Philatelic Item Category Appraisal

King George VI 5d Postage & Revenue Stamp

This is a vintage postage and revenue stamp featuring a profile portrait of King George VI facing left. The stamp has a sepia or muted brown color tone, indicating its age and the printing methods of the era. The king's head is crowned, and above him, a depiction of a crown is visible. Flanking the crown are floral emblems: a rose on the left, representing England, and a thistle on the right, representing Scotland. Below the king's portrait, the denomination "5d" (five pence) is clearly visible. The words "POSTAGE" are printed vertically along the left edge of the stamp, and "REVENUE" is printed vertically along the right edge. The stamp has perforated edges, typical of postage stamps, suggesting it was originally part of a sheet. A prominent cancellation mark, likely a postmark, diagonally crosses the king's face, indicating that the stamp has been used. This cancellation mark appears to be in black ink and is somewhat blurred but covers a significant portion of the central image. The visible condition includes this cancellation mark and general aging of the paper, though no severe tears or significant folding are immediately apparent from the image. The detailed engraving work for the portrait and surrounding elements suggests quality craftsmanship characteristic of official government philatelic issues. Based on the monarch depicted, the stamp originates from the reign of King George VI, placing its estimated age between 1936 and 1952.