Description: This unmounted mint pair of British pre-decimal stamps highlights the futuristic, circular structure of Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral. Designed by Peter Gauld, each panel depicts the iconic tent-like concrete frame and towering multicolored stained-glass lantern of the cathedral, set beside a stylized multi-tiered cross symbol. A soft purple silhouette profile of Queen Elizabeth II anchors the upper-right corner, balanced on the left by the face value "1/6d" (one shilling and sixpence). This specimen is a top-margin selvage strip, retaining the printer's technical color-registration "traffic lights" circles, displaying grey, yellow, cyan, purple, and black test dots, and black plate alignment bars along the upper edge.
Circa: 1969
Condition: Mint Pair with upper Selvage Traffic Lights.
Notes:
This 1s 6d value served as the premier high-value stamp within Royal Mail's popular six-stamp "British Architecture: Cathedrals" commemorative series. While the lower 5d denominations celebrated ancient medieval icons like Durham, York, Canterbury, and St. Giles, this specific value intentionally showcased modernism. Completed in 1967, the striking circular structure of the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Christ the King, designed by Sir Frederick Gibberd, represented a radical departure from traditional cathedral design. The layout maximized community participation by centering the altar directly beneath the massive tower lantern, earning it the affectionate local nickname "Paddy's Wigwam".