SG94 - Four Pence of 1868

4d 1865

Plate 11 (wing-margin)
larger scan
next plate in 4d series

Watermark Large Garter
Perf 14
Put to press 1868
Number issued 13,200,000

The Surface printed stamps were introduced in 1855 and replaced the high value (6d, 10d and 1s) embossed values of 1847-54. The low value line engraved stamps continued until 1879. The Surface printed stamps were printed by Thomas De La Rue & Co. The 4d value was first introduced tp prepay letters to France and the die was engraved by Jean Ferdinand Joubert de la Ferté (1810-1884) a refugee from Napoleonic France.

The surface printed stamps of 1855-83 form four distinct families.

No corner letters (SG 62-73)
Small, white corner letters (SG 75-91)
Large, white corner letters (SG92-137)
Large, coloured corner letters (SG138-163)

SG is the Stanley Gibbons catalogue number. These stamps have different watermarks, plate numbers, colours as well as design changes. The plate number is usually incorporated into the design.


For plates 1 to 17 there were four panes of 60 stamps arranged as below. The wing-margin stamps would therefore have either an F or G in the SE corner.

AA AB AC AD AE AF
BA          
CA          
DA          
EA          
FA          
GA          
HA          
IA          
JA          
AG AH AI AJ AK AL
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
KA          
LA          
MA          
NA       NE NF
OA       QE QF
PA          
QA          
RA          
SA          
TA TB TC TD TE TF
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
TG TH TI TJ TK TL

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