Gibraltar Stamps: King Edward VII 1903
During may 1903 a new design of Gibraltar stamps was issued and placed on sale in the Post Office of Gibraltar. They bore the head of the new sovereign, H.M. King Edward VII. All the issues was watermarked with the Single Crown C.A., and perf. 14, and all the values were printed from Plate 1 only.
The ½d to 1s. were printed in sheets of 120 in two panes of 60; the other values in sheets of 60 in six row of ten. The higher values are considered from an artistic point of view as the most handsome of all the then new King's Head issues. Their colours too are worthy of the highest praise as being a step forward freshness and harmony.
Only one printing was made of these stamps on Single Crown C.A. paper and so they are scarce. Each value was replaced as the stock in hand was exhausted, by the series on Multiple Crown C.A. paper in the same colours, with the exception of the 8s. which lasted until the appearance of the Universal Colours Series. It was therefore never printed in these, its original colours, on Multiple Crown C.A. paper. The 4d. value was omitted from these Edwardian issues as being found unnecessary.
The subsequent changes in the watermark and colours of these designs make the issues scarce.
No comments:
Post a Comment