GB 1849 2d Blue Plate 4
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Issued in 1849 the imperf plate 4 was later chosen to be perforated in 1854 and exists in 2 perforation sizes.
This is the 2d Blue Plate 4 page, So includes any stamps imperf/perf 16 or Perf 14 from this plate. These may be found in the "more images" area:
CLICK HERE for a Small GB Exhibit on the 2d Plate 4 Corrosion history By Roger Marsh
- Registration Date: 6 December 1849.
- Reported first use 22 March 1850 (imperf), 1 March 1854 (Perf 16), 4 March 1955 (Perf 14).
- Last printing 14 May 1855.
- Destroyed: 8 May 1856
- Sheets Printed 191,000 imperf, 64,400 perf 16 and 12,500 perf 14.
- Missing Imprimaturs AA-AL HE-HL IK TL.
- Constant Plate characteristics: Watermark small crown. Alphabet 1.
This is a fascinating plate as it spans the introduction of perforation giving data on the progression of corrosion. Unlike plate 3 it was laid down without Guide lines or dots so any stamp with these is from plate 3. Perforated stamps are distinguishable by being Alphabet 1 whilst plate 5 are Alphabet 2 and plate 6 is Alphabet 3. Like plate 3 it suffered from corrosion and attempts were made at cleaning although most of the corrosion was progressive. Initially the marginal inscription said £2 per sheet but later it was decided to distribute half sheets and the inscription was changed to £1 per sheet. Possibly as a result of this the A and T rows were affected more by wear and some were repaired by re-entry. The lettering BH suffered a scratch in the imperf era leading to the "Spectacles" variety.
- Re-Entries: Fresh Entry (This is a re-entry occurring in the initial laying down of the plate) CE TH
- Repairs: Repair by Re-Entry
- First repair (in the imperf period)(= State 2) AB-AF,AI and TB,TC,TF,TG,TH.
- Second repair (during the perf period)
- of previously un-repaired stamps (= State 2) AA TD
- and of previously repaired stamps (= State 3) AB-D TB-C
- For details of the repairs please see "later states" at the base of the page.
- For details of double letters, corrosion and other varieties please see Volume 18 of "The Essential Guide to the Great Britain Line Engraved 1d and 2d Stars 1840-64" by Dr Kenneth Statham. Pub E Paul Ltd. ISBN 1-899930-24-8. Also "Two Pence Blue Plating Guide" by Mike Jackson ISBN 978-0-9528274-6-7. Also see "British Line Engraved Stamps Twopence Blue Studies of plates 1-15" by H Osborne, MD.
For details of the repairs to the A and T rows please see Brewer A.G. The GB Journal Vol 11 No 3 May 1973 pp 50-54 and No 4 July 73 pp 75-9.
| A Row | | B Row | | C Row | | D Row | | E Row | | F Row | | G Row | | H Row | | I Row | | J Row | |
| K Row | | L Row | | M Row | | N Row | | O Row | | P Row | | Q Row | | R Row | | S Row | | T Row | |
Missing Imprimatur positions courtesy of [1]
State 1
A Row
B Row
 Early printing - There is a Spectacles variety in later printings see more images | |||
C Row
 Re entry (fresh entry) More Images |
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D Row
E Row
F Row
G Row
H Row
I Row
J Row
K Row
L Row
M Row
N Row
O Row
P Row
Q Row
R Row
S Row
T Row
 |
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Later states
The plate was repaired on two occasions.
The first was at the end of the imperf period affecting AB,AC,AD,AE,AF,AI and TB,TC,TF,TG,TH.
The second repair affected AA,AB,AC,AD and TB,TC,TD
Please see "More images" under each of the letterings for the later states.
| A Row | | B Row | | C Row | | D Row | | E Row | | F Row | | G Row | | H Row | | I Row | | J Row | |
| K Row | | L Row | | M Row | | N Row | | O Row | | P Row | | Q Row | | R Row | | S Row | | T Row | |
