac
Date = 1880
Condition = Used
Hinged Remnant =
yes
Cancel = Pen Cancel
My Grade = See Comment
Faults = Fault free
Comment = Stamps with virtually no margins such as this one drives me up a wall when it comes to grading. Scott’s catalogue provides the following grading guidance for stamps from Tasmania: “Very Fine examples of Nos. 17 – 75a will have perforations touching the design on one or more sides
••••. Stamps with perfs clear of the design on all four sides are scarce and command higher prices
.” The referenced stamps were produced during the years 1864 to 1891, this stamp was produced 1880 well within the production period designated by Scott for special grading guidance. These stamps also have minimum margins and centering concerns yet are not included by Scott’s special grading guidance. I do not understand how for 27 years the Australian facility produced stamps with features that are adverse to the stamp’s grade yet in the middle of this productions period these stamps were produce without those features, why? I simply don’t believe it.
When stamps with minimal margins have one or two sides with all the perfs on those sides touching or cutting into/through framelines what are the criteria for grading? Without additional guidance I believe this stamp should grade VG.
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