Tropical Butterfly Stamp Appraisal

1970 Malaysia Zeuxidia amethystus 30c Butterfly Postage Stamp

This is a used vertical rectangular postage stamp issued by Malaysia in 1970 as part of a definitive series featuring national butterflies. The stamp has a face value of 30 cents, printed in white with a black outline in the upper left corner. The artwork features two specimens of the 'Zeuxidia amethystus' (Saturn Butterfly) set against a naturalistic background of leaves and an orange five-petaled flower. The species name is printed vertically along the left edge. The word 'Malaysia' is prominently displayed at the bottom in a bold, stylized serif font. The printing is high-quality multicolor lithography. Notable features include the perforation around all four edges, which appears to be approximately Gauge 14. Condition-wise, the stamp is 'used' as evidenced by a black circular date stamp (CDS) cancel in the upper portion, likely from Kuala Lumpur given the visible 'KUA' lettering. The perforations show some minor wear, but the overall paper integrity is good with no major tears or thinning visible. This stamp is widely recognized for its detailed scientific illustration and represents the transition to modern Malaysian philatelic design.