Queen Victoria 2d Vermilion, Retouched Plate

New Zealand · 1873 · 2d (pence)

This stamp features the Chalon Head portrait of Queen Victoria, a design widely used across the British Empire. The stamp is printed in vermilion on 'INVICTA' watermarked paper, a distinctive feature of this issue. This specific example is from a heavily retouched plate, indicating repairs or enhancements made to the printing plate during its use.

Issued during the colonial period, these stamps were part of the second side-face series of Queen Victoria. The various papers, watermarks, and perforations of this era are a complex and popular area of study for New Zealand philatelists.