Great Britain 1877 £5 Telegraphs Plate 1 colour trial printed in brown-Lilac Specimen, SGT18var.
A very fine unused, with original gum, imperforate example printed in brown-lilac lettered "AH", overprinted "SPECIMEN" type 8.
An attractive and very scarce colour trial of the highest denomination of the Victorian Telegraph issue, illustrating the experimental process that led to the celebrated £5 orange.
SG Catalogue Value: From £2,400.
The £5 presented the Post Office with an unusual problem as there was then no corresponding £5 postage stamp from which to adopt a colour. A series of colour trials was therefore produced before orange was eventually selected for the issued £5 Telegraph stamp of 1877.
