GREAT BRITAIN, 1911-1935

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1911 King George V

  1/2 p green
  1 p red

Two types of the 1 p red exist, one with more lines on the lion at the bottom (see pictures). These stamps exist with three different kinds of watermark ('Crown', 'Crown GVR' in two types).

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
1/2 p	*	vc
1 p	*	vc

1912 King George V, with lined background behind the king

1 1/2 p brown 5 p brown 3 p violet

  1/2 p green
  1 p red
  1 1/2 p brown
  2 p orange
  2 1/2 p blue
  3 p violet
  4 p green
  5 p brown
  6 p lilac
  7 p olive
  8 p black on yellow
  9 p violet
  9 p olive (1922)
  10 p blue
  1 Sh brown

These stamps were issued with various watermarks and are perforated 15 x 14. In 1934 some of these stamps were re-issued with a solid background (see there).

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
1/2 p	c	vc
1 p	*	vc
1 1/2 p	*	vc
2 p	*	vc
2 1/2 p	*	vc
3 p	*	vc
4 p	*	vc
5 p	*	c
6 p	*	c
7 p	***	*
8 p	***	*
9 p violet	***	c
9 p olive	**	c
10 p	**	c
1 Sh	**	c

Stamps with the following overprint (or similar ones) were issued in Ireland:

A bogus 'POSTAGE 2 1/2 d.' on 2 p stamp:

Bogus overprint, such an overprint was never issued

1912 King George and seahorses

  2 Sh 6 p brown
  5 Sh red
  10 Sh blue
  1 Pound green

These stamps are perforated 11 x 12. The values 2 Sh 6 p, 5 Sh and 10 Sh exist in slightly different colours (due to the fact that they were printed by different printers). These three values were also issued with dotted background instead of lined background behind the King (in 1934?).

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
2 Sh 6 p	***	*
5 Sh	***	**
10 Sh	R	***
1 Pound	RRR	RRR

1924 British Empire Exhibition

Inscription '1924'
  1 p red
  1 1/2 p brown

Inscription '1925'
  1 p red
  1 1/2 p brown

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
1 p	*	*	1924
1 1/2 p	*	*	1924
1 p	*	*	1925
1 1/2 p	*	*	1925

1929 Postal Union Congress London 1929 (PUC), various frames

  1/2 p green
  1 p red
  1 1/2 p brown (same design as 1 p red)
  2 1/2 p blue
  1 Pound black (larger size)

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
1/2 p	c	c
1 p	*	c
1 1/2 p	*	c
2 1/2 p	*	c
1 Pound	RR	RR

I have seen some forgeries of the 1 Pound stamp.

Forgery of the 1 Pound stamp, the design is quite blur. It is often found with a "TORQUAY H DE 1...." partial cancel.

I have seen two forged letters with genuine stamps, but forged postmark "POSTAL UNION CONGRESS 10-AM 10 MY 29 LONDON", example of such a letter:

(Forged letter)

(Zoom in on one of the forged cancels of the previous letter)

I've seen a similar forged fist day cover with the four lowest values of this serie adressed to 'G.Hamilton-Smith Stanley Gibbons Ltd 399 Strand London MC2'. The stamps are genuine, the cancel has been forged (identical to the one above).

An imperforate 'reprint' exist for the British Philatelic Exhibition 1979 of the 1 Pound stamp. The inscription on top and bottom of this stamp reads 'BRITISH PHILATELIC EXHIBITION 1979 50th Anniversary of the 1929 Postal Union Congress Issue By Authority of the Post Office Recess by Thomas De La Rue'. The inscriptions 'POSTAGE' and 'ONE POUND' have been deleted. The stamp is printed in violet(?).

The 1 Pound stamp was also reprinted by Joh. Enschede in 2010 for the Stamp Exhibition 2010 in blocks of 4 stamps. They have printed "FACSIMILE" at the back. If my information is correct, they also exists in blue (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postal_Union_Congress_%C2%A31_stamp).

2010 reprint

I've also seen a 'Replik' of the 1 Pound stamp (probably made by Peter Winter, with the word 'Replik' printed at the back).

1934 King George V, with coloured background behind king

  1/2 p green
  1 p red
  1 1/2 p brown
  2 p orange
  2 1/2 p blue
  3 p violet
  4 p green
  5 p brown
  9 p green
  10 p blue
  1 Sh brown

These stamps have perforation 15 x 14.

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
1/2 p	c	vc
1 p	c	vc
1 1/2 p	c	vc
2 p	c	vc
2 1/2 p	c	vc
3 p	c	vc
4 p	*	c
5 p	*	c
9 p	*	c
10 p	*	c
1 Sh	*	c

A label with inscription "INTERNATIONAL STAMP EXHIBITION" and the portrait of King George V:

I've seen them in various colors (also imperforate), they were made in 1913 for an exhibition in Paris?

1935 King George Silver Jubilee (all identical design)

  1/2 p green
  1 p red
  1 1/2 p brown
  2 1/2 p blue

A German propaganda forgery exists of the 1/2 p value. Instead of King George V, the image of Stalin is represented. Also the text has been changed from "SILVER JUBILEE" to "THIS WAR IS A JEWISH WAR".

Genuine stamp and war forgery

For stamps of Great Britain, issued from 1937 onwards, click here.