Description: This British definitive postal issue is printed in ultramarine ink on perforated paper and features the left-facing profile of King Edward VII nestled inside a central oval vignette. A small crown divides the words "POSTAGE" and "REVENUE" along the upper border, while the denomination "TWO PENCE HALFPENNY" and corresponding fraction symbols anchor the bottom corners. The piece exhibits a dark, heavy ink cancellation mark stretching diagonally across the face. Additionally, a specific pattern of tiny holes has been punched entirely through the center of the paper, creating an institutional security mark over the royal likeness.
Circa: 1902-1910
Condition: Used
Notes:
The tiny holes punched into the paper are known to collectors as a perfin, which stands for perforated initials or perforated insignia. Private businesses, corporate firms, and government offices utilized these custom hole patterns to prevent employees from stealing company stamps for personal correspondence. The heavy cancellation ink further proves that this specific piece successfully traveled through the mail system after being authorized for commercial use.