Great Britain 1840 1d Black Plate 5 cover, SG2.
A huge four margin example lettered 'SL', neatly tied to a clean, fresh wrapper by a red Maltese Cross. Addressed to Carlisle with a London dispatch circular date stamp on reverse for 'OC.1840.'
An exceptional quality penny black cover.
Pristine condition penny black covers with four large margins are scarce. A lovely example of the postal use of the world’s first postage stamp and the most important stamp cover in the world you could possibly own.
Plate 5 was put to press on 28 May 1840, and registered twice, on 1 and 11 June. Its earliest known date of use is 17 June 1840. Noteworthy features of the plate are a double bulge in the base-line below the 'O' of 'ONE'. It is also known for weaknesses in the side-lines, particularly on the left, and on the east frame-line of the north-east corner star.
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