Gibraltar Stamps: King Edward VII 1903-1908

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 1/2 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.

Gibraltar SG 52 Two Shillings stamp, green and blue, very  fine used with scarce CDS ''GIBRALTAR/B/15 SP/04''

 

Gibraltar 1902 colour trial of the KEVII low value denominated 2d printed in dull purple & pale green on gummed watermarked paper. Believed to be one of only three recorded ex the De La Rue archive. Sold at Cavendish Auction in 2006 for ?500 plus buyer's premium

 

Gibraltar Stamps: King Edward VII 1904-1908. Wmk Mult Crown CA. P 14.

Between June 1904 and June 1908 the preceding issue appeared on Multiple Crown C.A. Wmk. Mr. Douglas B. Armstrong, in the “ Philatelic Magazine ” of May 20th, 1920, gives the following dates of the six values concerned printed on ordinary unsurfaced paper with the Multiple Crown C.A. Wmk. He mentions the fact that the printing of the sheets of the low value stamps in this issue was reduced to two horizontal panes of 60 in view of an accident to the key plate. This list is now subjoined.

Value.

Colours.

Dates of Issue.

1/2d.

Grey green and green

June 1st 1904.

1d.

Lilac on red

October 10th 1904.

2d.

Grey green and carmine

January 9th 1905.

6d.

Lilac and violet

April 19th 1906.

1s.

Black and carmine

October 13th 1905.

2s.

Green and blue

February 2nd 1905.

The 1d. denomination printed on surface coated paper was issued on September 16th, 1905, and was one of the first British Colonial postage and revenue stamps to appear in this form as the singly fugitive colours of Messrs. De La Rue & Co., were not found to be quite a sufficient safeguard in the case where stamps were used for fiscal purposes as well as for postage. The paper for the stamps of Great Britain as well as for the Colonies was gradually superseded by a chalk surfaced paper which rendered any attempt to remove obliterations impossible. All values were issued on the chalky paper. The 21/2d., on chalky paper, was issued for a very short time and is consequently scarce. It is stated by Mr. Armstrong that only 24,000 of these stamps were issued. The dates of issue are given by him as follows:

Value.

Colours.

Dates of Issue.

1/2d.

Dull and bright green

October   20th 1905*.

1d.

Lilac on red

September 16th 1905.

2d.

Grey green and carmine

February 6th 1907. May

21/2d.

Lilac and black on blue 6d.

May 4th 1907*.

6d.

Dull purple and violet

April 20th 1908.

1s.

Black and carmine

April 19th 1906.*

2s.

Green and blue

October 27th 1907.

4s.

Lilac and green

June 1908.

?1

Lilac and black on red

March 15th 1908.*

Those values marked ( * ) are found in well-defined different shades.

The ?1 Multiple Crown and C. A., in this issue, and the preceding one — Crown and C.A. — are especially scarce as they were issued before the days of highly developed stamp collecting.

The 21/2d., 4s. and ?1 are printed on the chalky paper only, whilst the other values are found on the two varieties of paper.

Gibraltar SG 64 ?1 stamp used on piece

Large "2" in "1/2" variety of 21/2 penny King Edward VII Gibraltar stamps

There is a variety of the 21/2d. value. In the 55th and the 115th stamp of each pane respectively the “2” in the fraction “1/2” is somewhat larger. This variety is known as the “ large 2 ” in “ half”.

Gibraltar SG 49 Two and halfpenny stamps in block of 4 from
the lower left corner
of the right pane. One stamp with variety
large ''2'' in ''1/2'' [R. 10/1], SG. 49a.
Sold at Grosvenor Auction
in 2009 for ?230 plus buyer's premium

Gibraltar SG 59 Two and halfpenny stamps in block of 4
from the lower left corner
of the left pane with plate No. 1.
One stamp with variety large ''2'' in ''1/2'' [R. 10/1], SG. 59a.

Sold at Grosvenor Auction in 2009 for ?480 plus buyer's premium

 

Gibraltar Postal History with King Edward VII stamps

Gibraltar Postal History: KEVII 1903 8s stamp used with 1906-12
2s. and 4s. on registered ''Kinze'' cover to Germany, tied by
''12 SE 10'' oval datestamps with transits and Sept. 18 arrival
on reverse. SG. 54, 72, 73. Sold at Grosvenor Auction in 2006
for ?230 plus buyer's premium

Gibraltar Edward VII One Pound Stamp On Cover To Russia

Gibraltar 1911 Registered cover to Switzerland franked 4s black & carmine (SG 73) marginal example tied by VF reg. 5.July.11 oval d/stamp, back stamps Gib 5.7.11, Portsmouth 13.7.11, Biel 15.7.11. Sold at Corbitts Auction in 2011 for ?140 plus buyer's premium

 

References:

  1. "The Postage Stamps of Gibraltar" by Geoffrey E. Duveen, First Edition 1932, Reprint 1972. 

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