Introduced in 1884, over 125 years ago, the system of ‘controls’ was a means to record how many sheets of stamps were being produced. Every sheet had a letter printed in the bottom margin, known as the control, which changed periodically. The key for collectors is that this control letter only appears once per sheet – so by owning the attached stamp you know it is immediately rarer than its siblings.
For example, the Victorian 1d Lilac was printed on a sheet of 240 stamps – so for every 1,000 stamps in existence less than half a percent could feature a control letter. And increasing their scarcity even further, a huge number of the margins featuring the control will have been torn off and discarded as useless by members of the public who did not understand their significance.
Stamps from the reign of Victoria and Edward VII
Take a look at the image opposite to see how all four of your stamps retain the bottom margin with the control letter clearly visible. Your set will comprise a selection of four values in total from the reigns of Queen Victoria and King Edward VII. All of your stamps are over a hundred years old and – remarkably - have survived in unused condition.
Many collectors are looking for ways to improve their collections, and issues like these (with their additional scarcity) are becoming increasingly sought after.
Your Set of Four Unused Great Britain Control Stamps
Your stamps will arrive housed securely in a Presentation Folder, perfect to maintain them for your future generations to enjoy and appreciate. They will also come complete with a Certificate of Authenticity.
It’s not often we get the chance to offer our collectors a genuinely original way to own Great Britain stamp issues, so place your order today to add this historic set to your collection.