Stamps of King George VI

[rob1956]

There were many experiments with stamps in the KGVI era, such as paper thickness, shades and inks, though experimental ink types are considerably rare. At one stage it was thought that aniline ink was used in the 1938 reddish-purple 10/- Coronation Robes but was later determined it was not so, though there is a 10/- issue that is aniline like, otherwords, the ink has an aniline appearance.

Many thin papers were used in the production of postage stamps from 1937-52, and very small number in very thin paper, the very thin demanding premium value, especially the high value stamps. For example, the 5/- very thin Coat-of-Arms is worth 7.5 times more than the thick paper version, the very thin £1 and £2 is worth 27.5 times more than the normal paper.

The 1942 very scarce and unrecorded thin paper emu is worth 50 times more than the normal paper. Overall, thin paper will always have a premium over normal paper. There is an exception though, although there is an Ash and McCracken version of the Coronation Robes printings, the 5/- was partnered with a thin paper version and both the 1938 and 1949 10/-, were thick papers.

The 1949 £1 Specimen was printed on thin paper (unsurfaced) in contrast to the 1938 thick paper (surfaced), the thin printing being very scarce, only 160,000 were issued from a single printing compared to 1,920,00 of the thick version which had four printings from May 1938 to April 1945

The McCracken Specimen is rarer than the Ash Specimen; a small printing of 2,860 Specimens was printed in 1944 using the Ash plates, and approximately 200 were printed from the McCracken plate, taking into account that both high value Specimens were printed on thick paper.

The stamps of the KGVI era have given philatelists much to research and collect.


THIN PAPER (not complete)

1. 1948. Hermes. Thin paper: 2. 1939. Queen Elizabeth. Die II. Very thin paper (pelure): 3. 1938. King George VI. Die II. Thin unsurfaced paper: 4. 1941. King George VI. Thin paper: 5. 1941. King George VI. Thin paper. Ink stripping "white face": 6. 1948. Queen Elizabeth. Thin unsurfaced paper. Tinted paper: 7. Queen Elizabeth. Thin unsurfaced paper. White paper: 8. 1948. King George VI. Thin unsurfaced paper


1. 1949. King George VI. Thin unsurfaced paper: 2. 1942. King George VI. Thin paper: 3. 1938. King George VI. Die II. Thin unsurfaced paper: 4. 1942. Emu. Thin paper: 5. 1951. King George VI. Very thin paper: 6. 1952. King George VI. Thin paper: 7. 1952. King George VI. Very thin paper: 8. 1952. King George VI. Thin paper: 9. 1948. Aboriginal Art. Thin paper


1. 1949. Commonwealth Coat of Arms. Very thin paper (0.085mm): 2. 1950. Commonwealth Coat of Arms. £2. Very thin paper (0.085mm): 3. 1948. Pan-Pacific Scout Jamboree. Thin paper: 4. 1947. "B.C.O.F. JAPAN 1946". Thin paper

SPECIMEN


1. 1938. King George VI. Thick chalky surfaced paper (John Ash): 2. 1938. King George VI. Thick chalky surfaced paper (John Ash): 3. 1949. King George VI. Thick chalky surfaced paper (W.C.G. McCracken)

SLIGHT ANILINE QUALITY (has the appearance of Aniline)


1. 1938. King George VI. Thick unsurfaced paper

VERY SCARCE SHADES


1. 1949. Pale Yellow-Orange: 2. 1942. Brown-Orange

EXPERIMENTAL INKS


1. 1946. "B.C.O.F. JAPAN 1946". Red overprint (Trial Proof): 2. 1946. "B.C.O.F. JAPAN 1946". Gold overprint (Trial Proof)