2d Blue Plate 2 - Penny Black 1840

2d Blue stamp lettered K -D, identified as coming from plate 2 using British Line-Engraved Stamps. Twopence Blue. Studies Of Plates 1 to 15 by H. Osborne.

Period of use: Plate 2 was completed on July 18th, 1840 and put to press three days later. In daily use, barring Sundays and one other day (18th August 1840) until August 29th, 1840.

Colour: Deep full blue.

Cancellation: Maltese Cross cancellation in black (usual on this plate).

Main identification clues:
Ray flaws in the right star which has four shorn rays common to all stamps from this plate – nos. 2, 10, 11 and 12 (counting clockwise).
Ray flaw in the left star – missing no. 1 (counting clockwise).

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End Date: Sunday Aug-31-2025 19:08:01 BST

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