THE BURDEN OF PROOF.........
 
Wednesday, March 30, 2011

It is our pleasure to follow-up on a recent discovery that was first brought to public attention back in November 2010.  Following the partial purchase of an dealer estate, it was discovered that a previously unknown philatelic treasure had surfaced.  In 1971, the Canadian Bank Note Company printed a set of four denominations depicting "Christmas Snowflakes".  The two higher values introduced a new printing technique which applied and raised engraved (Snowflake) over the solid coloured backdrop - a method popular on many issues since.

As might be expected, this process would have undergone numerous trial printings. However it appears that several of these "trial proofs" had been preserved and now find themselves available, for the first time, to the public.  Only a handful of full panes are currently known, and a couple of these have been divided into smaller lots for purchase by collectors/dealers.  These trial proofs are in the one-colour issue showing only the deep carmine block.  They do not appear to be errors with absent colours.  Margin examples have complete selvedge, as further illustrated below. The stamps contain tagging and are fully perforated, although this differs slightly from the issued stamps.  At least two items previously sold have attained a positive opinion with a Richard Gratton (Windsor, Quebec) Expertisation certificate.
 

Issued Stamps on Piece "1972"