GB QUEEN VICTORIA 1855/64, 1d RED BROWN SG 43/44, Pl.79, GF-FG, Used

The SG43/44 series (issued between 1864 and 1879) is famous among philatelists for two specific changes designed to defeat counterfeiters and stamp washers:

1. Plate Numbers in the Lacework: The actual printing plate number (in this case, 79) is meticulously engraved into the tiny scrollwork/lacework on both the left- and right-hand frame margins.
2. Four-Corner Letters: The older "stars" in the upper corners were replaced with check letters. The top corners always show the exact reverse order of the bottom corn

• Top Corners: G (Left) and F (Right)
• Bottom Corners: F (Left) and G (Right)

Because a stamp's unique position name is always taken from the bottom two letters reading left to right, a stamp with that exact configuration would be designated as Position FG.

On the master printing sheet layout of 240 stamps, Position FG means it was located at:

• Row F: The 6th horizontal row down from the top (mapped A to T).
• Column G: The 7th vertical column across from the left (mapped A to L).