Description
Press Sheet PZ001 Victoria Cross Lower Left
Issued 21st September 2006, although first mentioned in the Philatelic Bureau’s Stock list of December 2006. It came off sale on 30th September 2007.
To commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Victoria Cross.
The stamps were designed by Atelier Works. The printing, by Joh. Enschede en Zonen, was Lithographed.
The Concise (2019) catalogue number for the normal miniature sheet is MS2665. The contents are 2 x 1st class stamps (2659 and 2660); and 2 x 64p stamps (2661 and 2662). There are also two 72p stamps (2663 and 2664), and, not forgetting, one valued at 20p.
There are ten miniature sheets on one Press Sheet for this issue.
The stamps themselves have “all-over” phosphor. There are also various phosphor bands on the complete pane. This Victoria Cross pane has blank perforations across the upper margin.The panes are numbered individually between 1 and 2006 (usually in the lower right position).
There is no catalogue number for the Press Sheet. They were only available from the Philatelic Bureau at Tallents House. The Philatelic Bureau Stock Number is PZ001. Face value for the complete pane in September 2006 was £35.60; cost from Royal Mail was £71.20!! Good money spinner, but, alas, not for the collector!
Unmounted mint and in pristine condition.
Press Sheet PZ001 Victoria Cross Lower Left
PRESS SHEETS in GENERAL
Miniature Sheets are produced from uncut panes containing a number of sheets. (Normally normally 9, 10, or 12). These panes are already perforated and normally just needed guillotining into individual Miniature Sheets. From the Victoria Cross Miniature Sheet issue of 21st September 2006, Royal Mail decided to market these uncut panes. They were called Press Sheets (would have been easier if they were called “Press Panes”).
A letter from Royal Mail was sometimes included with the delivery. This letter also states that there could well be imperfections in the areas surrounding the miniature sheets themselves. The individual panes are also numbered between 1 and the year of printing (we think). The panes are large and very difficult to display.
Because of this we also provide pairs, and sometimes singles, of the miniature sheets cut from Press Sheets. Much easier to display! If a miniature sheet was cut out individually from the Press Sheet it would be larger than the normal one. If you require a particular section of the complete pane, do ask us for a price.
Press Sheet PZ001 Victoria Cross Lower Left
THIS PRESS SHEET
In this instance you are buying the following: two miniature sheets Lower Left. This contains two enlarged miniature sheets with cutting and spacing bars for the guillotine. There is also a vertical 8/9mm phosphor line in the left hand margin.
Press Sheet PZ001 Victoria Cross Lower Left
INFORMATION SOURCES:
First of all, Royal Mail will handle your order. Therefore please see our Shop menu for postal options: Postage We only charge postage for the first item in most cases. Thus any further items purchased would not increase the final postal charges. Furthermore we do not charge you for envelopes and packaging.
Recorded Delivery or Registered Post is also available if required. Loss or damage compensation can therefore be claimed if this option is taken.
We mention Stanley Gibbons catalogue numbers where it is possible. These numbers are from the “Concise Stamp Catalogue”. or from the “Specialised Stamp Catalogue Volume 5”. We will try to mention any other numbering that we may use if not covered by the above. Sometimes particular stamps, booklets, miniature sheets, or cylinder blocks are not recognized anywhere. Hence, in this case, we would use our own expertise to describe and value that item.
In conclusion, all of our stamps are unmounted mint and in an excellent condition. We will also mention any variation to this statement.
Please let us know if we have made a mistake with this description.
We are members of the “Great Britain Philatelic Society” (GBPS): http://www.gbps.org.uk
