GREAT BRITAIN, 1873, 6p Buff, Plate 13 (63; SG 145). Plate 13, lettered L-B, neatly tied by Leeds "447" March 15, 1873 first day of issue duplex datestamp on cover to Warsaw, Poland, "PD" and "Franco" handstamps, March 6 arrival datestamp, London backstamp

VERY FINE. THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THE 1873 6-PENCE BUFF "ABNORMAL" ON COVER. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT RARITIES OF THE SURFACE-PRINTED ISSUES AND A KEY POSTAL HISTORY RARITY OF GREAT BRITAIN.

This "abnormal" stamp is one of the rarest in all of Great Britain. Only about 30 examples are known, all used, including this copy on cover.

The unusual sequence of datestamps is due to Warsaw being annexed by the Russian Empire, which used the Julian Calendar, while the rest of Europe used the Gregorian Calendar. The difference between the two calendars was twelve days, which explains why the arrival date is nine days before the departure date, so the actually transit time was three days.

Ex "Maximus"

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