Today's featured stamp is a “failed experiment”.

At least, that's how you'll see it commonly described.

But to me, it's not a failure. It's fascinating.

There's something noble and glorious about it.

Because behind every great invention you'll find a thousand 'failures' that paved the way for success.

You can't tell the story without them. And when it comes to building a collection, these are the stamps that really make it interesting.

So instead, let's celebrate this stamp for what it is:

Unusual. Beautiful. Wildly impractical.

And in the case of this particular example...

Very, very rare indeed.

A uniquely British idea.

I'm talking about the GB embossed issues of 1847 – 1854.

A uniquely British idea that didn't quite work.

They were introduced at a time when the postal revolution was opening up communications around the world.

They were produced in three values: 6d, 10d and 1 shilling, to cover international rates of postage to the U.S, Europe and British colonies.

The stamps were engraved by the Royal Mint master William Wyon, using the same iconic portrait of Queen Victoria as the Penny Black.

And they were printed at Somerset House using embossed dies to create a textured stamp, which would look beautiful and make forgeries more difficult.

You really have to admire the effort and ambition that went into designing these stamps... 

But perhaps not the execution.

When it came to production, the whole thing went a little sideways.

Because the Victorian Era was a time of technological innovation and mass production...

And yet, the embossed issues were produced by hand - manually printed one punch at a time. It was a painfully slow and difficult process.

As a result most stamps on a sheet were poorly spaced, usually too close together, often touching or overlapping each other.

And because the sheets were imperforate, they were then cut for use by postal workers in all sorts of random shapes and sizes.

In the end the embossed issues were produced for just eight short years.

And when they were replaced in 1856 by the surface printed issues, millions of unused stamps were destroyed.

This history and rarity makes the embossed issues highly collectible today. But it also poses you a problem.

Simply put: this is the hardest British stamp issue to find in fine condition.

Which is why the item I'm offering you today is so remarkable.

An exceptional find.

This is the Great Britain 1854 6d violet.

Issued on March 1, 1854. The last and shortest-lived of the trio.

It's a truly exceptional left hand marginal horizontal pair with the VR watermark inverted.

Presented in very fine used condition, lightly cancelled by two Derby "242" sideways duplexes.

The striking violet colour remains vivid, and it features four good square-cut margins.

Let me reiterate: it is extremely rare to find a used pair of these stamps in such superb condition.

Everyone in the office agrees this is the finest we've ever seen.

The haphazard way these stamps were produced means finding any example with four good margins is slim, to say the least.

High quality examples were already rare at the point of production.

The higher values meant many were used singly, which makes any pair considerably harder to acquire.

And then you have the superb square-cut edges.

These imperforate stamps were hand-cut from the sheet by Post Office workers, and most were trimmed to shape around the edge of the octagonal design. Early stamp collectors did the same.

So to find a pair with four neat square-cut edges increases the value and desirability of this stamp enormously.

A quick word on value.

Between 2003 and 2013 the value of this piece increased by 263%.

It rose from £2,200 to £8,000. And it's held steadily ever since.

(Through some very unsteady financial times.)

I'd suggest that's down to the fact that examples of this quality seldom appear on the market.

The place it holds in British postal history ensures it will always be popular with Victorian stamp collectors.

And with so few good examples available, that demand has kept prices strong.

To own a mint unused pair you'll pay £40,000.

(And if you're in the market for such a trophy piece, you can can find one right here.)

But the superb condition of this used pair makes it the next best thing.

It will make a first-class addition to your collection.

And you'll also pay 80% less for the pleasure.

Own this magnificent rarity today.

There's a lot to admire about this stamp.

The Victorian embossed issues are fascinating. And uniquely British.

The unusual methods to produce them were never repeated.

They are attractive, important and increasingly rare.

And that makes them an essential addition to your GB collection.

But finding high-quality examples to suit your needs - for display or investment puposes - is one of the hardest tasks in the hobby.

So when a pair such as this becomes available, I'd suggest it's an opportunity too good to pass up.

It's the best used pair of the Great Britain 1854 6d violet I've ever seen.

• In very fine used condition.
• Lightly cancelled, with vivid colours.
• Neat square cut edges and clear margins.
• A scarce inverted watermark.

It's available for you to purchase today for only £8,000.

It's accompanied with a 1991 Royal Philatelic Society (RPS) Certificate of Authenticity.

And backed up with my Lifetime Moneyback Guarantee.

So place your order now, and I'll ensure this exceptional stamp is delivered swiftly and securely to your door.

• Contact me directly at info@paulfrasercollectibles.
• Call us on +44 (0) 1534 639 998.
• Or click below to complete your purchase in our secure online store.

Click here to purchase now

Our guarantee to you.

This item comes with our Lifetime Guarantee of Authenticity, so you can add it to your collection with complete peace of mind for the future.

Delivery is completely free and fully insured.

And it's also covered with our 28-day money back guarantee if you change your mind for any reason.

If you have any further questions on this stamp, get in touch today and we'll be happy to help.

Thanks for reading,

Owen.

Paul Fraser Collectibles.

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