1940 Centenary

Designed by H. L. Palmer
Printed in photogravure by Harrison & Sons in 20 rows of 8

Perforated 14½ x 14

Issued 6 May 1940

Watermark

Numbers issued - ½d 82,896,960 - 1d 232,903,680 - 1½d 40,412,800 - 2d 121,065,120 - 2½d 312,957,440 - 3d 22,128,000

The colours of the stamps match those of the definitives for the same values. The profile head of Queen Victoria is a replica of that used on the 1d black and 2d blue, engraved by Frederick Heath from Henry Corbould's sketch of the 'Wyon head' used on a City Medal.

Preparations for this issue were in progress for some time and essays were invited from selected artists in early 1939. When war broke out in September, 1939, the celebrations to mark the Centenary of Uniform Penny Postage (10 January 1840) and the Centenary of the first Postage Stamps (6 May 1840) had to be drastically curtailed and for a while it was considered cancelling the commemorative issue altogether. However, in January 1940, the decision was announced that the issue of the commemorative stamps would go ahead.

The original plans for a set of four stamps was altered to be a set of six mainly due to pending postal rate increases for 1 May.

The stamps are 1½ times the length of the standard definitive issue. They feature the Wyon profile of Queen Victoria beside the Dulac portrait of George VI.

The 2d stamp bisected (usually diagonally) was used as 1d postage in Guernsey during the Channel Islands occupation.

Cylinder Numbers and Varieties

All values were issued with the Control Number G40

½d cylinders		Varieties	Perforations
1nd	1d	Hole in centre of cross in crown - cyl 1d, row 17/3	Type A
3nd	3d
6nd	6d

1d cylinders		Varieties	Perforations
1nd	1d		Type A
2nd	2d
3nd	3d
5nd	5d

1½d cylinders		Varieties	Perforations
2nd	2d		Type A
3nd	3d		Type A

2d cylinders		Varieties	Perforations
1nd	1d		Type A
2nd	2d
3nd	3d

2½d cylinders

Varieties

Perforations

2nd

Retouched neck for Victoria (cyl 2d, row 20/2)

Type A

3nd

Loop to crown (cyl 3nd, row 6/6)

4nd

5nd

Retouched forehead and hair for George (cyl 5nd, row 20/1)

7nd

3d cylinders			Perforations
5nd	5d		Type A

Specimen for each stamp

First Day Covers

Stamp Centenary Exhibition cover with Red Cross cancel and Exhibition label

Stamp Centenary Exhibition cover with Red Cross cancel, sold in aid of Red Cross and St.John Fund. 6d for the envelope designed by Milner Gray.


Covers issued with special cachet celebrating James Chalmers, (born Arbroath). Most covers have the 2½d stamp, (new inland letter rate from 1 May).

Overprints

½d - 'Morocco Agencies - 5 centimos' (Spanish Zone)

'Tangier'

1d - 'Morocco Agencies - 10 centimos' (Spanish Zone)

'Tangier'

1½d - 'Morocco Agencies - 15 centimos' (Spanish Zone)

'Tangier'

2½d - 'Morocco Agencies - 15 centimos' (Spanish Zone)

Contact : Malcolm Sanders : kg6gb@hotmail.com