Odd 6d Machin

This is an odd Machin. The background has a cracked appearance, rather like an old oil painting. Is this normal with this issue? Also, the neck flaw is interesting. Would this be considered a collectible flaw or just an EFO?

It looks like that, as a mint stamp with gum still, it was heated and the gum dried out and crazed and cracked, thus cracking the dried ink on the stamp above it, then it was used anyway.

Or perhaps the stamp without gum was heated (even in the sun, prolonged exposure?) and the ink crazed because of hat?

Guesses only.

Cracked ink from a fold, common with Machins.

The white spot:
It is good idea to look at these spots under magnification
as quite often, these little spots are tiny bits of paper
that have adhered to the stamp from bulk
soaking.
Tiny shards of paper, even part hinges adhere
when removed from the soak container, and become "fixed"
when dried under pressure of a book etc.
If you try and remove them when dry with your tongs etc,
the paper will often lift the surface ink on the stamp.

Lovely explanation. Good.




I agree that this explains the horizontal-ish crack above the Queen's head but what of the rest of the overall crazing all over the surface of the stamp? What could cause that to happen please?

Will do, rod222.

I think the other "crazing" as you call it
is part of the ink transfer, sometimes it looks like
a wall when you paint it with a roller, it gets a "stipple"
type effect.
That's only my impression, Machin experts probably
will have a commentary on this.
Remember it's always best to compare a stamp like this with a mint unginged
example.

rod222, not paper remnants on the stamp. This area is unprinted on.

The "neck flaw" looks more like surface abrasion to me.

I would agree, bearing in mind a flaw (if it was) that large
would be well documented in catalogues.

with Nigel.

Detail:

Your image is too low resolution to be useful.
These types of errors are ideally studied on unused items but a UV photo can sometimes help in determining whether it is a print error or wear and tear.

Scanned at 3600 dpi:

I'm with Anthony, it needs inspection under UV