Ceylon 5c Postage & Revenue Stamp (King Edward VII)

This item is a vintage postage and revenue stamp from Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka), featuring a portrait of King Edward VII. The stamp is predominantly in shades of reddish-purple or magenta, printed on what appears to be off-white or light cream paper. It has a rectangular shape with serrated or perforated edges, indicating a standard stamp manufacturing process. The central vignette displays a right-facing profile portrait of King Edward VII, depicted with a mustache and beard common to his image. Above the portrait, a small crown is visible, denoting royal authority. The word 'CEYLON' is prominently displayed in a rectangular banner at the top, while 'POSTAGE' runs vertically along the left side and 'REVENUE' runs vertically along the right side. At the bottom, within an ornate hexagonal cartouche, the denomination '5c' is clearly printed, signifying five cents. The design includes intricate scrollwork and decorative elements around the central portrait and the denomination, characteristic of a late 19th or early 20th-century philatelic aesthetic. The overall condition shows signs of age, with some slight discoloration or toning of the paper. A vertical line or mark is visible passing through the '5c' denomination and partially obscuring the portrait, which could be a cancellation mark, a fold, or a crease, potentially impacting its value. The perforations appear relatively intact, though exact count and condition cannot be precisely determined from the image. The stamp reflects a colonial era postal and fiscal instrument from the British Empire.