{"product_id":"great-britain-1877-5-telegraphs-plate-1-specimen-sgl237var","title":"Great Britain 1877 £5 Telegraphs Plate 1 Specimen, SGL237var","description":"\u003cp\u003eGreat Britain 1877 £5 Telegraphs Plate 1 Specimen, SGL237var.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAn exceptionally fine and fresh unused, with original gum, left hand marginal example lettered 'AJ', overprinted “SPECIMEN” type 9.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA very scarce Specimen example of the £5 Orange Telegraphs in such exceptional quality.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSG Catalogue Value: £2,400.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSpecimens were used for various official purposes and were not available for postal use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Telegraph system in Great Britain was originally operated by private companies, some of which issued their own stamps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1870, the Post Office took over this service. They initially produced telegraph forms with impressed 1 shilling stationery dies and blank forms to which postage stamps would be affixed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe need to separate the accounting of revenues from postal and telegraph services led to the introduction of special Post Office Telegraph stamps. They were first issued on 1 February 1876. From 1 May 1876 the use of postage stamps to pre-pay telegraph services was prohibited.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Telegraph stamps were, however, only in use for five years when it was decided to withdraw them and postage stamps were, once again, used for telegraph services. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe printing plate used for the £5 Orange Telegraphs was subsequently altered by removing \"TELEGRAPHS\" and substituting \"POSTAGE\" and was used for printing the £5 Postage stamp of 1882.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDue to its value, their was little need or use of the £5 denomination stamp for normal postage.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Paul Fraser Collectibles","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49065143566561,"sku":"P08913877","price":1062.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1645\/0221\/files\/MAY26_71II.jpg?v=1788950158","url":"https:\/\/www.paulfrasercollectibles.com\/products\/great-britain-1877-5-telegraphs-plate-1-specimen-sgl237var","provider":"Paul Fraser Collectibles","version":"1.0","type":"link"}