Great Britain definitive stamps.
The printers and printing methods from Queen Victoria, King Edward VII, George V, Edward VIII, George VI and Queen Elizabeth II.
1840 Queen Victoria. The world's first adhesive postage stamp was the penny black issued for general use on 6th May 1840 and was printed by Perkins, Bacon and Petch of Fleet Street London using the line engraved printing method. Followed by the penny red 2d blue and ½d bantam plus the 1½d shield in 1870.
1855 to 1901 the surface printed stamps were printed by De La Rue Sg 62 to Sg 214 the 4d carmine small garter to the 1/- jubilee stamp green & carmine.
1901 Edward VII the stamps were very similar to the Victoria Jubilee set, but had 3 different printers 1St De La Rue for Sg 215 to Sg 266. Then in 1911 Harrison & sons printed Sg 267 to Sg 286. Then in 1911-1913 printed by Somerset House Sg 287 to Sg 320.
1911-1912 George V virtually all the stamps known as the Downey Heads Mackennels were printed Harrison & sons with a few exceptions printed by Somerset house. These being A.11, B.11, and B.12 as the Harrison & sons printing don't have a full stop after the control letter.
1912 to 1924 saw the introduction of a new set of definitives. The Royal cypher (simple). These ranged from ½d to 1/-. Sg 351 to 396. These include various paper types perforations and key rarer shades. These shades are prefered with certificates of varification.
1913 saw the introduction of the ½d and 1d wmk Royal multiple cypher W103 14 x 15 perf. Sg 397 and sg 398. These stamps were virtually all from vending machimes amd from coils of stamps. This accounts for the majority haveing poor perforations.
The high value KGV definitives seahorse stamps. Values 2/-6d to £1. There were 4 printings od these stamps values 2/-6d to 10/-. The £1 green had one printer Waterlow Brothers.
1913 Sg 399 to Sg 404 2/-6d 5/- 10/- £1 all printed by Waterlow brothers and Leyton.
1915 Sg 405 to Sg 413 2/-6d 5/- 10/- were printed by De La Rue.
1918 Sg 413a to Sg 417 2/-6d 5/- 10/- were printed by Bradbury Wilkinson & co. Ltd
1934 Sg 450 to Sg 452 2/-6d 5/- 10/- were printed by Harrison recess Waterlow. These were a re-engraved set of stamps.
The difference between the 4 sets of stamps can be difficult to distinguish. Here are a few pointers. The 1934 re-engraved set has a hatched background arround the kings head instead ofhorrizontal line shading and the print size within the stamp is approx 23mm instead od 22mm.
The 1918 set is the same printing size internal measurement as the 1934 set, but does not have the hatching arround the kings head, but horrizonyal lines for shading.
The 1915 set has an internal printing size of 22mm and can be seperated from the 1913 set by the top left and right perforations. These are fatter and blunt. whereas the 1913 are thin and pointed as the 1918 and 1916 printings.
The 1913 set of 4 stamps again have an internal measurement of 22mm and the top lefy and right perfs are thin unlike the 1915 set.
Nest the 1934-36 photograavure set of definitives. Sg 439 to Sg 449 ½d to 1/-. These again had varieties in watermarks and print size of the internal printing.
A more detailed description can be found in the Stanley Gibbons 4 Kings specialised catalogue.
Next came KEVIII Edward the 8th. from 1936 only. Sg 457 to Sg 460. ½d to 2½d. There were a few watermark varieties from booklet stamps. Not many stamps were issued for obvious reasons.
Next kgvi George 6tth. 1937 to 1952. Sg 462 to Sg 508, ½d to 1/-. Again with 3 issues of colour changes. With various watermark types. These were mainly from booklets. Sideways and inverted watermarks. These are relatively easy to obtain ad reaspnable cost.
Next QEII starting with the 1952 Wildings definitive sets.
1952 Sg 515 to Sg 531. ½d to 1/6d with the Tudor crown. Again with various watermark from booklets etc. W 153
1955 Sg 540 to Sg 556 ½d to 1/6d again with various watermarks. W 165
1957 Sg 561 to Sg 566 ½d to 3d with the graphite lines added for the new sorting machines. With Edwards Crown watermarks. W 165
1958 Sg 570 to Sg 586 ½d to 1/-6d Wildings with the new watermark 179 multicrown, also with various watermark varieties from booklets etc. W 179.
1958 Sg 587 to Sg 597 ½d to 4½d graphite lined set with W 179 watermark multicrown.
1957 Sg 599 to Sg 609 ½d to 4½d graphite lined set with W 179 and W 165.
1960 Sg 610 to Sg 618a ½d to 1/-6d W 179 wildings set with phospher coated paper. These were used untill the first issues of the new Arnold Machin definitives on 5th June 1967 and were Sg 723 to Sg 744 ½d to 1/-9d. These had various paper types and various phospher coatings.
1969 saw the introduction of the large format machin definitives. 2/-6d 5/- 10/- and £1.
Sg 787 to Sg 790.
1970 the introduction of the first decimal machin high value set stamps. Sg 829 to Sg 831b 10p 20p 50p and £1.
1971 saw the introduction of the first decimal small format Machin stamps with various values from ½d to £5 and are still in use today. There are too numerous varieties to mention on these issues and I reccomend the Stanley Gibbons QEII specialised cataloghu for this issue.
1977 the large format decimal Machins were introdece. Sg v1026 to Sg 1028 £1 to £5.
After this the high value issues were in the form of Castles high value stamps £1 to £5. Also the £10 britannia stamp was issued for a short while in 1993 Sg 1658.
QEII castles issues. First issued in 1955 with the first printing by Recess Waterlow. 2/-6d 5/- 10/- and £1 being Sg 536 to Sg 539.
1958 was the 2nd printing by De La Rue again 2/-6d to £1 Sg 536a to Sg 539A
1959 was the 3rd issue by De La Rue and being Sg 595 to Sg 598.
1963 was the 4th issue by Bradbury Wilkinson and was Sg 595a to Sg 598a
1967 was the final issue by Bradbury Wilkinson and was Sg 759 to Sg 762 these had no watermark.
A new castles issue was made in 1988 these being Sg 1410 to Sg 1413.printed by Recess Harrison.
1992 saw the 2nd issue of these stamps with an added gold Queens head and an extra value stamp Sg1611 to Sg 1614. £1, £1.50, £2, £3 and finally £5.
1997 was the 3rd and 4th issue printed bu Enschede and harrison & sons. These were Sg 1993 to Sg 1996. The difference between the two printings is very small. The cerif on the enschede of the letter C is curved and has no leg on the top, whereas the Harrison printing has a prominent cerif at the top of the letter C.
1855 to 1901 the surface printed stamps were printed by De La Rue Sg 62 to Sg 214 the 4d carmine small garter to the 1/- jubilee stamp green & carmine.
1901 Edward VII the stamps were very similar to the Victoria Jubilee set, but had 3 different printers 1St De La Rue for Sg 215 to Sg 266. Then in 1911 Harrison & sons printed Sg 267 to Sg 286. Then in 1911-1913 printed by Somerset House Sg 287 to Sg 320.
1911-1912 George V virtually all the stamps known as the Downey Heads Mackennels were printed Harrison & sons with a few exceptions printed by Somerset house. These being A.11, B.11, and B.12 as the Harrison & sons printing don't have a full stop after the control letter.
1912 to 1924 saw the introduction of a new set of definitives. The Royal cypher (simple). These ranged from ½d to 1/-. Sg 351 to 396. These include various paper types perforations and key rarer shades. These shades are prefered with certificates of varification.
1913 saw the introduction of the ½d and 1d wmk Royal multiple cypher W103 14 x 15 perf. Sg 397 and sg 398. These stamps were virtually all from vending machimes amd from coils of stamps. This accounts for the majority haveing poor perforations.
The high value KGV definitives seahorse stamps. Values 2/-6d to £1. There were 4 printings od these stamps values 2/-6d to 10/-. The £1 green had one printer Waterlow Brothers.
1913 Sg 399 to Sg 404 2/-6d 5/- 10/- £1 all printed by Waterlow brothers and Leyton.
1915 Sg 405 to Sg 413 2/-6d 5/- 10/- were printed by De La Rue.
1918 Sg 413a to Sg 417 2/-6d 5/- 10/- were printed by Bradbury Wilkinson & co. Ltd
1934 Sg 450 to Sg 452 2/-6d 5/- 10/- were printed by Harrison recess Waterlow. These were a re-engraved set of stamps.
The difference between the 4 sets of stamps can be difficult to distinguish. Here are a few pointers. The 1934 re-engraved set has a hatched background arround the kings head instead ofhorrizontal line shading and the print size within the stamp is approx 23mm instead od 22mm.
The 1918 set is the same printing size internal measurement as the 1934 set, but does not have the hatching arround the kings head, but horrizonyal lines for shading.
The 1915 set has an internal printing size of 22mm and can be seperated from the 1913 set by the top left and right perforations. These are fatter and blunt. whereas the 1913 are thin and pointed as the 1918 and 1916 printings.
The 1913 set of 4 stamps again have an internal measurement of 22mm and the top lefy and right perfs are thin unlike the 1915 set.
Nest the 1934-36 photograavure set of definitives. Sg 439 to Sg 449 ½d to 1/-. These again had varieties in watermarks and print size of the internal printing.
A more detailed description can be found in the Stanley Gibbons 4 Kings specialised catalogue.
Next came KEVIII Edward the 8th. from 1936 only. Sg 457 to Sg 460. ½d to 2½d. There were a few watermark varieties from booklet stamps. Not many stamps were issued for obvious reasons.
Next kgvi George 6tth. 1937 to 1952. Sg 462 to Sg 508, ½d to 1/-. Again with 3 issues of colour changes. With various watermark types. These were mainly from booklets. Sideways and inverted watermarks. These are relatively easy to obtain ad reaspnable cost.
Next QEII starting with the 1952 Wildings definitive sets.
1952 Sg 515 to Sg 531. ½d to 1/6d with the Tudor crown. Again with various watermark from booklets etc. W 153
1955 Sg 540 to Sg 556 ½d to 1/6d again with various watermarks. W 165
1957 Sg 561 to Sg 566 ½d to 3d with the graphite lines added for the new sorting machines. With Edwards Crown watermarks. W 165
1958 Sg 570 to Sg 586 ½d to 1/-6d Wildings with the new watermark 179 multicrown, also with various watermark varieties from booklets etc. W 179.
1958 Sg 587 to Sg 597 ½d to 4½d graphite lined set with W 179 watermark multicrown.
1957 Sg 599 to Sg 609 ½d to 4½d graphite lined set with W 179 and W 165.
1960 Sg 610 to Sg 618a ½d to 1/-6d W 179 wildings set with phospher coated paper. These were used untill the first issues of the new Arnold Machin definitives on 5th June 1967 and were Sg 723 to Sg 744 ½d to 1/-9d. These had various paper types and various phospher coatings.
1969 saw the introduction of the large format machin definitives. 2/-6d 5/- 10/- and £1.
Sg 787 to Sg 790.
1970 the introduction of the first decimal machin high value set stamps. Sg 829 to Sg 831b 10p 20p 50p and £1.
1971 saw the introduction of the first decimal small format Machin stamps with various values from ½d to £5 and are still in use today. There are too numerous varieties to mention on these issues and I reccomend the Stanley Gibbons QEII specialised cataloghu for this issue.
1977 the large format decimal Machins were introdece. Sg v1026 to Sg 1028 £1 to £5.
After this the high value issues were in the form of Castles high value stamps £1 to £5. Also the £10 britannia stamp was issued for a short while in 1993 Sg 1658.
QEII castles issues. First issued in 1955 with the first printing by Recess Waterlow. 2/-6d 5/- 10/- and £1 being Sg 536 to Sg 539.
1958 was the 2nd printing by De La Rue again 2/-6d to £1 Sg 536a to Sg 539A
1959 was the 3rd issue by De La Rue and being Sg 595 to Sg 598.
1963 was the 4th issue by Bradbury Wilkinson and was Sg 595a to Sg 598a
1967 was the final issue by Bradbury Wilkinson and was Sg 759 to Sg 762 these had no watermark.
A new castles issue was made in 1988 these being Sg 1410 to Sg 1413.printed by Recess Harrison.
1992 saw the 2nd issue of these stamps with an added gold Queens head and an extra value stamp Sg1611 to Sg 1614. £1, £1.50, £2, £3 and finally £5.
1997 was the 3rd and 4th issue printed bu Enschede and harrison & sons. These were Sg 1993 to Sg 1996. The difference between the two printings is very small. The cerif on the enschede of the letter C is curved and has no leg on the top, whereas the Harrison printing has a prominent cerif at the top of the letter C.