Great Britain-Queen Victoria-1881-2 Pence Halfpenny (blue)-Plate 22-Illustrated

Shown below is an example of the 1881 issue of the Queen Victoria 2 PEnce Halfpenny definitive. Printed from numbered plates the plate number can be seen in the upper left and right corners at the ends of the value legends. Part of set of six values from 2 Pence Halfpenny to 1 Shilling, the original designs for the stamps were produced in 1873 and printed until 1880. Thereafter the designs were retained but colours changed and printed from 1880 to 1883.

Great Britain-Queen Victoria-1857-A 2 Pence (Blue)-Plate 6-Illustrated

Illustrated below is an example of the 1857 printing on blued paper of the 2 Pence (blue) Plate 6. The plate was used again in 1858 the stamp of this printing printed on white paper. The later printing is the more highly valued of the two. There may be some confusion as to whether the plate number is 6 or 9 but stamps from plate 9 were impeforate. A sideview of the stamp appears below to illustrate plate number.

Great Britain-Queen Victoria-1880 1 Penny (Venetian Red) Postage Stamp-Illustrated

Illustrated below is an example of the 1880 Queen Victoria 1 Penny issue. Part of a set of 7 but only 4 values. The values were a Halfpenny, I Penny, 2 Penny and 5 Pence The Halfpenny was issued in two colours of deep-green, (with a shade of pale-green) and venetian red, the 2 Pence value in pale-rose with a shade of deep-rose and the 5 Pence in indigo.

Cayman Islands-1938-48 George the 5th Definitives-2 Varieties of the 3 Pence Postage Stamp-Illustrated

Illustrated below are the two varities of the 3 Pence value issued for the Cayman Islands between 1938 and 1948. Originally issued in orange the colour was changed in 1947 to a blue. The blue variety is the more highly valued of the two.

Jamaica-1903-1905-2 Varieties of the Halfpenny "Arms of Jamaica" Postage Stamp-Illustrated

Shown below are two varieties of the "Arms of Jamaica" Halfpenny postage stamp. The geen and grey variety was issued in 1903, part of a set with values from a Halfpenny to 5 Pence this set was dicontinued in 1905 when a new set re-designed and in different colours was issued. The examples show the changes made in the Halfpenny value. The watermark was also changed from a single Crown "CA" to a multiple Crown "CA". The watermarks are illustrated below the stamps.

Jamaica-1900-2 Varieties of the 1 Penny "LLandovery Falls" Postage Stamp-Illustrated

Illustrated below are the two varieties of the 1900 and 1901 1 Penny "Llandovery Falls" postage stamp. Originally issued in red the stamp was re-printed in 1901 in two colours of red and black. Both issues have some sub-varieties of paper, imperforate and watermark. The two examples shown here are both sub-varieties, the watermark normally (sideways) has the "CC" to the right of the crown (as seen from the back of the stamp) here the "CC" is to the left of the crown.

Hong Kong-1882-A Queen Victoria 2 Cent Defintive-Illustrated

Shown below is the 1882-1896 Queen Victoria 2 Cent value issued for Hong Kong. The same design was used on the original issue for Queen Victoria definitives in 1863-63 and continued to be used with colour changes until 1900. The 1880 issue and the 1882 issue can be difficult to tell apart due to the similarity of the colours used, however the watermarks are different for these making dating easy. The 1880 issue has a crown above "CC" the 1882 issue a crown above "CA". The water is illustrated below.

Cayman Islands-1917-George the 5th-2 Varieties of Overprint on the 2 Pence Halfpenny-Illustrated

Shown below are two varieties of the George the 5th 2 Pence Halfpenny postage stamp issued for the Cayman Islands. Originally in 1912, however in 1917 the stamps were overprinted "War Tax" and their values changed from 2 Pence Halfpenny to 1 Penny Halfpenny. There are six varieties known of the overprint with some sub varieties of the overprint. 

Southern Rhodesia-1935-George the 5th-1 Penny Silver Jubilee-Postage Stamp-Illustrated

Illustrated below is the 1935 1 Penny stamp issued for Southern Rhodesia for the Silver Jubilee of George the 5th. Part of a set of four values all with the same design showing a portrait of George the 5th with a background of African animals and Victoria Falls. The values for the set were a 1 Penny (olive and rose-carmine), 2 Pence (emerald and sepia), 3 Pence (violet and deep-blue) and a 6 Pence (black and purple). The stamp was issued on 6th of May in 1935 the example below has a cd showing it was posted in Bulawayo on  the 8th of August in the same year.

Canada-A 1935-George the 5th Definitve/Pictorial Postage Stamp Set-Illustrated

Shown below is a postage stamp set issued in Canada in 1935. The lower values of the set, from 1 to 8 Cents, were defintive portraits of George the 5th. The higher values, from 10 Cents to 1 Dollar were pictorials featuring Canadian Institutions.

Canada-A 1939 Royal Visit Commemorative Postage Stamp Set-Illustrated

Illustrated below are the three postage stamps issued in 1939 to commemorate the Royal visit of George the 6th and the Royal Family. Three values a 1, 2 and 3 Cent were issued. The 1 Cent value had portraits of the Princesses Elizabeth (the future Queen Elizabeth the 2nd) and her sister Magaret. The 2 Cent value showed the National War Memorial (with the Second World War impending), the 3 Cent value showed George the 6th and Queen Elizabeth (the future Queen Mother). Below the set is a detail of the 3 Cent value.

Australia-The 1928 and 1932 George the 5th 1 Shilling and Fourpence Definitive-Illustrated

Illustrated below are two varieties of the 1 Shilling and 4 Pence (turquoise) George the 5th definitive. The stamp on the left is the 1928 issue, the right the 1932 issue. There are no known differences in design or colour and can only be identified by the watermark, (shown below the illustration of the stamp faces). The 1928 version was watermarked with a large "A" under a crown, the 1932 issue had "C of A" under a crown. The earlier issue is the more highly valued.

Canada-A 1938 6 Cent Air Mail Postage Stamp-Illustrated

Illustrated below is a 6 Cent airmail stamp issued in Canada in 1938. The stamp was part of set with most of the values for ordinanary post. The set consisted of values from 1 Cent to 1 Dollar. The 6 Cent was issued seperately as an airmail stamp in 1938 and shows a Sekani Seaplane over the ship Distributor on the Mackenzie River.

New Zealand-Edward the 7th-1909-1 Shilling Definitive-Illustrated

Shown below is the 1 Shilling (vermilion) value from the set of definitives issued for New Zealand in 1909.

Newfoundland-An 1897-3 Cent Commemorative Postage Stamp-Illustrated

Shown below is the 3 Cent value from the set commemorating the 400th year of the dicovery of Newfoundland. The set consisted of fourteen values from 1 Cent to 60 Cents. The set simultaneously commemrated the 60th year of Queen Victoria's reign with the 1 Cent value showing a portait of Queen Victoria and the legend " Our Queen, Sixtieth Year Of Her Reign"

Newfoundland-A 1928-29 Newfoundland Map Postage Stamp-Illustrated

Illustrated below is the 1929 1 Cent stamp issue for Newfoundland. The stamp was part of a set with values from 1 Cent to 30 Cents. The set was printed by two of the firms that printed British Empire stamps, De La Rue and Perkins Bacon. The example below is a Perkins,Bacon printing indicated by the position of the legends for Cape Bauld and Cape Norman. In the De La Rue  printing the Cape Bauld legend is placed above the Cape Norman legend. In the Perkins Bacon printing their positions are reversed.

New Zealand-A 1935 Airmail Postage Stamp Set-Illustrated

Shown below are the three values of the airmail postage stamp set issued for New Zealand in 1935. this was the second set of airmail stamps issued, the first set issued in 1931. The values are 1 Penny (carmine), 3 Pence (violet) and 6 Pence (blue).

Newfoundland-A 1932-5 Cent "Caribou" Postage Stamp-Illustrated

Illustrated below is the 1932 Caribou Monarch of the Wilds postage stamp. Part of a set of 12 with values from 1 Cent to 50 Cents.

New Zealand-A 1934 -1 Penny+1 Penny "Crusader" Health Postage Stamp-Illustrated

Shown below is an example of the 1 Penny + 1 Penny "Crusader" health postage stamp. Only two stamps were issued for New Zealand in 1934 the Crusader stamp and a re-issue of an airmail stamp from 1931 in a new colour and overprinted "Trans Tasman Air Mail Faith In Australia" (See illustrated this blog). The Crusader stamp is more highly valued lightly postally used than mint.

Newfoundland-1880-A 5 Cent "Common Seal on Ice-floe" Postage Stamp-Illustrated

Illustrated below is the 5 Cent value from the 1880-82 definitive postage stamp set. The set had four values from a 1 Cent (dull grey-brown-Edward the 7th when Prince of Wales ), 2 Cent (yellow-green-Atlantic Salmon), 3 Cent (dull pale-blue-three quarter portrait of Queen Victoria) to the 5 Cent (dull pale-blue-Common Seal on Ice-floe).