Canada Stamp #2405 - Blue Whale (2010) $10

Gigantic high value $10 Canadian stamp (128 mm x 49 mm), which is very appropriate for the blue whale it depicts! It is part of the very popular Wildlife definitives issue (#1687-94 & #3129)! These stamps are generally recognized as some of the most beautiful display of Canadian philately from the modern era!

It is also a great tribute to the past, as like its other animal companions from this issue, the whale itself is actually engraved (with a very striking embossing to the touch)! But it was also printed via lithography (four colours) and another very interesting printing process called silkscreen, so it definitely represents a very artistic mix of old and new techniques!

A full pane of two stamps with inscriptions in the left selvedges (the only position possible) is also referred to as a plate block in the catalogue.

It is very amusing to note that the usual colour dots for the inscription, located below the "C" identifying the paper type (TRC, also known as Coated) in this case, were replaced by an illustration of six deep-sea divers!

It also deservedly gives credit to the stamp designers on the upper left corner. A very beautiful and conveniently compact sheet to collect, as even though the stamps are huge, it manages to stay relatively quite small, as there is only two stamps inside!