Lot
2260 
Barbados, 1854, "Britannia" (2d) grayish slate, imperf, blued paper, vertical bisect, left portion of stamp tied by barred "1" oval handstamp of Bridgetown paying the inland rate on folded letter sheet to Trinidad, with matching "Au 4, 1854" origin date stamp on reverse, manuscript "4" inter-colonial rate, reverse with "Barbadoes, Au 05, 1854" packet letter office cds; cover with a few small erosion holes, Very Fine, ex-Charlton Henry. Scott No. 3b. SG No. 4ab Estimate $7,500 - 10,000.
ONE OF THE FINEST RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE 1854 GRAYISH SLATE "BRITANNIA" BISECT USED ON THE FIRST DAY OF AUTHORIZED USE.
The bisected 2d was authorized for use from August 4th to September 21st of 1854 due to a shortage of 1d stamps. A similar usage from the same correspondence sold in our June 2006 sale for $11,000 hammer.