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ISSUE 33
JANUARY 2025 RARE CARSON
www.collectors-club-of- CITY DOUBLE
great-britain.co.uk
EAGLE SOLD

THE LAST KINGS OF

ANGLO-SAXON
ENGLAND

EXPERT GUIDE
WHY CHRISTMAS
COINS MAY BE
OLDER THAN
YOU THINK
TRACING THE HOW TO COLLECT
BIRTH OF THE QUALITY COINS ON
ROMAN EMPIRE A BUDGET

INCORPORATING COIN COLLECTOR

JANUARY 2025 Volume 7, Issue 1 Build your knowledge, build your collection

EXPLORE THE STORY OF

BRITAIN’S TRAVELLING
POST OFFICE

Pre-decimal
commemoratives
used on cover

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£5.25
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contents
STAMP 19 SUBSCRIBE TODAY
Join Stamp Collector and never miss
an issue.

COLLECTOR
20 GB CHAT
Bill Barrell reports back from Stampex
and reveals some interesting new items
that have come his way.
www.collectors-club-of-
great-britain.co.uk 12
Published by Warners Group
Publications plc, The Maltings, Bourne,
22 AUCTION UPDATE
The latest auction prices, plus our
regular ‘Stamp Detective’ and ‘Price
PE10 9PH

PUBLISHING
Publisher: Claire Ingram
7 STAMP UPDATE
Your regular round-up of the latest
Watch’ columns.

claire.ingram@warnersgroup.co.uk

EDITORIAL
stamp collecting news.
28 CHRISTMAS WITH CHARLES
DICKENS
Editor: Alison Boyd
Designer: Mike Carr 12 NEW STAMPS
Discover some of the many new stamp
issues from around the world.
Postal items connected to Charles
Dickens and his famous Christmas story
are examined by Michael Burzan.
Contributors: Brian Austin, David Bailey,
Bill Barrell, Christer Brünstrom, Michael
Burzan, Maurice Buxton, Dane Garrod,
Paula Hammond, Stuart Leigh, Cyril RH
Parsons, John Scott, Richard Stenlake,
Chris West, Richard West.
15 VIEW FROM EUROPE
Price changes for special, limited edition
French issues are tracked by Michael
30 MOVING MAIL BY RAIL:
1830–1995
Cyril RH Parsons outlines the history
ADVERTISING Burzan. of the carriage of letter mail by rail in
Kristina Green
Tel: 01778 392096 Britain over nearly 200 years.
kristina.green@warnersgroup.co.uk
Advertising Production: Kay Cotterill
Tel: 01778 395065
k.cotterill@warnersgroup.co.uk 36 HOW TO COLLECT SOUTH
AFRICA
As Christer Brunström has discovered,
MARKETING
Marketing Manager: Sophie Thornton South Africa offers numerous
Tel: 01778 395085
sophie.thornton@warnersgroup.co.uk possibilities to the collector.

Marketing Assistant: Rebecca Abbott

Tel: 01778 395081
rebecca.abbott@warnersgroup.co.uk 40 MAKING CONNECTIONS
Using several examples, John Scott
highlights the different ways money
SUBSCRIPTIONS
scm@warnersgroup.co.uk passed through the postal system.
Tel: 01778 392030 16
PRINTED BY
Warners (Midlands) plc, The Maltings,
Manor Lane, Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH
16 GB STAMPS
This year’s Christmas stamps from Royal
42 BY ZEPPELIN TO SOUTH
AMERICA
Following the establishment of the
DISTRIBUTION BY Mail celebrate five cathedrals from Zeppelin route to South America in
Warners Group Publications plc
West Street, Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH around the UK. 1930, a special Christmas trip took place
in 1934. Michael Burzan looks at the
Disclaimer
The views expressed by contributors are not collecting opportunities of the voyage.
necessarily those of the publisher. Every care is
taken to ensure that the contents of the magazine
are accurate, but the publisher assumes no
responsibility for errors. While reasonable care
30
is taken when accepting advertisements, the
publisher cannot accept responsibility for any
resulting unsatisfactory transactions, but will
immediately investigate any written complaints.

Copyright
No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system or transmitted without the
prior written permission of the publisher.
18
© WARNERS GROUP
PUBLICATIONS PLC 2024

18 COLLECTING GB
Although only four stamps were released
during the short reign of Edward VIII,
as Richard West explains, there were
plans for more issues.

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 4 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

 Welcome to
Stamp Collector INCORPORATING COIN COLLECTOR

48
he past year has been
an eventful one for the
46 PHILATELIC FIRSTS
It was Charles I who transformed the
Tudor postal system into Britain’s first
philatelic world. For
Stamp Collector, 2024 saw
true ‘public’ postal system, writes Paula
Coin Collector integrated
Hammond.
into its pages. This move means both
collecting areas can take advantage of the links between the two
48 £sd COMMEMORATIVES USED
ON COVER
As a follow-up to earlier articles, Maurice
hobbies, while also exploring some exciting new areas.
A wide range of stamps have been released this year, with Royal
Buxton provides examples of £sd
commemorative stamps used on cover. Mail’s issues covering such diverse subject as weather forecasting,
Viking Britain and The Who. For the stamp collector, I think the

52 COVER EXPLAINED
An accumulation of covers and letters can
sometimes reveal themselves after many
April issue marking 100 years of commemorative stamps was the
obvious highlight. I am looking forward to seeing what 2025 will
years. Dane Garrod details when such bring and the resulting debates over the subjects selected.
an occasion brought postal and family Around the world, some new issue highlights have been
history into modern focus. the stamps released for the Paris Olympics and for the 150th
anniversary of the Universal Postal Union. Stamps were also
released to commemorate the 80th anniversaries of the liberation of
Europe (Isle of Man) and the Battle of Monte Cassino (Poland). As
2025 will mark 80 years since the end of World War II, it will be
interesting to see what new stamp issues are released to mark this
significant event.
October saw a new-look Stampex take place at the Business
Design Centre in London. The organisers provided a welcoming
space, and the many stands offered plenty of opportunities to
54 wander around and add to your collection.
Throughout the year, significant auctions were held around the

54 CELEBRATED SETS
A 1923 set from Iraq, released when
administered by the United Kingdom as a
world. These included the sale of the William H Gross collection
of US stamps in New York, where the top 100 rarest and most
League of Nations Mandate, showcases the valuable stamps provided some amazing results. Among the
history of the country, writes David Bailey. important individual items offered this year was a pair of the 1851
12d black from Canada, which set a Canadian auction record.
57 STAMP STORY
As Chris West reveals, a stamp from one
of the poorest countries in the world
As we look forward to the festive season, the whole team at Stamp
Collector would like to wish you a wonderful Christmas and a
sheds light on its colonial past. philatelic new year.

58 BACK OF THE BOOK

Your regular guide to postcards,
Cinderellas, first day covers,
Post & Go and revenues.
Alison Boyd, Editor

62 CLASSIFIED ADS
Buy, sell and swap your stamps and coins.
Keep in touch. Share your views, stamps and thoughts with us:
alison.boyd@warnersgroup.co.uk

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 5 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL

TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL
24TH & 25TH FEBRUARY SALE

,


On-line bidding via Easylive.

CONTACT US TODAY FOR A FREE COPY OF OUR NEXT CATALOGUE.

TO: Tony Lester Auctions Ltd (01926) 634809

The Sidings, Birdingbury Rd,
www.tonylester.co.uk
Marton, Nr Rugby,
tonylester@btconnect.com
Warwickshire CV23 9RX

TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL
 stamp update
T H E L AT E S T N E WS F R O M T H E WO R LD O F S TA M P CO L L EC TI N G A N D O R GAN I S E D P H I L AT E LY.
SEN D YO U R N E WS STO R I E S TO US BY EMAI L TO : a l iso n . b oyd @ wa r n e rsg ro u p . co . u k

EuroPhilEx Birmingham 2025

The international stamp exhibition, EuroPhilEx Birmingham 2025,
will be held at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham from
Wednesday, 7 May until Sunday, 11 May 2025.
There will be over 60 dealers present, including a stand for
Royal Mail. In addition, there will be 2,000 frames of exhibits
from more than 30 countries.
Featuring material from some of the world’s finest collections, the
Court of Honour will be a particular highlight. The star attraction will Association of British Philatelic Societies in conjunction with
be the world’s most valuable stamp, the British Guiana 1856 1c black Stamp World Exhibitions Ltd, and it has FEPA patronage and FIP
on magenta, which is being shown by Stanley Gibbons. (International Federation of Philately) recognition.
There will be a free souvenir sheet for visitors every day, while The National Exhibition Centre is easy to reach with Birmingham
special cachets and cancellations will also be in use. International Station and Birmingham International Airport both
Thursday, 8 May will be Society Showcase Day, with societies close to the site. There are frequent and fast connections with the
having tables (some still available at £20 plus VAT). Several societies centre of Birmingham and to Coventry. The venue is situated close to
will also be holding meetings during the event (rooms still available at several motorway junctions, and it has 16,500 car parking spaces with
£150 plus VAT). shuttle buses to the venue.
Other events during the exhibition will include: the signing On the opening day, 7 May, the exhibition will be open from 11am
ceremony of the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists (Friday, 9 May); to 6pm, and admission will cost £10, with early bird admission from
Annual Congress of the Association of British Philatelic Societies 10am for £20. For all of the other days, admission will be free. On
(Saturday, 10 May); the Federation of European Philatelic Societies Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the exhibition will be open from 10am
(FEPA) Congress (Sunday, 11 May); and an auction by Cavendish to 6pm, while on the Sunday, it will be open from 10am to 4pm.
Philatelic Auctions (Sunday, 11 May). Further information can be obtained by visiting the website (www.
EuroPhilEx Birmingham 2025 is being organised by the europhilex2025.co.uk).

Children and AI design Suitcase of Penny Reds

Norway’s Christmas At the Halls auction of books, coins and stamps on 6 November,
a massive accumulation of Great Britain Penny Reds, estimated
stamps to be 40,000 in number, which had lain in an old leather suitcase
for over 30 years, was an unusual highlight (lot 335). Including
The two Christmas stamps released by Posten for Norway on 7 imperfs, stars and plates, the stamps were a mixture of on paper
November were designed by two classes at Drøbak Primary School, and off paper, and they were in a mixed condition but totally
who used AI to create the images. unsorted. A few old French stamps were in the case too. This rare
The design process began ‘treasure trove’ sold for £900.
last December, with the pupils
coming up with hundreds of
different ideas. Among the
images created were Father

Christmas riding a dinosaur,

unicorns and cats dressed as
Christmas elves, complete with
lightsabers. Two images were
selected from the children’s
artwork, and stamp designer Camilla Kvien Jensen turned the designs
into the two 23k stamps – a snowman on skis and ‘Christmas dog’.
Stamp Director Halvor Fasting said: ‘Artificial intelligence is
not likely to take over stamp design in the foreseeable future.
Our stamps will still be made by Norwegian designers, but it is
in Norway Post’s DNA to explore new technology, and it has
been interesting to see how AI can be used as a tool for image
generation and stamp development.’

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 7 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

 stamp update
Titanic postcard featured a message
in pencil from Richard
which is 13 miles from
Queenstown.
postcard William Smith, a British
businessman, to a Mrs Olive
The text on the card
states: ‘Have had a fine run
A postcard written by a first-class Dakin in Norwich, England. around to Queenstown. Just
passenger on the Titanic went The luxury liner was sailing leaving for the land of stars
under the hammer for £16,000 from Southampton to New and stripes.’ It ends with:
at an auction of Titanic, White York, with scheduled stops ‘Hope you are all quite well
Star and transport memorabilia in Cherbourg in France and at home. Kindest regards,
held by Henry Aldridge & Sons Queenstown – now known as R.W.S.’ Smith was one of
on 16 November. Cobh – in Ireland. Smith, a around 1,500 people who
Sent from Cork, Ireland, and tea broker, had been travelling perished when the ship sank.
postmarked ‘Cork 3.45pm. aboard the Titanic with a The postcard (lot 347) had
April 11-1912’ – three days family friend called Mrs an estimate of £10,000. The
before the transatlantic liner Nicholls. As she left the vessel auction house, which is based
struck an iceberg and sank at Queenstown, it is believed in Devizes, Wiltshire, holds
on its maiden voyage – the she posted the card in Cork, two Titanic auctions a year.

Stamps mark 150th anniversary of

birth of Sir Winston Churchill
On 20 November, Royal Mail his leadership during World individual. Since then, he has
issued a set of eight stamps to War II and beyond. Each of also featured in the following
mark the 150th anniversary the stamps features a carefully stamp issues: Churchill Centenary
of the birth of one of Britain’s chosen photograph of Churchill (1974); National Portrait Gallery
most iconic figures, Sir Winston at a defining moment in his life, (2006); Britain Alone (2010); and
Churchill; the man who led the accompanied by one of his most Prime Ministers (2014).
nation through its darkest hours. memorable quotes from articles, Full details will feature in next
Eight stamps capture the books, letters and speeches. month’s magazine.
essence of Churchill’s remarkable In July 1965, Winston Churchill RIGHT: Two of the stamps from the
journey – from his early years featured on the first British stamp Royal Mail issue commemorating the
as a soldier and statesman to to highlight a contemporary 150th anniversary of Churchill’s birth

PTS Awards 2024

launched
The Philatelic Traders’ Society (PTS) has announced that the PTS
Awards, celebrating the philatelic industry, are back for a fifth year.
Launched in 2020, the awards seek to recognise PTS members who
invest in the hobby, innovate and inspire others.
Wales country This year, the categories are: Best Website; Best Publication; Best
Social Media; Best Physical Space; and Contributor of the Year
definitives 2024 (open to PTS members and non-PTS members). PTS members and
members of the public can make nominations across all categories.
For the first time, the Welsh first and second class definitive stamps The winners will then be decided by a public ‘People’s Choice’ vote.
are available with the King Charles III silhouette. The stamp designs Simon Carson, PTS chair, said: ‘The PTS Awards allow us all to
feature Welsh national symbols that have been retained from recognise those who are innovating, investing and setting the standard
previous country definitive designs. The Welsh dragon illustrated on in philately. It’s important to take some time at the end of each year
the first class stamp has been forged from Welsh steel, while the leek to shout about all the amazing efforts being made across the trade and
on the second class has been carved from Welsh sycamore. hobby. If you think a PTS member or someone within our philatelic
Measuring 39mm by 30mm, the self-adhesive stamps feature community deserves to be celebrated, make sure you nominate them
the national symbols and effigy of the king alongside the barcode, and vote for them!’
with the two separated by a simulated perforation line. They have Nominations are now open. Nominate your favourites before
been printed in sheets of 25 by Cartor Security Printers, with a midnight on 15 December. You can then vote online from 16–28
perforation of 15 by 14.5. December. The winners will be announced on 30 December.
For more information, visit the website (www.thepts.net/awards).

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 8 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

 IN BRIEF
2025 stamps from US Postal Service The last recommended posting
The US Postal Service has announced plans for dates for Christmas 2024 are
its 2025 issues. As in previous years, history, as follows. For 2nd class and
natural beauty and pop culture icons are featured 2nd class signed for, the last
throughout the year. Additional stamps are expected recommended posting date
to be announced in the coming weeks and months. is Wednesday, 18 December.
The programme begins with the sixth stamp in For 1st class, 1st class signed
the current Lunar New Year series. As in previous for and Royal Mail Tracked 48,
issues, the Year of the Snake will feature a mask, it is Friday, 20 December. For
calling to mind the decorated masks used in the Royal Mail Tracked 24, the last
dances often performed in Lunar New Year parades. recommended posting date is
A global stamp will be used for mailing a Saturday, 21 December and for
Two of the stamps from the 2025 stamp programme of Special Delivery Guaranteed it
1oz letter to countries where a first-class mail the US Postal Service (© US Postal Service)
international service is available. The 1794 Compass is Monday, 23 December. For
Rose reproduced on the stamp was drawn in a school photographs of dahlia blossoms. further information, visit the
geography notebook by Lucia Wadsworth, the aunt The US Flag stamp continues a long tradition of website (www.royalmail.com/
of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, when she was honouring the Stars and Stripes. christmas/last-posting-dates).
10 years old. The latest stamped-card design features an
For Valentine’s Day, a new Love (2025) stamp illustration of a two-masted schooner. Videos are now available on
celebrates the universal experience of love. With the A luna moth (non-machineable surcharge) will YouTube of two FEPA seminars
stamp featuring Untitled by Keith Haring (1958– feature on a stamp for irregularly sized envelopes. presented at Hafnia 24 in
1990), the non-specificity of the figures allows Baby Wild Animals consists of 10 stamps showing Copenhagen in the autumn.
people to see themselves in this stamp, whatever they baby wild animals from across the US. In ‘Open Philately’, longtime
are celebrating. An icon of American television, Betty White expert and international juror in
Allen Toussaint (1938–2015), the pianist, singer, (1922–2021) will be honoured with a stamp issue. the open philately and picture
songwriter, composer, arranger and producer will be Offered in booklets of 20, Winter Landscapes postcards classes, Birthe King
honoured in the Black Heritage series. features five stamps with photographs of iconic delivered a presentation that
The two stamps of American Vistas (presorted winter landscapes from around the USA. shared the magic of exhibiting
standard) depict stylised, minimalist scenes of Lisa Bobb-Semple, stamp services director for the in open philately. Meanwhile,
mountains and a beach for use on business mail. USPS, said: ‘This year, we are continuing several of ‘Trends in International
Photographic views from each of the 14 states our popular series and commemorative anniversaries, Expertising: Technical
along the Appalachian National Scenic Trail will while introducing some exciting new stamps. Innovations, Use of Databases
feature on a pane of 15 stamps. Additionally, several of our mail-use stamps, which and AI’ by Tobias Huylmans
Vibrant Leaves (postcard rate) evokes the colourful are printed based on demand, will be updated this (Managing Director of Köhler &
sights of a seasonal walk in the woods. Another issue year. Stay tuned for more announcements in the Corinphila Holding GmbH and
focussing on the natural world features 10 close-up coming months.’ a member of the International
Philatelic Experts (AIEP))
outlined examples of software
and hardware used to detect
Stamps of the World, Simplified manipulated postage stamps,
postmarks, overprints and
Stamp Catalogue, Volumes 1–6 covers, even previously certified
The 2025 edition of Stamps of the Using the universally recognised approximately 1,000 pages. This items that have now received a
World Simplified Stamp Catalogue, Stanley Gibbons numbering new edition includes over 2,000 ‘red flag’.
Volumes 1–6 is now available to system, it features a full listing newly listed stamps. Since the
order from Stanley Gibbons. of stamps of the world set out previous edition, there has been Huntingdonshire Philatelic
according to date of issue by extensive repricing of: Great Society is holding a Stamp and
country. It includes definitives, Britain, all Commonwealth and Postcard fair on Saturday, 15
commemoratives, miniature sheets, British Empire countries for February at the Corn Exchange,
postage dues, official stamps and the period 1840–1970; Ireland; St Ives, Cambridgeshire PE27
other special purpose postage and Canada and Provinces. In 5AD. There is free admission.
stamps. Its straightforward easy-to- addition, all new issues received For more details, contact 01480
use listings are ideal for collectors since the previous edition are 468037.
who do not require more specialist listed and priced.
information, such as watermark, To order, see the SG website Great Britain Postal Stationery
perforation or shade changes. (www.stanleygibbons.com) with Security/Advertising Collars
Illustrated in colour or email directly (support@ by Alan Huggins has been
throughout, each volume has stanleygibbons.com). published by the Royal Philatelic

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 9 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

 stamp update
IN BRIEF
Entries open for one-page Society London. Comprising 176

thematic competition pages, the book consolidates

the existing information about
The American Topical Association has announced to philatelic exhibiting to engage in this aspect of the use of these collars, which
its one-page competition for 2025 – the fifth time the hobby. For experienced one- and multi-frame date from 1857 in Great Britain
its My One-Page Exhibit will be run. Last year, exhibitors, the My One-Page Exhibit provides a but were not adopted by very
this worldwide competition attracted nearly 850 place to explore new themes and topics, and share many other countries. The
exhibits from 20 countries around the globe. important stories. author has been widely involved
Free to enter and open to all, the competition has According to ATA Board President Dawn in philately, at society, national
now been expanded to 14 categories. A new category Hamman: ‘Philatelists love to relate the stories and international levels, and
of gastronomy joins 13 other options, including they learn as they explore, research and expand he is a signatory to the Roll
animals, arts, culture, nature, philately, postal history, knowledge in their collection field. ATA’s My of Distinguished Philatelists.
science and technology, sports, transportation, US One-Page Exhibit programme provides an open- Over the years, he has written
history and world history. New categories are added source opportunity for collectors to share those extensively about postal
as needed to accommodate the exhibits received. stories globally and hear from other collectors stationery. For more details
Narratives developed by exhibits can be serious, with intersecting philatelic interests.’ on the book and how to order,
questioning, comic and everything in between. Last Exhibits need to be submitted as PDF files on please see the website of the
year’s entries ranged from the history of tequila to the ATA website during the submission period, RPSL (www.rpsl.org.uk).
numerical symmetry in postmarks. which opens on 15 December and ends on 15
Comprising a single page, either A4 or A3, the February. Full details are available on the ATA The world’s first app to read/
exhibit represents an accessible way for newcomers website (americantopical.org). measure stamp perforation has
been developed by Universal
Philatelic Auctions. To use the
Digital Perforation Reader (DPR),
‘Pages from My Collection’ collectors need to upload a
On 12 November, the Chelmsford and District Philatelic Society were delighted to welcome back picture of a stamp taken with
Rufus Barnes with a presentation titled ‘Pages from My Collection’. their mobile phone to the app,
For the first part, Rufus displayed material in respect of Burma, formerly known as Myanmar. There which then reads the perforation
were several highlights within this section, including Queen Victorian covers with rare postmarks, World measurement to the industry
War I censorship of civilian mail, early travelling post offices and mail from Turkish prisoners of war. standard of 2cm and gives
Following a break, Rufus displayed material covering the remote Christmas Island, which is situated the result to three decimal
in the Indian Ocean. This included mail sent using Straits Settlement stamps, but with a Christmas places. Managing Director
Island postmark. He also showed postmarks dated Christmas Day, including one to the USA in 1929. Andrew McGavin said: ‘new DPR
He then detailed the history of postage to and from the island and how responsibility changed from technology offers collectors an
Straits Settlement to Malaya and for a short time to Crown Agents before finally coming under the intelligent tool in their armoury
control of Australia. Material over these periods was displayed, some of which was rare. Pat Adams to identify the measurement of
thanked Rufus for an extremely fascinating and informative presentation. stamp perforation’. Users will
On 22 October, the society held its AGM. It was reported that the society had another successful be sent a DPR card for a 30-day
year, its 105th, with a wide variety of speakers prepared to come and share their collections, knowledge free trial following the payment
and enthusiasm for which the society are extremely grateful. For details of the society, please telephone of a small registration fee. After
Dave Everard on 01245 465506 or email him (davideverard@live.com). New members and visitors are this, there are monthly or annual
always welcome. subscription options. For full
details, see the website
(www.upastampauctions.co.uk).
The extraordinary Italian Islands
Mathà FRPSL on 7 November, into groups of islands: Maritime giving the vote of thanks, praised
who gave his third presentation islands including Sicily and Thomas for allowing all to benefit
to the society. His subject this Sardinia; lagoon islands in the from his enthusiasm by publishing
time was the postal history of Adriatic Sea; lake islands; and the results of his research.
the Italian islands, showing the river islands. Reviewing the presentation, Alan
origin and development of the Peter Cockburn FRPSL, past noted a letter sent from the island
organised postal service to the president of the society and of Ponza in the Tyrrhenian Sea
islands, concentrating on the presiding over the meeting, from a political prisoner to his
Left to right: Peter Cockburn FRPSL, mail connecting the islands described the presentation mother, complete with censorship
Thomas Mathà FRPSL and Alan with the mainland. He excluded as a ‘fantastic tour of these handstamp.
Moorcroft FRPSL those islands connected to the extraordinary islands’, adding ‘I Thomas was presented with
The Royal Philatelic Society mainland by bridges or jetties. have learnt a lot.’ a certificate and the society’s
London welcomed Thomas The presentation was divided Alan Moorcroft FRPSL, plaquette.

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 10 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

 THIS IS JUST A SMALL PART AJH STAMPS LTD Registered Business No:
OF OUR 2025 CATALOGUE THE LAURELS 24407076
MANCHESTER ROAD, ACCRINGTON LTD. Co No. 4110518
email: sales@ajhstamps.co.uk
LANCS, BB5 2PF Est: 1970
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TEL: (01254) 393740
REF T500 REF T501 REF T502 REF T503
FREE GENUINE 1840 Id BLACK WITH FREE C. O. G .H TRIANGULAR FREE 8 PAGE FREE GENUINE 1840 2d BLUE
EVERY GREAT BRITAIN BOX FILE CAT £95 WITH EVERY STOCK BOOK WITH WITH EVERY GREAT BRITAIN
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EVERY FOREIGN BOX FILE
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TO SORT, WITH GOOD MIX OF COUNTRIES, ALSO AUCTION PAGES WITH A GOOD MIX OF FDC’s. ALSO SINGLE ITEMS 1855 1d & 2d QV TO
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BUY REF T500 & T503 AND RECEIVE BOTH CRAMMED WITH ON AND OFF PAPER FOREIGN SHOE BOX SHOE BOX 1841 IMPERF 1d RED & 2d BLUE
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 new stamps
BRITISH ANTARCTIC TERRITORY

Discovery of Even its paintwork was still visible. The masts

Endurance were down, and the deck house and most of

the quarterdeck had been destroyed by the ice,
On 5 November, the postal administrations but the well deck at the stern was untouched.
of the British Antarctic Territory, Falkland The ship’s wheel was in position and largely
Islands and South Georgia & the Sandwich unscathed, as was the binnacle, or wooden
Islands released a joint tribute, delayed from stand in front of the wheel, which held the
last year, to commemorate the efforts of Ernest vessel’s magnetic compass.
Shackleton and the crew of Endurance, which Most remarkable was the fact that the
was lost in 1915 but rediscovered in the icy Endurance had been found exactly 100 years
waters of Wendell Bay, Antarctica, in 2022. to the day after Shackleton had been buried
It took ten years and two expeditions, but on South Georgia.
on 5 March 2022, with the support of the Through the Sabertooth’s cameras, the
Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust, Sir Ernest team saw Shackleton’s cabin and the ship’s
Shackleton’s ship Endurance was finally found. name across the stern over the emblem of the
Its discovery made headlines around the North Star, or Polaris, after which the ship Shackleton then took the 22-foot-long James
world. The wreck was located beneath the ice had originally been named. Caird and five of his men and departed for
of the Weddell Sea at a depth of 3,008m, in The Polaris had been built at Sandefjord, South Georgia to seek help.
an area Shackleton called the ‘worst portion Norway, in 1911–13. In 1914, it was bought It took over two weeks to reach their
of the worst sea on earth’. by Sir Ernest Shackleton, who renamed it destination where, after nine days of
The first expedition, in 2019, chartered the Endurance after his family motto ‘by endurance recuperation, Shackleton and two of the crew
12,900-ton icebreaker, SA Agulhas II, and an we conquer’. The ship was to carry his team to set off over the island’s mountainous spine
Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) was Antarctica, where it was his intention to cross for the whaling stations on the other side.
used to survey the seabed. The search ended the continent from the Weddell Sea to the After they turned up at Stromness 36 hours
when ice conditions deteriorated and the Ross Sea by way of the Pole. later, rescue attemps then began to rescue the
AUV disappeared without trace. When the But it was not to be. On 18 January 1915, remaining 22 men on Elephant Island.
quest resumed on the same ship in 2022, they without having reached their destination of After a failed attempt at rescue with a small
succeeded in finding the Endurance. Vahsel Bay, the Endurance became icebound. whaling steamer, further attempts were made,
A ‘Sabertooth’ unmanned submersible, For ten months, Endurance was carried but it was not until 30 August 1916, that
made by Saab of Sweden, was the main search northwards by the icepack, until on 21 Shackleton finally got through and rescued
vehicle. It was linked to the surface by up November 1915, the hull ruptured, and the them all using a Chilean naval tug, the Yelcho,
to 6km of fibreoptic cable, which meant the ship plunged to the seabed. under the command of Lieutenant Luis Pardo.
team could follow the in-coming data stream For over five months, Shackleton and his All of those on the expedition survived.
in real time. team of 27 survived on the ice. On 9 April It was a story of extraordinary leadership,
The wreck was discovered upright, semi- 1916, they took to their three boats and, courage and determination. Some have called
intact and in an excellent state of preservation. after six days, they made Elephant Island. it the greatest escape – ever.

ISLE OF MAN

The Lights of Mann

The Isle of Man Post Office released a new six-stamp set on 25
October showcasing the breathtaking of the aurora borealis as seen
through Manx skies. Created in partnership with the Isle of Man
Astronomical Society and Visit Isle of Man, the new issue, titled
‘The Lights of Mann’, aims to promote and encourage interest in
astronomy on the island.
The aurora borealis is an awe-inspiring natural phenomenon,
commonly referred to as the Northern Lights. Normally observed in
Polar regions like Alaska and Norway, the aurora is sometimes visible The images on the stamps and supporting products were provided by
from the Isle of Man’s north-western coast. The phenomenon occurs the Manx public, who all waited patiently for just the right moment to
when solar wind interacts with the Earth’s magnetic field, creating capture the very best view through their camera lens, whether it be on a
vibrant displays of green, red, purple and blue across the sky. The Sun mobile phone or a top of the range digital camera.
goes through an 11-year cycle, and a peak lasting from 2024 to 2026 Visit Isle of Man said: ‘Boasting the highest concentration of dark
means some of the most dramatic auroral displays in over 20 years have sky sites and among the lowest levels of light pollution in the British
been seen over the Isle of Man in 2024, and the stamps feature images Isles, the Isle of Man is a premier destination for stargazers and
of some of the aurora borealis seen in Manx skies. nature lovers alike.’

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 12 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

 NETHERLANDS

Siege of Leiden
On 3 October, it was 450 years since the city of
Leiden was relieved by the water beggars after a siege
by Spanish troops. Since then, this historic event has
been marked on this date.
To mark the anniversary, PostNL issued a stamp
sheet that highlighted the heroes of the past and the stories surrounding The two stamps in the sheet feature a central etching surrounded
the relief. The stamps have the value indication 1 for mail up to and by flying carrier pigeons to represent the birds used to send messages
including 20 grams with a destination within the Netherlands. to those trapped during the siege. One stamp is dedicated to the
During the Eighty Years’ War (1568–1648), Leiden was besieged siege and shows the starving population of Leiden, while the other is
by Spanish troops from 30 October 1573 to 3 October 1574, with dedicated to the relief and shows the fleet that liberated the city and
an interval of two months. Located in the heart of Holland, the city distributed herring and white bread to the population.
had joined the uprising against the King Philip II of Spain, lord Four Leiden heroes from that period are depicted on the stamps,
of the Seventeen Provinces. During the siege, Spanish commander with their portraits appearing twice on each value: Jan van Hout
Francisco de Valdez closed off the city from the outside world with a (city secretary); Jan van der Does (city commander); Louis de Boisot
ring of forts and redoubts to starve Leiden out. (commander of the Beggars fleet); and William of Orange (rebel leader).
To drive out the Spanish army, rebel leader William of Orange Additionally, the tabs on the sheet show Pieter Adriaanszoon van der
suggested flooding the surrounding countryside. A month after Werff (mayor), Dirk van Bronkhorst (military governor), Magdalena
the dikes were breached, a fleet of flat-bottomed boats with water Moons (lover of the Spanish commander) and Willem Corneliszoon
beggars and mercenaries headed for the city. Along the way, battles van Duyvenbode (pigeon farmer).
were fought with Spanish troops near Zoetermeer. During the night In the background of the tabs on the sheet, a map from the time
of 2/3 October, the water rose rapidly, causing the Spaniards to of the siege is shown on the left, while an image of the university
abandon their positions. Leiden was relieved, and the beggars sailed building, which was donated to the city as a thank you for the
into the city. To commemorate this historic event, Leiden’s Relief is courage of the people of Leiden during the siege, is reproduced on
celebrated annually on 3 October in the city. the right-hand side.

CANADA

Farmerettes government created

the Farm Service
and Soldiers of Corps, which
recruited high-school
the Soil girls to work on farms
in 1917 and 1918.
This year’s Remembrance Day issue from These workers were
Canada Post honours the contribution of known as farmerettes.
farmerettes and Soldiers of the Soil – wartime More than 20,000
heroes who kept plates and stomachs full young women
both at home and on the battlefield participated in a similar initiative called the helped with every aspect of farming, from
The two world wars were not only won Ontario Farm Service Force’s Farmerette planting and ploughing to haymaking and
by troops on the battlefield. Civilians on the Brigade during World War II. Farmerettes milking. In return, they received monthly
home front were instrumental in producing lived in camps and worked on farms, orchards wages, along with room and board. Those
food, ammunition and other supplies for the and in canneries. For up to 10 hours a day, who worked a minimum of three months
war effort. Canada played a leading role in they planted, tended and harvested fruits and were exempt from classes and final exams. At
producing food for Britain and Allied troops vegetables, producing food for Canadians the end of their term, they were ‘honourably
during World War I and World War II. The and the war effort. They paid their room and discharged’ and awarded a bronze lapel badge
need for increased production, along with board from their hourly wage and supplied of honour, often at a community ceremony
labour shortages (due in part to thousands their own personal items – including work acknowledging their wartime contribution.
of Canadian men leaving to serve in the clothes. Farmerettes could be exempted from The two stamps feature archival photos of
battlefields of Europe), led to the creation of year-end exams. participants in both schemes at work in the
programmes that recruited young people from Created by the federal government towards fields. In the farmerettes photo, four members
across the country to work on farms. This was the end of World War I, the Soldiers of the of the Farmerettes Brigade take a break from
achieved with the help of different federal and Soil initiative recruited teenaged boys aged hoeing celery in Thedford, Ontario, in 1945.
provincial programmes that recruited young 15 to 19 to work on farms for the remainder Meanwhile, the Soldiers of the Soil photo
people to work the fields at home. of war. More than 22,000 young Canadians shows a group of young boys harvesting flax in
During World War I, the Ontario enrolled in the programme. Participants a field near Willowdale, Ontario, around 1917.

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 13 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

 new stamps
AUSTRIA IN BRIEF

‘Silent Night’ On 24 October, a

six-stamp set titled
Released on 29 November, a new 95c stamp from Jersey Dairy Industry celebrated
Austria has an image of a Christmas tree, which the work of Jersey farmers and
is made from the words of the first verse of the the Royal Jersey Agricultural &
popular carol ‘Silent Night! Holy Night!’. The Horticultural Society. The stamps
text is arranged in green tones in a festive font in featured illustrations that depicted
the shape of a Christmas tree. Coloured letters the products and processes of
and curlicues represent decorations and garlands. the dairy industry in Jersey. The stamps illustrate the process of
Father Joseph Mohr, a young Catholic priest, traditional hand milking (60p), a Jersey cow (98p), a milk churn
originally wrote the text of the song as a poem in (98p), a milk float (£1.65) on route past Mont Orgueil Castle in
1816, and when serving as assistant priest in the town of Oberndorf Gorey, a block of butter (£2.15), and a cow and her calf (£2.95).
in Salzburg in 1818, he asked the village schoolteacher and organist Interestingly, the States of Jersey introduced the first legislation to
Franz Xaver Gruber to compose a melody for it. Although an organist, protect the purity of the breed in 1789 by banning the import of
Gruber composed the music for guitar. cattle into the island. That ban still exists and the milk supplied to
The two performed the song together in St Nicholas’ Church in Jersey Dairy continues to be produced exclusively by pure-breed
Oberndorf on Christmas Eve in 1818. Since then, it has become Jersey cows. The artwork for the stamps was designed by British
a beloved Christmas carol, translated into many languages and illustrator, Chris Wormell, who created the issues 150 Years of
performed around the world. Brewing in Jersey (2021) and A History of Knitting in Jersey (2023).

SWITZERLAND To mark the 150th

Pro Juventute anniversary of the

birth of Winston Churchill,
The latest Pro Juventute stamp Monaco released a €3 stamp on 9
issue from Swiss Post was released October. Born on 30 November
on 7 November. Pro Juventute was 1874, Winston Churchill was
founded in the country in 1912 to descended from the Dukes of
combat the spread of tuberculosis Marlborough. As Prime Minister
– financed by the sale of a 10c of the UK from 1940 to 1945,
charity stamp. To this day, the and then again from 1951 to
stamp surcharge continues to benefit the foundation’s projects. 1955, he is known to history as
When the charity was established, some 10,000 people in the man whose leadership during
Switzerland were suffering from tuberculosis. The goals of the World War II was crucial to the
foundation’s initiators were to use preventive measures to curb the Allied victory over Hitler’s Germany. Throughout his career, he
disease and to campaign for the good health of children and young displayed considerable talents as an orator and diplomat. Churchill
people. The first projects were financed with the charity stamp, which was also an accomplished painter and writer, he was awarded the
was not valid for postage, with the proceeds going to the foundation Nobel Prize for Literature in 1953, for his war memoirs The Second
In response to high demand, the first 5c valid for postage was World War. He died in London on 24 January 1965. The stamp has
issued the following year, with a surcharge of a further 5 centimes for been designed and engraved by Martin Mörck.
the foundation. A total of 3.3 million were sold in 1913. While the
proceeds initially went towards fighting tuberculosis, they were later
used to help families in need during World War I. The United Nations
Over the years, the focus of the charity has changed. In the commemorates World
1950s, for example, the foundation initiated the first Robinson Sustainable Transport Day on
Playgrounds (named after Robinson Crusoe), in the 1990s, it set up 26 November each year to
the confidential 147 helpline number for children and young people. recognise the important role of
Its current focus is on early childhood, mental health, media literacy and safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for
the transition from school to work. all. As 2024 also marked the 60th anniversary of the first high
Today, the foundation is financed mainly by donations and speed train, a set of six stamps was released to mark the occasion,
bequests, as well as partnerships and sponsoring. From the start, Swiss with the 73c stamp showing Japan’s Tokaido Shinkansen. On 1
Post has supported the organisation, with the stamp surcharge going October 1964, this train, commonly known as the ‘bullet train’,
to the foundation. was launched between Tokyo and Osaka just ahead of the Olympic
This year’s designs are a reinterpretation of the 1915 Pro Juventute Games in Tokyo. The full set of stamps feature the following trains:
issue. Just like now, these early stamps portray children in their JR Shinkansen, Japan (73c); Amtrak Acela, USA ($1.65); ONCF
environment, which is continually changing. When UV light is shone on Al Boraq, Morocco (CHF1.20); CR Fuxing, China (CHF1.90);
the new stamps, the original designs from 1915 can be seen. In essence, SNCF Voyageurs TGV INOUI, France (95c); and DB ICE,
the two versions are almost identical – and yet completely different. Germany (€1.20).

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 14 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

view from europe

France’s Limited Editions

Price changes for special, limited edition French issues are tracked by Michael Burzan.
LEFT: 1 Limited edition sheets under the title ‘Marianne and Europe’,
Robin souvenir sheetlet which was only sold there, in a special limited
produced by La Poste edition with slipcase, at the price of €125. Each
in 2003
souvenir sheet (measuring 145m×210mm)
BELOW: 2 2005 souvenir contained a different perforated denomination
sheet commemorating of the then current definitive drawings of the
a century of the historic national figure ‘Marianne’, once in nine-times
Gordon Bennett Grand size, plus three examples in the normal format
Prix car race
(Figure 3). The 15 ‘Europa stars’ were each

ollecting new French issues BELOW: 3 Stamp from

has become quite an expensive one of the 15 souvenir
sheets produced in 2012
hobby in the past decades due
to the increase in the volume of
issues. The number of motifs,
which are increasingly produced in the form of
miniature sheets or stamp booklets, continues
to grow. The versions, some of which were
offered exclusively via the Collector service, to
be ordered via the webpages and sometimes An increasing
sold (out) at short notice, repeatedly caused number of these printed in gold foil. Each individual copy was
procurement problems. ‘philatelic souvenir numbered in the bottom right-hand corner as
An early example was offered by France’s blocs’ followed one of only 6,000 sets produced.
postal service in late 2003, when prices rose in the next few years. A miniature sheet Michel has divided the sheetlets into three
rapidly after the first souvenir sheet, ‘Rouge- commemorating a century of the historic tranches as consecutive numbers 179 to 193 (Bl
Gorge’ (Robin), from the new ‘Souvenir Gordon Bennett Grand Prix car race was a 17/82, 183/89, 190/93). A footnote indicates
Philatelique’ products sold out (Figure 1). sellout in June 2005 (Figure 2). It included that the souvenir sheets were only sold in a
The ordinary perforated 50c stamp with an oval shaped stamp and soon reached prices presentation folder at the show. Michel prices
the Robin (Erithacus rubecula) for Christmas between €50 and €100. were once €450 per set, corresponding to €30
and New Year in multicoloured offset print After the novelty wore off, interest and for each individual souvenir sheet. In fact,
of 6 November 2003 was produced with demand slowly faded away. The print run of the market prices for the complete collection soon
phosphor tagging in sheets of 50 in an first, which had once seemed so low, was now reached prices of over €400.
edition of 8,583,263. The same design and sufficient. On Delcampe, a complete collection But now that the initial euphoria of
denomination was available without phosphor of the first 56 souvenir blocks from 2003 to speculators seems to have faded, it may be
on the surface. That version originated from 2010, including ‘Rouge-gorge’ and ‘Gordon worth keeping an eye out for opportunities to
small sheetlets with se-tenant fields, which Bennett’, was on offer in 2024 at around €250. buy. Michel has reduced the evaluation to €300
could be personalised from photos and were per set. In recent years, internet offers have
only sold unseparated during the Philatelic EUROPE’S GOLDEN STARS been available. On Delcampe, a set could be
Autumn Salon in Paris. The third and most In 2012, the French postal service offered purchased at around €140 to €250, while offers
common version is the self-adhesive Robin expensive ‘newcomers’ in the category of ranged from €160 to €350 on online auctions.
with phosphor tagging from stamp booklets of modern rarities in very small editions, causing There were certainly many collectors and
ten. This had a print run of 32,928,330. prices for the issue to explode. La Poste offered dealers who missed out on the original offers. La
a rather surprising example of an official issue Poste announced that at least the large-format
A PHILATELIC FIRST by a major European postal organisation that ‘Maxi Marianne’ stamps from these miniature
A new ‘bloc souvenir no 1’, together with a was produced in extremely small numbers. It sheets were to be reprinted for collectors.
matching greeting card, was introduced in seems to be targeting an exclusive group of However, in December 2012, only subscribers
November 2003. The Robin sheetlet in a collectors prepared to spend higher amounts were sent the 15 values. Michel also lists them
limited edition at €3 was offered exclusively on new issues. In doing so, the postal service as main numbers at €60, then €80 per set. On
through orders placed via the internet. It took the risk that the country’s once so broad the market, prices were up to €100, now sets
sold out within a few days, and market offers collector base was reduced to a few thousand are available from €35 to €90. Pairs and blocks
quickly climbed to prices well above €100. still hoping to complete their collection. of four of the 15 different ‘Marianne with gold
Today, Michel still has a catalogue value of La Poste set a record at the traditional stars’ have been offered as unissued trial prints at
€150. But offers can be found at two-figured ‘Salon du Timbre’ stamp show in Paris in June around €110, as mint horizontal pairs at €200
amounts below €50. 2012 with a series of 15 different souvenir and as a blocks of four at €500 to €770.

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 15 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

GB stamps

This year’s Christmas stamps from Royal Mail celebrate five cathedrals from around the UK.
oyal Mail is celebrating the principal church of a diocese, a system Cathedral (2nd) in Edinburgh is the largest
Christmas 2024 with a set of that reflected secular Roman government. cathedral in Scotland today and maintains a
five stamps that feature original Cathedrals were introduced later in Ireland, tradition of regular choral worship.
illustrations of five cathedrals where the Celtic Church operated on a more Victorian architect George Gilbert Scott
from around the UK. Featured monastic basis. won the architectural competition for a new
on the stamps are cathedrals in Edinburgh, During the Reformation in the 16th cathedral with his neo-Gothic design, and St
Liverpool, Armagh, Bangor and Westminster. century, King Henry VIII chose to retain Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral was built in the
Royal Mail worked with Canon Janet Gough, cathedrals in England and Wales when he West End of Edinburgh’s New Town between
OBE, one of the UK’s foremost experts on rejected the supremacy of the Pope in 1534. 1874 and 1879. One of three cathedrals in
cathedrals and church buildings on the stamp Indeed, he made six former monasteries into the city, alongside the 12th-century St Giles
issue. They were illustrated by British artist, new cathedrals. Meanwhile, the Church of Cathedral (now Church of Scotland) and the
Judy Joel, whose popular paintings have been Scotland and other Reformed Church bodies Roman Catholic Cathedral of St Mary’s, it is
sold worldwide over the last 50 years. dispensed with both bishops and cathedrals. the tallest building in Edinburgh.
A cathedral is the seat of a bishop (cathedra in Catholic cathedrals were reintroduced Today, it is open every day as a place of
Latin) and the principal church of the diocese in England and Wales following the prayer, sanctuary, peace and silence, and it
or church administrative area. They bear witness reinstatement of Catholic bishops and is the only place in Scotland to hold regular
to history and play a key role in the nation’s dioceses in 1850. Today, there are over mid-week and Sunday choral services. To
spiritual, cultural and social life. They are a 60 Anglican cathedrals in the UK and 18 celebrate the new millennium, the renowned
hugely significant part of the UK’s cultural Catholic ones in England, as well as further Edinburgh artist Sir Eduardo Paolozzi was
heritage, provide support to their communities Greek Orthodox, Ukrainian and other commissioned to design a new stained-glass
and welcome visitors from all backgrounds. Catholic cathedrals across the country. window for the south transept.
Those entering a cathedral in the UK are likely Cathedral buildings and their treasures The cathedral is at the heart of Edinburgh’s
to be struck by their size and grandeur. They tell fascinating stories. For example, a copy Christmas celebrations, with the services of
may be intrigued by the architecture and history of the Magna Carta, the world-famous nine lessons and carols attracting over 1,000
or moved by their services. bill of rights, is on display in the chapter people on 22 and 24 December, as well as
Throughout the festive season, cathedrals house at Salisbury Cathedral. At Coventry many other services and events that celebrate
are alive with music and activity, as well as Cathedral, the High Altar Cross holds the the birth of Christ.
opportunities to worship and reflect, sharing medieval nails found in the rubble of the old
the joys of this celebratory time of year. With cathedral bombed during World War II and ST PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL,
candlelight, festive decorations, magnificent is a symbol of peace and reconciliation. Over ARMAGH (CHURCH OF IRELAND)
architecture, awe-inspiring art and treasures, the centuries, cathedrals have commissioned The Church of Ireland Cathedral of St Patrick
and sublime music and liturgy, cathedrals are extraordinary works of art, including painted in Armagh (2nd large letter) traces its origins
welcoming places to visit at Christmas. altarpieces, illuminated Bibles, sculptures and to a hilltop sanctuary founded by St Patrick.
Christianity arrived with the Romans, and magnificent windows. Today, some of the Originally from western Britain, Patrick came
some cathedrals can trace their origins to finest choral and organ music in the world is to Armagh in the 5th century and was said to
sites associated with the Celtic saints of post- still being commissioned and performed on a have established a great stone church, which
Roman Britain. St Augustine, sent by Pope regular basis in cathedrals across the UK. he ordained should have pre-eminence over all
Gregory the Great, established the cathedral the churches of Ireland. To this day, Armagh
at Canterbury in AD 597. By the end of ST MARY’S EPISCOPAL remains the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland.
the 7th century, there were cathedrals across CATHEDRAL, EDINBURGH The building has been destroyed and
Britain: each was the seat of a bishop and Consecrated in 1879, St Mary’s Episcopal rebuilt on at least 17 occasions, with the

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 16 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

 appointed both Cardinal and first Archbishop of
Westminster. A site for a Catholic cathedral was
acquired in London’s Victoria, and John Francis
Bentley was appointed architect in 1894.
Built between 1895 and 1903, Westminster
Cathedral is designed in a neo-Byzantine
style, taking its cue from Justinian’s great
church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople
(now Istanbul), begun in AD 537. It was
intended to contrast with Gothic Westminster
Abbey and classical St Paul’s. Built of brick
with offsetting stone bands, the cathedral has
construction of the current cathedral ST DEINIOL’S CATHEDRAL, a slender bell tower and a vast internal open
beginning in the 13th century. St Patrick’s is BANGOR space. In the spirit of Byzantium, the interior
known for its choral music tradition, which Bangor Cathedral/Cadeirlan Deiniol Sant is faced with marble panels and elaborate
goes back over 1,000 years. ym Mangor (1st large letter) stands where St mosaics. Although the marble is complete,
There are two cathedrals in Armagh Deiniol established his Celtic monastery in the nave’s upper areas still await their mosaic
dedicated to St Patrick. The Church of Ireland the 6th century. decoration. This approach replicates that of
one has a low, square tower, while the Roman In AD 525, St Deiniol had set up a the medieval period, when cathedrals could
Catholic one has twin spires. They sit on missionary community enclosed by a take centuries to reach completion.
opposite hills, but a special partnership links bangor, or hazel fence, in a low-lying spot Westminster Cathedral is open every day
the two congregations and aims to make on the Menai Strait between the mountains for Mass and prayer, and it welcomes visitors
the two iconic buildings symbols of mutual of Snowdonia and the shores of Anglesey. from around the world. Christmas is a special
understanding, reconciliation and hope. At Deiniol was one of the 6th-century Celtic time, with a large congregation attending a
Christmas, the cathedral’s walls echo with the saints who sustained a Christian presence candlelit Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve in
sound of carols. along the western shores of Wales. In the celebration of the birth of Christ.
ensuing years, the monastery was plundered
LIVERPOOL CATHEDRAL several times, and nothing of the original OTHER PRODUCTS
Liverpool acquired an immense new cathedral building survives. A miniature sheet includes all five Christmas
in the 20th century (1st). It was designed The current cathedral is Norman in 2024 self-adhesive stamps set against
by Giles Gilbert Scott (grandson of George origin, built by the great church-builder an illustrated backdrop. There is also a
Gilbert Scott, the architect of St Mary’s king of Gwynedd, Gruffudd ap Cynan, who presentation pack, containing all five stamps,
Cathedral in Edinburgh) after he won a was buried there in 1137. The cathedral’s which looks at the history of cathedrals in
competition in 1903 to design a purpose-built association with the native princes of Wales the UK.
cathedral for the port city, which had become a resulted in repeated sackings by the English, The first day cover includes the Christmas
diocese in 1880. Aged just 22, Scott spent his and the building was heavily damaged in 2024 stamp set postmarked on its first day
life working on the massive sandstone building 1211 by King John’s invading army. By the of issue of 5 November. Inside the envelope
overlooking the River Mersey. Consecrated a 19th century, it was in a poor state, and is an information card containing details
century ago in 1924, Liverpool Cathedral was a major rebuild and refurbishment were about the stamp issue. There is also a first
not completed until 1978. undertaken by George Gilbert Scott. day cover for the miniature sheet. Both
The cathedral’s architectural styles range Bangor is currently the provincial cathedral covers can be customised with one of two
from the Gothic Revival in the Lady Chapel, of the Church in Wales, as the Bishop of special edition postmarks.
consecrated in 1910, to a more pared-down, Bangor is also the Archbishop of Wales. As an alternative to the Tallents House,
monumental design, best illustrated by the The cathedral now celebrates the languages, Edinburgh postmark, pictorial and non-
single central tower, which is visible for miles. cultures and landscapes of Wales. Every pictorial (plain design) postmarks will also be
Funded by locals through the two world Sunday and on Christmas Day, Welsh and available from Bethlehem in Llandeilo.
wars, it is the only cathedral in the UK with a English coexist in worship and prayer.
war memorial chapel integral to the building’s
design, with the memorial built after World WESTMINSTER CATHEDRAL, STAMP DETAILS
War I, in which 40,000 Liverpudlians died. LONDON Design: Together Design London LTD
In 1908, the Noble Women Window was Westminster Cathedral (£2.80) is the largest Illustrations: Judy Joel
commissioned, with panels depicting Queen Roman Catholic church in England and Stamp format: Landscape
Victoria and noteworthy local women. Wales, and it is the seat of the Cardinal Number per sheet: 50
Together with the nearby Liverpool Archbishop of Westminster. Stamp size: 39mmx30mm
Metropolitan Cathedral, Liverpool Cathedral Following King Henry VIII’s break with Printer: Cartor Security Printers
runs programmes supporting emergency food Rome, Catholic worship was prohibited in Print process: Lithography
aid and helping people get back to work. Last Britain until the late-18th century, when Phosphor: Bars as appropriate
Christmas, visitors were greeted by a large- restrictions began to be removed. In 1850, Perforations: 15x14.5
scale, light-and-sound artwork illuminating Catholic dioceses were re-established in Gum: Self-adhesive
the darkness. England and Wales, with Nicholas Wiseman

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 17 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

collecting GB

Although only four stamps were released during the short reign of Edward VIII,
as Richard West explains, there were plans for more issues.

LEFT: 1 Essays for the 1s THE ACCESSION ISSUE

value of the projected Back to the Accession issue, where much
Coronation issue, showing
work went into developing a design by AS
Windsor Castle (near
view) and the Tower of
Wilmot based on portraits of the king in the
London (© Royal Mail uniforms of the Seaforth Highlanders and
Group Ltd, courtesy of Welsh Guards. The king, however, found
The Postal Museum) these designs too ornate; he did, however,
favour a design that had a much more
BELOW: 2 1/2d value of the
King Edward VIII design
simplistic approach.
A 17-year-old schoolboy, Hubert J Brown,
had written to the
Postmaster General
asking if he could submit
an idea for the new
stamps. Told he could, he
submitted a drawing and
photographs of a design
that was admired within
the Post Office and so
passed to Harrison and
Sons, the stamp printers.
Harrisons developed the
idea, incorporating the
portrait of the king by
Hugh Cecil: it was the
resulting bromides that so
everal times a non-collector has a liking for a appealed to the king.
shown me one of Great Britain’s pictorial set Just four values were
definitives from the reign of King featuring places such as Caernarvon Castle, issued on 1 September 1936 (½d, 1½d
Edward VIII, with the comment that Holyrood House and Windsor. The Post and 2½d) and 14 September (1d). They
it must be rare as his was such a short Office in fact started developing three possible were printed by Harrisons; the design being
reign. However, had the king not abdicated approaches for a set of stamps up to a 1s value, eminently suitable for the photogravure
on 11 December 1936, collectors might have with possibly also a 2s 6d recess-printed stamp. process that had first been used for British
found themselves in for an expensive period. These were: portraits of the king in the uniform stamps in 1934 (Figure 2).
There could have been a memorial issue for of the three services; pictorial views of royal Hubert was not acknowledged as having
King George V, who had died on 20 January palaces (Figure 1); and a set based on the effigy created the design at the time of issue,
1936, perhaps even carrying a surcharge for of the king by Humphrey Paget being used although a letter to his father, who the Post
the King George V Memorial Fund. While by the Royal Mint for coins and medallions. Office thought was the originator of the
the exact reasons the idea was aborted are not Naturally, all work ground to a halt on the design, did concede that the issued stamp
known, it seems none of the essays that were abdication. However, preliminary work on the ‘bears some features in common with that
prepared were considered suitable. However, permanent issue did continue for a short time which you suggested’. It was an article in
other plans still swung into action, namely after the abdication, even though it seems clear Gibbons Stamp Monthly in January 1937,
for a temporary Accession issue, then a the intention was to issue stamps for King taken up by the national press, which revealed
Coronation set, which were to be followed by a George VI as soon as possible, with no further the true originator of the design, now
permanent definitive series. Of these, only four designs for King Edward VIII being produced. correctly attributed to Hubert J Brown.
values of the Accession issue would appear.
Before looking at the stamps that were Richard West MBE, is a respected philatelist and journalist, having
released, a few words about the other plans. written and edited a range of publications over the years. He has served
Work started on a Coronation set in June on the Council of the Royal Philatelic Society London and Royal Mail’s
1936; the king himself having already expressed Stamp Advisory Committee.

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 18 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

Encouraging collectors with advice and expertise in every issue

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GB chat

A Remarkable Survivor
Bill Barrell, dealer in the postage stamps and postal history of Great Britain, reports back from
Stampex and reveals some interesting new items that have come his way.
WHAT NEW ITEMS HAVE YOU LEFT: 2 Strip of 17 Balliol College
stamps with tête-bêche pair
PURCHASED?
indicated
College stamps were issued by certain Oxford
and Cambridge colleges from 1871 to 1885. I individually, they vary in
have recently purchased a really nice collection position within the strip. This
of these incredibly popular issues. This strip has some imperfections
collection, previously unknown to me, has not but is a truly remarkable
survivor.
College stamps used on
cover are scarce to very rare and
always sought-after. I would
ABOVE: 1 The team won ‘Best-
dressed Stand’ at Stampex like to show you two very fine
covers used locally within Oxford
RIGHT: 3 Cover featuring the with the 1871 Keble College ½d
1871 Keble College 1/2d vermilion vermilion. That addressed to ‘Mrs
cancelled with ‘pips’
Burran, The Cloisters’ has the
five dots cancellation or to use the
ollowing Stampex, proper terminology ‘pips’, and it is
we had a chat very rare (Figure 3).
with Bill Barrell The other cover, from a very well-
to find out his known correspondence, is without a
thoughts on the show. cancellation but is still very fine. Not
only is it dated, but the original letter
HOW WAS STAMPEX FOR YOU? is still within, and the pencil on the
I was unsure how the move from the front is in the hand of postal history
mezzanine to the upper levels was going to pioneer Martin Willcocks (Figure 4).
affect business, but I should not have been
ABOVE: 4 1871 Keble College 1/2d vermilion on cover
concerned. Stampex has always been a very ANY TRIPS COMING UP?
important and financially beneficial show for Next February, we are taking a flyer
us, and the move within the BDC did not been seen for many years, and I would like in every sense, with a booth booked at
affect total sales at all, which surprised me. to show you several very special items. the FIP International stamp show in
I had expected a drop of perhaps 20%. We First, I would like to show you a quite Uruguay, South America (uruguay2025.
did miss out on some sales because collectors remarkable strip of 17, yes 17!, 1885 com), where we are sharing a double
had spent time downstairs before finding us, Balliol ½d scarlet stamps that includes booth with Philasearch. Exhibition
but most said that we will be their first stop a very rare tête-bêche pair (Figure 2). details were released some six months
next time, so overall, we were very pleased I believe only two or three complete ago, and I immediately thought ‘Yep’
with the show. strips remain intact. Eleven colleges let’s give that one a go. It will be our first
Our stand was perhaps a bit chaotic at printed their own stamps for local stamp show in South America, where most
times with stock boxes flying about, but we usage by college staff, students, etc. shows in the past seem to have been poorly
were delighted to receive ‘Best-dressed Stand’ Of that 11, the scarcest college from organised, but this one looks properly
(Figure 1). The judge commented ‘I chose Bill which to find an example is Balliol, structured in the MACA Museum, Punta
Barrell’s stand because it was a big stand, in a and it is missing from most college del Este, labelled as the ‘Monte Carlo of
noticeable location and Bill is genuine.’ The collections. The Balliol stamp, South America’ from 17–22 February. My
image shows me with the ‘Stephen Walter prepared for use but never issued, GB postal reform and line-engraved exhibit
Trophy’, line-engraved expert Mike Williams, is embossed and imperf.×perf. 11. has been accepted for display at the show,
who was on the stand to plate stamps and The stamps were printed in strips, and I hope that will create some interest.
explain the process free of charge, and Linda which were fed into the embossing Hopefully, we will at least cover our costs.
Hill smiling as ever. What an unexpected machine, first from one end and
honour it was to receive this award. then the other, resulting in the Bill Barrell can be
What was noticeable at the show was the very rare tête-bêche pair towards contacted via
number of new faces – it’s always good to the middle of the strip. As www.barrell.co.uk or
meet new buyers! each impression was embossed bill@barrell.co.uk

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 20 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk




    
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auction update AU C TI O N R E SU LTS
P R I C E S E XC LU D E B U Y E R ’ S P R E M I U M U N L E S S OT H E R W I S E S TAT E D

Rare Canada 12d black Queen

The Cherrystone auction of rare Elizabeth II
stamps and postal history of the
world on 12–14 November included
colour error
an example of the 1851 12d black In the Tony Lester auction of
from the British colony of Canada 18–19 November, a colour
(lot 363). This used example, with error from the reign of Queen
margins all around, was described Elizabeth II was one of the
as being in an excellent colour and highlights (lot 693). This mint
a very fine condition. The stamp 1970 block of four 5d values
originated from a single order for from the death centenary of
51,000 stamps placed in May 1851 Charles Dickens had the yellow-
with the printers Rawdon, Wright, bistre omitted, meaning the
Hatch and Edson. The stamps were issued on 14 June, with David Copperfield stamp was
1,510 stamps being distributed, but only 1,450 examples were without its value. The block sold
sold over a span of nearly six years. Those unsold, were sent back for £740.
and destroyed together with the unissued remainder. Demand SOLD FOR £740
was limited because the only uses for the stamp were to pay the
quadruple domestic rate, the double United States rate and the
single letter rate for the bimonthly mails from Montreal via Boston
Jubilee block
to Newfoundland, Bermuda or the British West Indies. This On 16 November, Eastern Auctions in Canada sold the Hobart
sound example of this classic imperforate rarity of the world had a collection of the 1897 Diamond Jubilee issue. One of the
hammer price of $35,000. highlights was a mint, left-margin block of the $4 purple described
SOLD FOR £27,957 as being exceptionally fresh, with colour as radiant as the day it
was printed more than 125 years ago (lot 580). This nicely centred
block, with pristine original gum, went under the hammer for
Shade rarity C$11,000.
Schuyler Rumsey held the sale SOLD FOR £6,282
of the Dr Armando Grassi
collection of classic United
States on 13–14 November. One
of the highlights from the sale
was an exceptionally rare 1862
24c in the early pale-grey violet
shade (lot 2429). It was struck
with a large, six-ring target
cancel in a vivid-green shade.
This extremely fine example
of this stamp on thin paper, surpassed its estimate of $5,000–
with virtually perfect centring $7,500 to reach $26,000.
and unusually large margins, SOLD FOR £20,768

Rare Canadian bisect

A highlight from Eastern pair for the newly reduced Barnard Castle ‘SP 25’ receiver went under the hammer for
Auction’s second sale of part 7½d letter rate to the UK that backstamps. One of only four C$25,000.
one of the Denninger collection had come into effect in May known 3d bisect usages, it SOLD FOR £14,278
of Canada, which was held on 1856. Both stamps and
15 November, was a Canadian the bisect were tied by
pence cover of 10 September concentric rings and
1856 that featued the very rare further tied by a Montreal
bisect for the required Allan double-arc dispatch
Line Canadian packet rate to cancel. Additionally, the
the UK (lot 12). The cover cover featured a neat
was franked with a 3d orange tombstone ‘Pkt Letter
red on thin wove paper with Liverpool 21 SP 1856’
a diagonal bisect, which was transit in red, along with
se-tenant with a horizontal Darlington ‘SP 25’ and

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 22 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

 DIARY DATES
10–12 December – Stanley Gibbons
Baldwin’s
399 Strand, London WC2R 0LX
sgbaldwins.com

10–13 December – Abacus

29 Hardner Road, Mount Waverley,
Victoria, 3149, Australia
www.abacusauctions.com.au

10–13 December – Seigel

21 West 38th Street, New York, NY 10018,
USA
Columbian 80). In a bright colour, the $2
‘VR’ multiple siegelauctions.com

brown-red Columbian was tied The sale of stamps and covers of

first day cover by a ‘New York A Jan. 2 7AM Great Britain at Stanley Gibbons
11 December – AJH
The Laurels, Manchester Road,
Robert A Siegel in New 93’ first-day duplex datestamp Baldwin’s on 12 November Accrington BB5 2PF
York held the sale of the Dr and oval grid cancel to a card included a multiple of the rare ‘VR’ ajhstamps.co.uk
George Haikel collection with a blue, ornate stamp official Penny Black stamp (lot 65).
of stamps and covers of frame, within which the stamp Intended for government mail but 11 December – Spink
RPSL, 15 Abchurch Lane, London EC4N 7BW
exceptional beauty and rarity was perfectly placed. Addressed never issued, this block of four of
www.spink.com
on 12 November. One of to Bradford, England, the the 1840 1d black with ‘VR’ in
the highlights was the only cover had a ‘S. Rosenberg & the upper two corners and letters 12–14 December – Spink
recorded FDC of the 1893 Co.’ printed return address. FI–GJ in the lower two corners 67–69 Southampton Row, Bloomsbury,
$2 Columbian and the only Described as one of the was a superb, unused, four-margin London WC1B 4ET
denomination above the 10c greatest Columbian issue block. Its selling price of £26,000 www.spink.com
value from that issue cancelled FDCs, it sold for $75,000. was within its £25,000–£30,000
14 December – Bil & Co
on the first day of issue (lot SOLD FOR £59,907 estimate.
Washingborough Community Centre, Fen
SOLD FOR £26,000 Road, Lincoln LN4 1AB
www.bilandco.co.uk

‘McCoy’ Inverted Jenny 15 December – South West

The Maitland Collection reimbursed $15,000 by her insurance company, and The Watermark, Erme Court, Leonards
of inverted centres of the rights of the block were sold to the American Road, Ivybridge, Devon PL21 0SZ
www.swpa-stamp-auctions.com
the world auction at Philatelic Research Library. The block was never
Cherrystone on 30 seen intact again, but this stamp appeared in 1958 16 December – Spink
October included the when it was offered to the Weill brothers in New 67–69 Southampton Row, Bloomsbury,
‘McCoy’ Inverted Jenny Orleans. The FBI was notified, but it did not meet London WC1B 4ET
(lot 2511). Dating from the minimum value for them to get involved. It www.spink.com
1918, this 24c carmine then resurfaced in 1977 when it was submitted to
16–19 December – Siegel
rose and blue with inverted the Philatelic Foundation for expertising. This time,
21 West 38th Street, New York, NY 10018,
centre was from position 75 of the sheet of 100 the FBI did get involved, and after its recovery and
USA
inverted stamps originally purchased by William T custody battle, Mrs McCoy donated the stamp to siegelauctions.com
Robey in 1918 from a Washington DC post office. the American Philatelic Research Library. In 1981,
This stamp was the lower-left one from the famous it was sold on behalf of the APRL at the APS 7 January – Universal
‘McCoy Block’ belonging to Ethel B McCoy, which Convention in Atlanta to Dr Joseph Kurtzman, 4 The Old Coalyard, West End, Northleach
was stolen at the APS convention on 23 September who sold it through Siegel to its current owner GL54 3HE
www.upastampauctions.co.uk
1955. The block had previously been owned by in 2001. Well centred and with original gum, the
Arthur Hind, the Scott Stamp and Coin Co. and stamp had a $160,000 hammer price. 18 January – AVH
Spencer Anderson. After its theft, Mrs McCoy was SOLD FOR £127,801 PO Box 569, Welwyn Garden City, Herts
AL7 9NP
www.avhstampauctions.co.uk
Inland Revenue 5s. bright carmine showing the
official raised stop after ‘R’ variety (lot 28–29 January – Spink
RPSL, 15 Abchurch Lane, London EC4N 7BW
802). This fine, used example,
www.spink.com
Grosvenor held a specialised with a neat central CDS,
Great Britain auction on 30–31 exceeded its £3,500–£4,000 30 January–1 February – Sparks
October. Among the selection estimate to go under the hammer 1770 Woodward Drive, Ottawa, Ontario,
of official stamps in the auction for £4,500. K2C 0P8 Canada
was an Inland Revenue 1902–4 SOLD FOR £4,500 sparks-auctions.com

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 23 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

auction update AU C TI O N R E SU LTS
P R I C E S E XC LU D E B U Y E R ’ S P R E M I U M U N L E S S OT H E R W I S E S TAT E D

1946 Victory essay

From the 1946 Victory ‘Peace’ issue, the auction of the Tony
Mundy collection of Great Britain at Stanley Gibbons Baldwin’s on
31 October included an unadopted 2½d essay (230mm×130mm),
executed in pencil on tracing paper, by Edmund Dulac (lot 81).
Initialled and numbered ‘ED885’ at the foot, this unique and
very fine item surpassed its £250–£300 estimate to go under the
hammer for £1,000.
SOLD FOR £1,000

Fancy cancel
Lot 38 in the Dr George Haikel collection of stamps and covers of
exceptional beauty and rarity at Robert A Seigel on 12 November was
described as one of the most outstanding fancy cancellations of the
classic imperforate stamp era (lot 38). This cover to South Hadley,
Massachusetts, bore a 3c dull red (type II) that was cancelled by a
perfect strike of the rare ‘USED & DONE FOR’ fancy cancel of Fair
Haven, Connecticut. This large, bold cancel with negative letters left
no doubt that the stamp could not be reused. Additionally, there was
a matching ‘FAIR HAVEN CONN. OCT. 20’ circular datestamp on
the cover. One of only two recorded on cover, it exceeded its estimate
of $50,000–$75,000 to reach $75,000.
SOLD FOR £59,907
Imperforate
£5 orange 1880 2s brown
On 6 November, Warwick & From the surface printed issues
Warwick held their latest stamp of Queen Victoria, the Argyll
auction. One of the highlights Etkin auction on 7–8 November
was an attractive example of an included a scarce 1880 2s brown,
1867–83 £5 orange from the with Spray of Rose watermark,
surface-printed issues of Queen Victoria (lot 270). With a Large Anchor which was of the imperforate
watermark on white paper (perf 14), the stamp was in a good, strong variety (lot 23). With four good
colour and bore a clear, central ‘SOUTHEASTERN DISTRICT/A/OC margins, this mint example from
14/02’ CDS. It had a hammer price of £1,150. plate 1, with original gum, sold
SOLD FOR £1,150 for £4,100.
SOLD FOR £4,100
STAMP DETECTIVE

Hindu Temple renovation

On 19 November 1959, the Himalayan kingdom of Nepal Press in Kathmandu at a time when
released a most interesting set of three stamps. The design of all Nepal usually turned to the Indian
three is identical, but the actual size of the stamps increases with Security Printing Press, Nasik, for
the denomination. The 4 paisa measures 18mm×24½mm, the 8p the printing of most of the nation’s
20mm½×28 mm and the top 1-rupee value 24mm½×33 mm. stamps. The perforation process
The set was issued to mark the renovation of the Sri Pashupati seems to have been a major problem
Nath Temple in the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu. for the Kathmandu printers because
This huge Hindu temple complex (comprising 518 mini-temples all three stamps exist with missing
and the main pagoda) was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in perforations between stamps. Such
1979. It is dedicated to Pashupati, also known as Shiva or Mahadeva, horizontal pairs are quite valuable and well worth looking for. Other
one of the principal deities in Hinduism. It is the oldest Hindu perforation errors have also been discovered.
temple in the Nepalese capital. The design features a sculpture of the This set has seen a slow but steady increase in catalogue value
deity located inside the temple. over the years, and it can certainly be recommended. Dealers’ asking
In the 1958–61 period, several Nepalese stamp issues (including prices vary considerably but about £8 seems to be a fair price to pay
the temple set) were printed locally in Nepal by the Gurkha Patra for a nice, unmounted mint set.

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 24 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

 Court Philatelics
www.stampmixtures.com
Supplier of on and off paper stamp mixtures & Collections: Discounts: Order 2 items and deduct 5%, 4 items deduct 10%. Price List free on request.
MODERN GREAT BRITAIN ON PAPER MIXTURES
Our GB mixtures are our best sellers thanks mainly to some great charity sources providing us with very modern and clean material.

GB MODERN COMMEMS ONLY. This sells for a small fortune on auction sites. Mostly 2014 to date, on paper. 2 oz £18.00.
GB HIGH VALUE DEFINS. Sold out before, we have managed to get fresh stocks which are limited. On paper, old and new including very rare modern issues including
King Charles III issues. 1/4 lb £13.00, 1/2 lb £23.00, 1 lb £40.00.
GB BAR CODED DEFINS. Latest Bar coded Definitive stamps only. A mix mostly of low values,1st and 2nd class issues plus rare high values and Charles 3rd issues.
1/2 lb £18.00, 1 lb £35.00 2 lbs £68.00.
GB COMMEMS NO XMAS. Wide ranging on paper mix includes high values & rare modern. ½ lb £16.00, 1 lb £30.00.

OFF PAPER STAMP MIXTURES

SPECIAL OFFER: Buy 1 lb World, 1 lb British Commonwealth and 1 lb W. Europe Scoop for the discounted price of £130. List price £150.00.
WORLD SCOOP. An Off paper mix scooped from our oddments tub. Emanating from Charities, Auctions, personal collections etc. You will find high Cat (please tell us when you do )
& many additions for your collection. Each 1 lb lot is over 7000 stamps, costing around ½ p each. ½ lb £18.00, 1 lb £35.00, 5 lbs £155.00.
BRITISH COMMONWEALTH SCOOP. An off paper mixture covering old Empire & modern Commonwealth. Several clients found stamps cataloguing £10 to £50 each.
No promises but with at least 7,000 stamps/1lb you’ll have great fun sorting. ½ lb £31.00, 1 lb £60.00.
WEST EUROPE SCOOP. An Off paper mixture of small and large stamps with much earlier material. Many better and unusual values. In great demand as our interests in the EEC grow.
Approx. 10,000 stamps to 1 lb costing around ½ p each. ½ lb £28.00, 1 lb £55.00.

COMMEMORATIVES & LARGE ONLY ON PAPER MIXTURES.

Discount, purchase 2 items and deduct 5%, 4 items deduct 10%
ALDERNEY........................................2 oz £25.00 GERMANY HIGH VALUE COMMEMS ISRAEL ................................................2 oz £26.00 MALTA ............................................... ½ lb £16.00
AUSTRIA ......................2 oz £18.00, ¼ lb £35.00 ....................................... ¼ lb £28.00, ½ lb £55.00. ITALY ................................................. ¼ lb £32.00 NEPAL .......................... ¼ lb £30.00, ½ lb £58.00
BELGIUM .................... ¼ lb £25.00, ½ lb £48.00 GREECE ....................... ¼ lb £31.00, ½ lb £60.00 JAPAN...... ¼ lb £22.00, ½ lb £40.00, 1 lb £78.00 PAKISTAN................... ¼ lb £28.00, ½ lb £55.00
CYPRUS ............................................. ¼ lb £30.00 GUERNSEY ................. ¼ lb £17.00, ½ lb £33.00 JERSEY ......................... ¼ lb £17.00, ½ lb £33.00
SPAIN ........................... ¼ lb £23.00, ½ lb £44.00
ESTONIA ............................................2 oz £33.00 HOLLAND .................. ¼ lb £18.00, ½ lb £35.00 LATVIA...............................................2 oz £33.00
FRANCE ...................... ¼ lb £23.00, ½ lb £42.00 ICELAND ...........................................2 oz £26.00 LIECHTENSTEIN.......2 oz £35.00, ¼ lb £68.00 SWEDEN ..................... ¼ lb £23.00, ½ lb £45.00
GERMANY SEMI-POSTALS INDIA .......................1/4 lb £35.00, 1/2 lb £68.00 LITHUANIA ......................................2 oz £33.00 TURKEY ............................................ ¼ lb £24.00
......................................1/4 lb £22.00, ½ lb £40.00 IRAN....................................................2 oz £16.00 LUXEMBOURG ................................2 oz £20.00 U.S.A ............................. ¼ lb £18.00, ½ lb £35.00

Court Philatelics, Dept SCM, P.O Box 6198, Leighton Buzzard, Beds LU7 9XT, UK. Tel. 01296 662420. Email: courtphilatelics@aol.com. www.stampmixtures.com

Postage: UK customers pay no postage. Overseas, please add £5.00 / 1/4 lb, £6.00 / 1/2 lb, £11.00 / 1 lb and £5.00 for all collections ordered.
Payment: Credit/ Debit card, paypal to our Email address, postal order, cheque to the address above made payable to ‘Court Philatelics’ or you can now pay direct into our bank account:
Co-Operative Bank, Name: Meridian Stamp Co, Account No. 69958274, Sort Code: 08-92-99. Guaranteed full refund if not satisfied.
auction update AU C TI O N R E SU LTS
P R I C E S E XC LU D E B U Y E R ’ S P R E M I U M U N L E S S OT H E R W I S E S TAT E D

Black and gold printed German propaganda forgery

decorative envelope The sale of the Tony
The sale of the Gavin Fryer collections at Cavendish on 30 October Mundy collection
included a highly decorative black and gold printed envelope of 16 of Great Britain
February 1842 (lot 1125). Used from Dublin to ‘Mary-Borough’ with on 31 October at
an 1841 1d red (OI) from plate 29, the cover was tied by a distinctive Stanley Gibbons
Dublin Maltese Cross and by a ‘MARYBOROUGH’ double-arc Baldwin’s included
arrival CDS. Additionally, there was a red Dublin diamond datestamp a section of German
on the reverse. The all-over design of fancy gold/black floral motifs propaganda
covered both the back and front of the envelope, and there was a man forgeries. One
in period dress on the front and a matching female figure on the flap. of the highlights
One of only a handful of recorded 1840s stamped covers with gold was an unused 2d
decorative designs, it may have been a belated Valentine’s Day letter. block from a series
From an estimate of £1,000, it made £1,600. usually described
SOLD FOR £1,600 as ‘Extremes of
World Policy’,
which suggest that
British policy was subject to overprints (lot 265). The fact
influences other than its own the stamps are forgeries can
interests. The block featured easily be seen by the use of the
‘WORLD-BOLSHEVISM’ hammer and sickle instead of ‘d’
(two examples), ‘WORLD- alongside the value. This large,
CAPITALISM’ (two examples), top-marginal multiple sold for
‘WORLD-JUDAISM’ £1,800.
and ‘WORLD-SLAVERY’ SOLD FOR £1,800

AU C TI O N PR E VIEW
Extraordinary stamps of France
Ceylon high value Over 16 to 17 December, Robert
Part 1 of the Hay Morgan collection of A Siegel in New York will be
King George V was sold at Stanley Gibbons offering the ‘Napoleon Collection
Baldwin’s on 30 October. This collection of Extraordinary Stamps of
contained almost every mint Commonwealth France’. This collection was built
stamp issued during King George V’s reign. by a collector who was fascinated
The sale included a top-corner marginal by the beauty of the stamps of
of the Ceylon 1912–25 1000r purple/red France and set out to assemble
from the upper-left corner (lot 104). With a collection where quality and
full original gum, this positional stamp had comprehensiveness were key
plate number ‘1’ in the left margin. This goals. Additionally, he had a
example of this very rare high value on chalk-surfaced paper, which desire to obtain certificates from
seldom appears on the market, sold for £28,000 from an estimate of recognised and respected French
£20,000–25,000. experts on every stamp, which amounts to thousands of certificates.
SOLD FOR £28,000 The collection begins with a handwritten letter from King Louis
Philippe I of France dated 12 July 1844, which is addressed to the
King of Two Sicilies, announcing the birth of their grandson. The
US flag inverted sale continues with the 1849–50 Ceres issue and runs right up to
Another highlight from the Maitland collection of inverted centres 20th century issues. Among the other items included are proofs and
of the world auction on 30 October at Cherrystone was an 1869 30c forgeries, airpost, wartime issues, precancels and postage dues.
ultramarine and carmine with flags inverted (lot 2504). Well centred One of the highlights from the sale is an 1870 20c blue on bluish
and with large margins all around, the stamp had a neat circle of (type 1), which is the rarer of the three major types of this issue.
V’s cancel and also a French Calais transit Additionally, it is from report 2, meaning it is from the second
CDS. The stamp offered was one of nearly 50 printing of this type, which is rarer than the first (lot 3250). One of
recorded, of which 40 are used. Additionally, the key rarities of classic France in unused condition because the vast
it was one of five ‘Wide-Space’ examples majority were used, it has an estimate of $10,000–$15,000.
recorded. This very fine stamp reached In March 2025, Seigel will present the collector’s collection of
$45,000. French offices abroad and colonies.
SOLD FOR £35,944

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 26 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

price watch YO U R Q U I CK R EFER EN CE G U I D E TO O N LI N E SALE S ,
I N A SSO CIATI O N WITH D ELCAM PE . N E T

SOLD FOR £4,011 SOLD FOR £1,689 SOLD FOR £1,406

China, 1962 Mei Lanfang sheetlet pasted Belgium, Railway block of four 1f orange France, 1930 1f.50 carmine airmail perf
on piece of paper ‘winged wheel’, MHN with top margin ‘E.I.P.A.30’ for International Airmail
(with certificate) Exhibition in Paris (with certificate)

SOLD FOR £1,469 SOLD FOR £1,024 SOLD FOR £1,643

Switzerland, Vaud Cantonal post, 1849 4c Peru, 1858 1p red coat of arms (with RPS New Hebrides, 1924 2½d ultramarine
red, Geneva rosette cancellation and Scheller certificates), MNG (no gum) with inverted ‘5d.’ overprint (SG42a),
(with certificate) MNH

SOLD FOR £274 SOLD FOR £475 SOLD FOR £427

Netherlands, 1898–1923 10g orange British Somaliland, 1942 registered letter Great Britain, 1902 £1 King Edward VII
Whilhemina issue, cancelled Amsterdam franked 8a from Hargeisa to Aden dull blue-green (SG266), MNH
1909 (signed)

BUY AND SELL ON

DECAMPE, MORE
THAN 80 MILLION
COLLECTABLES ARE
WAITING FOR YOU!

SOLD FOR £462 SOLD FOR £310

Great Britain, 1881 5s rose Queen Great Britain, 1929 £1 black Postal union
Victoria telegraph stamp, plate 3, Congress London (SG438), MNH
‘SPECIMEN’ overprint, MNH

Stamp Collector - January 2025 | 27 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

postal history

Christmas with
Postal items connected to
Charles Dickens and his
famous Christmas story are
examined by Michael Burzan.

typical signature appears on the lower-left

side of an envelope from 1848, addressed to
Henry Austin, Gwydyr House, Whitehall
(the Board of Health) (Figure 2). The
signature of Charles Dickens on a cutout
piece of a letter is dated around 1858 (Figure
3). The name ‘Mrs Edmund Yates’ is also
written on it, as a reminder that journalist
and writer Edmund Hodgson Yates (1831–

he first Christmas greetings

and mailings franked with
stamps date back to Christmas
1840. Three years later, in
1843, A Christmas Carol by
Charles Dickens was published, forever linking
the Victorian author with the festive season.

ORIGINAL LETTERS
Original autographs and letters by Charles
Dickens offer interesting opportunities to
deepen a collection historically. Cavendish
Philatelic Auctions presented a particularly
exciting item in 2021. This was a 1d black
from plate 5 (SJ) on a small envelope from
London’s Fleet Street addressed to the
writer Charles Dickens at his residence
in Devonshire Terrace on 20 January TOP: 1 Cover of 1841
1841 (Figure 1). The stamp has the black addresses to Charles
experimental Maltese cross cancellation Dickens (Cavendish)
clearly applied. At this time, the journalist
ABOVE: 2 Envelope sent
Charles Dickens, born in 1812 in poor
to Gwydyr House,
circumstances, had already written his first Whitehall (the Board of
Christmas story, ‘A Christmas Dinner’, Health) bearing Charles
under the pseudonym ‘Boz’, which was Dickens’ signature
published in 1835 in Bell’s Life in London (Martin Townsend)

and republished in book form in 1836 as

RIGHT: 3 Signature of
Sketches by Boz (Charles Dickens). Charles Dickens on
A couple of interesting items were piece (Martin Townsend)
available from Martin Townsend. Dickens’

Stamp Collector - January 2025 | 28 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

 of Christmas. With illustrations by John
Leech, it was first published on 19 December
1843 by the London publisher Chapman &
Hall and was already sold out on Christmas
Eve. One year later, 13 editions had already
been published.
A Christmas Carol has been immortalised
on several modern stamp issues from the UK
and around the world.
Great Britain dedicated the Christmas
issue of 9 November 1993 entirely to the
150th anniversary of the story, with the
LEFT: 4 Cover sent by Dickens from his home in
Rochester (Cavendish)

BELOW: 5 Three values from the 1993 issue from Great

Britain that told the story of A Christmas Carol

LEFT: 6 Over the years,

stamp issues have
been released that
celebrate the story
of A Christmas Carol.
These include Jersey
in 2012, Alderney in
2018, the Isle of Man in
2020 and Dominica in
1970, which was issued
as part of a miniature
sheet

The cover was signed characteristically in characters Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim,
blue ink by Dickens on the front to the left Mr and Mrs Fezziwig, Ebenezer Scrooge,
of the address. This lot at Cavendish was the prize turkey and Mr Scrooge’s nephew
accompanied by a newspaper cutting of (Figure 5). Several hundred million stamps
10 May 1957 from the Evening Chronicle, in the smallest denominations of 19p and
which recorded its original discovery and 25p came into circulation. Meanwhile, Jersey
94) and Charles Dickens were very good purchase in a small collection of covers for staged the story on the 200th anniversary
friends. a few shillings at auction by Mr E Hulme of Charles Dickens’ birth in 2012, Alderney
An envelope addressed to Mrs Gascoigne in of Swinton, secretary of the Walkden and (Guernsey) turned it into a charming series
London dates from 17 April 1867. She was a District Philatelic Society. for Christmas 2018 and the Isle of Man
friend of Dickens, who shared his interest in issued a set on the story to mark the 150th
philanthropy and ‘sweated labour’ problems THE FAMOUS CHRISTMAS STORY anniversary of the death of Dickens in 2020
(Figure 4). The letter was mailed from the One of Dickens’ best-known stories, A (Figure 6). It is also worth looking out for
author’s home in Rochester, and it bears a 1d Christmas Carol, bears the full title A general Charles Dickens issues that include a
red cancelled by a Rochester ‘650’ duplex. Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story stamp dedicated to the story.

Stamp Collector - January 2025 | 29 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

postal history part 1

routes radiating from London.

In 1837, George Karstadt, a Post Office
surveyor, suggested that letters could be
sorted in moving railway carriages and so
speed up delivery. His idea was tested on 20
January 1838 using a converted horsebox
included in a train on the Grand Junction
Railway travelling between Birmingham
and Liverpool. Thus was born what became
known as Travelling Post Offices (TPOs),
though in the early days they were described
variously as Railway Post Offices (RPO),
Sorting Carriages (SC) and Sorting Tenders
(ST). By November of that year, the London
and Birmingham Railway had opened
throughout its length and joined with the
Grand Junction and North Union lines. This
enabled what became the Grand Northern

LEFT: Artwork for a proposed poster of 1935 by

George Charlton, showing the interior of a Travelling
Post Office (© Royal Mail Group Ltd, courtesy of The
Postal Museum)

Moving Mail by Rail:

Cyril RH Parsons, senior steward in the TPO carriages at the
Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, outlines the history of the
carriage of letter mail by rail in Britain over nearly 200 years.

ABOVE: 1 A Travelling Post Office (TPO) in 1948 ready

to exchange leather mail pouches (© Royal Mail
Group Ltd, courtesy of The Postal Museum)

RIGHT: 2 A TPO about to catch a mail pouch

suspended from a lineside standard (© Royal Mail
Group Ltd, courtesy of The Postal Museum)

ail was first carried by

train on the Liverpool
and Manchester Railway
on 11 November
1830. That was only
eight weeks after the railway opened. Since
the 1780s, horse-drawn mail coaches had
conveyed both newspapers and the Royal
Mail between post towns across the country.
By 1846, the growth in the railway network
had led to the withdrawal of all 28 mail coach

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 30 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

 John Ramsay, a senior Post Office clerk,
developed the original apparatus that was first
tested successfully in 1838 on the London and
Birmingham Railway near Hemel Hempstead.
In 1852, the Post Office introduced John
Dicker’s improved design of apparatus that
continued in use, largely unchanged, until
1971. A few Heritage Railways including
the Great Central in Leicestershire and Nene
Valley near Peterborough demonstrate the
exchange of mail bags on special Mail by Rail
events.

TPO ROLLING STOCK

The railway network grew steadily in the
1830s and 1840s through many railway

RPO to sort letters on the route between ABOVE:3 Demonstration

London and Preston. of exchange apparatus at
a heritage railway. Note
A major disadvantage of steam traction was
the ground net below the
the poor acceleration of early locomotives net for catching the mail
and, even worse, their inability to stop where pouch from the lineside
required. For this reason, TPOs did not stop standard
at all stations where they were due to exchange
RIGHT & BELOW: 4
mail. Instead, from the earliest days, mail bags
Preserved 1908 London
were thrown onto platforms, while the mail and North Western
guard took bags hung from poles. Even with Railway (LNWR) TPO
trains travelling at 25mph, both the mail and carriage at Bressingham
bystanders were at risk when mail bags were Steam and Gardens and
a view of the interior of
being exchanged in this way!
the carriage
This hazard led to the development
of exchange apparatus, whereby TPOs
received and despatched mail while
the train was moving. Leather pouches companies being incorporated; the Post
containing mail bags were suspended Office had to negotiate contracts with
from lineside standards. The TPO each one for them to carry mail. Some
caught the pouch or pouches in a net companies were contracted only to carry
on the side of the carriage (Figures pre-sorted mail. However, those companies
1–2). Ground nets beside the track contracted to provide TPO facilities were
caught pouches containing mail bags responsible for building and maintaining
despatched from the TPO (Figure 3). their own TPO carriages, so there were
multiple designs. Several pre-1960 TPO
carriages have been preserved, including a
1908 London and North Western Railway
TPO sorting carriage (Figure 4) and a
1937 London and North Eastern Railway
TPO sorting carriage (Figure 5).
Not until 1960 did British Rail commence
a 10-year programme to replace the TPO
stock that it inherited from the ‘Big Four’
railway companies nationalised in 1948.
During the 1960s, British Rail phased out
steam traction; trains hauled by electric or
diesel locos could now travel at speeds of
up to 100mph. The health and safety risks
linked to using the exchange apparatus
increased and led to their being withdrawn

LEFT: 5 Preserved 1937 London and North Eastern

Railway (LNER) TPO carriage on the Great Central
Railway

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 31 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

postal history part 1

ABOVE: 6 Stowage van and sorting carriage at the

Buckinghamshire Railway Centre

RIGHT: 7 A late fee posting aperture in the side of a

TPO carriage

in October 1971. Some of the new TPO

stock was built without exchange apparatus.
The sorting carriage and stowage van at the
Buckinghamshire Railway Centre falls into
this category (Figure 6).

POSTMARKS AND ADHESIVES

Commencing in 1860, the public were
allowed to post letters direct into TPOs upon
payment (by adhesive) of a small extra fee
(Figure 7). This facility was particularly useful
when an urgent letter had missed the last
collection; provided the letter was addressed
to a place served by the TPO, it would be
delivered next morning.
Previously, TPOs used postmarks to explain
the delayed delivery of letters that had been
missent to the wrong TPO. However, once
letters were being posted into the TPOs, date
stamps were needed to cancel the adhesives.
During the 19th century, the TPOs used
several different designs of handstamp, but new issue would create problems, as its use
later, the Post Office standardised designs, first would imply that the stamps were used on
with single circle and later with double circle the day before the date of issue. To overcome
types; the latter with thick arcs filling the space this difficulty, the Post Office arranged from ABOVE: 8 Examples of TPO date stamps used over
not occupied by the name of the TPO and, 1953 for Up TPOs that could be reached the years
after about 1950, with thin arcs (Figure 8). from London in this way to use a reserve
For many years, the main post offices in datestamp including AM and the date of issue and Down) running between London and
major cities were ‘open always’ and collectors of the new stamps (Figure 9). By the 1980s, Penzance and the Up and Down Specials
were able to buy new stamps from midnight further growth in the motorway network running between London and Aberdeen,
on new-issue days. The number of such made it possible to reach some Down TPOs comprised only TPO carriages. Subsequently,
offices declined after World War II, with and cross-country routes as well. some TPO routes were served by a train
London’s Trafalgar Square BO the last to Britain has issued a significant number of comprising only two or three TPO carriages
remain open 24/7; from October 1981, it adhesives featuring railway locomotives, but hauled by an electric or diesel locomotive.
closed overnight. The growth of Britain’s very few featuring images linked to TPOs. Most letters were included in ‘direct mails’
motorway network during the 1960s and In 2017, a series of Post & Go adhesives in that is in mail bags going direct to another
1970s enabled collectors with fast cars to the Royal Mail Heritage series featured four post town or to a ‘static’ distribution centre.
intercept TPOs approaching London and post relevant stamps (Figure 10). The railways Only perhaps 4% of all letters posted were
first day covers bearing new issues bought at adhesive in the Transport and Mail series sorted in TPOs, usually because there were
midnight. of 1988 featured Mallard and exchange few letters for that destination, or it was in
Following the reintroduction of TPOs after apparatus (Figure 11). the far distance.
World War II, the majority of TPOs travelled Until the mid-1980s, the Post Office
overnight, and throughout their journeys, INCLUDED IN PASSENGER TRAINS used the railways to move most letter mails
they used date stamps showing the date of the Until 1988, most TPOs formed part of between post towns, with the majority
day on which they set out. Using the TPO’s passenger trains (Figures 12–13). Only a travelling by passenger train in the care of
normal operational date stamp to cancel the few routes, the Great Western TPO (Up the guard. A caption on a North Western

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 32 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

 LEFT: 9 First day cover During the second half of the last century,
with an AM handstamp
the Post Office made great strides in
BELOW RIGHT: 10 Cover
mechanising letter mail handling. In about
featuring images of 1950, it had some 650 ‘static’ sorting offices
TPOs on a Post & Go where letters were sorted manually (see
issue Figure 8). However, to take advantage of the
massive investment in the new technology,
LEFT: 11 Mallard and
exchange apparatus
the local sorting offices closed, and mail was
adhesive on a cover concentrated onto Mail Centres. There are now
marking the inauguration less than 50 Mail Centres where machines sort
of the Penzance–Derby letters. This development led to more letters
TPO as part of a revision
being sent in ‘direct mails’ and a steady decline
of TPO routes in 1988

in the number of letters being sorted on TPOs.

Before World War I, there were over 100
TPOs, but by May 1994 only 24 remained.

CONCLUSION
The second and final part of this article will
review the launch in 1996 of Railnet, a fully
integrated national letter post distribution
system utilising road, rail and air services. It
will also analyse the reasons why TPOs were
withdrawn in January 2004, and why in
September 2024 Royal Mail ceased using the
railways for moving pre-sorted mail.

ABOVE: 12 Travelling Post Office coach at Old Oak

Common GWR (Great Western Railway) in 1945
(© Royal Mail Group Ltd, courtesy of The Postal
Museum)

RIGHT: 13 Interior view of a Travelling Post Office

c.1930 showing postal staff sorting letters into
frames, with bags of mail waiting to be sorted
(© Royal Mail Group Ltd, courtesy of The Postal
Museum)

Region postcard issued in 1980 to mark

the 150th anniversary of the Liverpool
and Manchester Railway stated: ‘Today,
mail is handled at 860 railway stations and
over 10,000 trains are involved daily.’ That
underlines how much the Post Office relied
upon the railways 45 years ago.

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 33 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

The Grandstand YORK Racecourse
The Racecourse - YORK - YO23 1EX
17th - 18th January 2025
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and 50+ coin, banknote and medal dealers
For further information ring
Chris Rainey tel: 01793 513431 - Kate Puleston tel: 07947 631835
or visit our website www.stampshows.net
 JOHN CURTIN LTD.
Serious buyer...
Every year we travel hundreds of miles throughout the U.K, Europe and Scandinavia, buying stocks,
collections and accumulation. And we've been doing this since 1970.

What do we buy?
We buy virtually anything in stamps and covers, from specialised one country collections to general lots and
accumulations, from better quality single items to complete dealer’s stocks. If it’s philatelic, we're interested.

Why offer your stamps to us?

For FOUR very good reasons:

ACCURATE VALUATIONS We have over fifty years full time experience as a major buyer in the stamp trade and we buy from all the main
UK & Continental auction houses. We make accurate, efficient valuations based on the very latest market values.
FAIR VALUATIONS We work on high turnover with low profit margins which means we must buy - and we pay the top market price.
IMMEDIATE PAYMENT All our offers are backed by immediate payment. We agree a price and you get paid there and then. It’s that simple.
HOME VISITS We travel extensively, which means we can easily arrange to view bulky, valuable collections in your own home.

And finally...
We buy most of our material from auction, usually at well below our “top price”. Auctioneers typically take between 15-25%
from BOTH SIDES! If those people had sold directly to us they would have saved time, been paid more and paid immediately.

Think about it - and then give us a ring on 01932 785635

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International Stamp Dealers 5th January Novotel Hammersmith 22nd-23rd March Kempton Park Racecourse
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Middlesex TW16 6HS
VW)HEUXDU\ /LFK¿HOG WK$SULO /LFK¿HOG
Tel: 01932 785635
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email: jcbuying@btinternet.com 15th-18th February Maltex, Valletta 30th May Novotel, Hammersmith

A celebrat ion of B ritis h stamp s !

The 'Great Britain: A History in
Stamps' stamp album is now
available, featuring stamp guides,
beautiful stamp images, and space to
add your own stamps.
With guides to notable stamps issued by
Britain over the years, and a special guide
to the monarchs featured on GB stamps,
this unique album is perfect for stamp £12.99
or just £9.99 for
collectors of all levels. Stamp Collector
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collect by country

How to Collect

As Christer Brunström has discovered, South Africa offers numerous possibilities whatever way
you choose to collect.
FAR LEFT: 1 Cape of Good
Hope issued its first
triangular stamps in
1853

LEFT: 2 South African

Republic stamp marking
the introduction of
Penny Postage in 1895

BELOW: 3 Transvaal 21/2d

stamp of King Edward
VII released in 1909

t was Archbishop Desmond Tutu who in British victory and the creation of four
coined the term Rainbow Nation way colonies, which were combined into the
back in 1994 following the first free Union of South Africa in 1910, with Pretoria
elections in South Africa. The same as its capital. Johannesburg is the biggest city,
term was also used by Nelson Mandela but Cape Town still remains very popular
when he referred to his country, which unites with tourists.
diverse cultures and ethnicities. In fact, today’s I discovered South African stamps in my
South Africa has no less than 12 official early youth. A retired sea captain residing in
national languages. The motto of the republic the same village as I did at the time gifted
is ‘unity in diversity’, which is obviously very me a small number of most exotic stamps
important in a nation like South Africa where from mainly Africa, including some depicting
some 80% of the population are black South South African wildlife. They were the pride
Africans and the remaining 20% of European and joy of my very first stamp album.
or Asian ancestry. Until 1961, South Africa used British
South Africa is home to more than 82 currency, which was then replaced by the rand
million people, and it is one of Africa’s most (comprising 100 cents). The country became
important countries. The first Dutch settlers a republic and left the British Commonwealth
arrived in 1652, and they settled at Table to pursue its infamous apartheid policies. and shows a seated Hope (Figure 1). This
Bay. They were then followed by many more certainly is a classic design and very popular
who penetrated further inland, devoting THE CAPE TRIANGULARS with collectors. The rarities are the 1861
themselves to agriculture. They speak a variety Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias was the ‘Woodblocks’ (actually engraved on steel)
of Dutch, which is known as Afrikaans. first European to round the Cape of Good produced locally in the colony.
The British took over the Cape area in Hope in 1487. The Cape was a Dutch colony The legendary stamp dealer Stanley
1806. The discovery of gold brought an from 1652 until 1806, when it was taken over Gibbons was operating a stamp business in
influx of people from Europe in search of by the British. In 1910, the Cape was united his father’s pharmacy in Plymouth in 1863
instant riches, pushing the Afrikaners (also with the three other provinces to form the when he was approached by a sailor who
known as Boers) towards the north, where Union of South Africa. It is by far the largest had just returned from South Africa. He had
they established a number of states, which I province in the country. bought a raffle ticket at a bazaar and won
will discuss in this story. On 1 September 1853, the Cape of Good a bag containing thousands of triangular
The conflict between the Boers and the Hope released its first stamps printed by stamps, including many Woodblocks.
British led to two rather bloody wars in Perkins, Bacon & Co. in England. The Gibbons paid £5 for the bag. Perhaps the pair
1880–81 and 1899–1902. They ended design is quite unusual as it is triangular shown nearby was once in that bag?

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 36 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

 As a consequence of the Second Boer War, set of stamps featuring not only a portrait of
the British occupied the republic, which was King Edward VII but also a springbok and a
once again renamed Transvaal. Previous issues gnu (Figure 5).
were overprinted ‘V. R. I.’ or ‘E. R. I.’ There Located in the north-eastern corner of South
were also two sets of stamps showing the head Africa, the New Republic existed between 1884
of Edward VII (Figure 3). ZAR/Transvaal and 1888. It was founded by the Boers and the
released more than 285 different stamps from capital was named Vryheid (Freedom). This
1870 to 1909. short-lived state issued stamps in 1886 and
1887. They were printed by hand on gummed
and perforated paper. The design includes the
date they were produced (many undated stamps
were also printed in 1887) (Figure 6). As
different kinds of paper were used at different
dates of printing, the number of collectable
varieties is rather large. Some of the stamps
have been forged by François Fournier.
4 Orange Free State 1d featuring an orange tree

In 1864, the triangular issues were replaced

by new stamps of a more standard design but
still showing Hope. Queen Victoria never
made it to Cape of Good Hope’s postage
stamps, but her son did in 1902.
The Boers were fiercely independent people
and north of the Vaal River they established
the South African Republic (ZAR) in 1852.
Stamps printed in Germany were introduced
in 1870. They featured the coat of arms 6 The New Republic issued handprinted stamps in
of the new state. These stamps have been 1886 and 1887
extensively forged.
The ZAR was annexed by the British in
1877 and renamed Transvaal. In 1881, the
independence of the ZAR was restored. A
8 Union of South Africa 1910 21/2d stamp marking the
large number of stamps were issued during
opening of the Union Parliament
this first British period.
The South African Republic released several Stellaland was another small Boer republic
new definitive stamp sets. Unfortunately, with the town of Vryburg as its capital. It
most of them have been extensively reprinted was in existence from 1882 until 1885, when
to be marketed to collectors. In 1895, the it was made part of British Bechuanaland.
ZAR issued its only commemorative stamp, a During the second half of its existence,
1d value marking the introduction of Penny Stellaland was united with the Republic of
Postage (Figure 2). Goshen. It is all a most fascinating story.
Stellaland released six stamps in 1885
(Figure 7). On cover, they are great rarities.
Sadly, most of the stamps found in old
7 Stellaland’s 1884 issue featured the nation’s coat
of arms collections are pretty good forgeries.
Other colonies with their own stamp issues
The Orange Free State (Oranje Vrij Staat) were Natal (1857–1909), Griqualand West
was a Boer republic established in 1854, (1874–79) and Zululand (1888–96).
with Bloemfontein as its capital. The first The Union of South Africa was established
stamps were released in 1868 and depicted on 31 May 1910. The postage stamps of the
what must be an orange tree (Figure 4). The four colonies remained in use until a new
same design then remained in use until 1900. set of definitive stamps was released in 1913.
There was an incredible number of surcharges This period is known as the Interprovincial
for new denominations. Period in South African postal history because
Following the South African War, the the stamps of the four colonies could be used
republic became the Orange River Colony in throughout the country.
1900. During the British occupation, Orange However, on 4 November 1910, a 2½d
Free State stamps were overprinted ‘V. R. stamp had been issued marking the opening
5 Orange River Colony 5s Springbok and Gnu I.’ (later ‘E.R. I.’). In 1903, there was a new of the Union Parliament (Figure 8). It had

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 37 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

collect by country

ABOVE: 9 Se-tenant pair

from 1939 marking the language versions and mostly as pairs but
250th anniversary of occasionally also as triplets with rouletting
the Huguenot arriving in
between the stamps.
South Africa
Even after the war, a number of stamps
LEFT: 10 1948 bantam were printed in this miniature format,
pair including a 1948 issue showing a gold mine
(Figure 10). I suppose this was done to use up
BELOW: 11 Lion depicted
the remaining stamp paper.
on the 1954 6d definitive

the name of the country in both English and with a set of 3×2 stamps. The ½d+½d value SOUTH AFRICA’S WILDLIFE
Afrikaans, and this continued all the way until shows the Old Vicarage in Paarl, which is now In 1954, South Africa issued a new set of 14
1967, when the name of the country was a museum (Figure 9). The surcharge went to definitive stamps showing the rich variety
abbreviated as RSA (Republic of South Africa). the Huguenot Commemoration Fund. The of wildlife in the country, including an
After having depicted the British monarch on two stamps are identical except for the wording impressive lion (Figure 11). This was one of
all its definitive stamps for many years, pictorial in the two official languages. In unmounted the stamps that attracted me to the hobby
stamps were introduced in 1926. From then on, mint condition, the pair is worth about of stamp collecting in the late 1950s, and
most stamps were issued as se-tenant pairs – one £10, but the two stamps in unattached used this particular set has been a favourite with
with wording in Afrikaans and the other one in condition can be obtained for just a few pence. thematic collectors ever since. When the rand
English. These stamps are best collected as intact During World War II, the South African was introduced in 1961, many of the 1954
pairs. Used complete pairs are always far more Post Office obviously wanted to save not designs were reused but now with values
valuable than individually used stamps. only money but also paper, and there were in cents, with the 10s stamp being given a
Let’s take a closer look at how this worked. a number of stamp issues in a much smaller 1-rand denomination. Thus, these designs
In 1939, the 250th anniversary of the first size than what was previously the case. These had a very long life on most of the letters
Huguenot landing in South Africa was marked ‘bantam’ stamps were also issued in the two- mailed in South Africa.

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 38 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

 LEFT: 12 Pouring Gold Bophuthatswana (often referred to as just
is the theme of this 2c Bop) comprised several enclaves, which must
stamp from the 1961–74 have caused considerable logistical problems for
period
the government. It was declared independent
ABOVE: 13 The 5c value in 1977. The country had a population of
from the 1981 Transkei 1,660,000 and no real economic resources. To
set issued on the theme increase revenues, Sun City was intended to
of women’s headdresses attract tourists from South Africa (Figure 14).
There were two more homelands – Ciskei
LEFT: 14 1980 20c stamp
from Bophuthatswana (1981) and Venda (1979). All four homelands
titled Sun City ceased to exist as separate entities on 27
Extravaganza April 1994, but the postal services continued
to operate for a few more years until fully
introduced in 1948. amalgamated with the South African postal
Black people were service. There are hundreds of mostly pictorial
considered to be stamps from this rather special period in
second-class citizens. South African history.
CHALLENGING DEFINITIVES In the mid-1970s, the South African Starting in 1967, the bilingual country name
In 1961, South Africa had more or less broken government upped the apartheid policy by was abandoned in favour of the abbreviation
with the UK, and the country became a creating a number of self-governing tribal RSA, but in 1997, a new set of definitive stamps
republic. In the same year, the first values of an homelands with the first one being Transkei, were labelled South Africa in English only,
entirely new set of definitive stamps went on an enclave in the East Cape Province, with and the Afrikaans language now completely
sale at the country’s post offices. The wording a population of 2.8 million. It was declared disappeared from the nation’s postage stamps.
was still bilingual, with the English version independent from South Africa in 1976 and
being Republic of South Africa. This certainly issued its first stamps that same year. With STAMPS FOR SOUTH WEST
is a most complicated issue because there an entirely black population it comes as no AFRICA
were several printings resulting in collectable surprise that most of the people depicted on In 1914–15, South African forces occupied
perforation, paper and watermark varieties. In Transkei’s stamps belong to one of the local German South West Africa. From 1923
1964, most of the designs were redrawn with tribes (Figure 13). until 1952, many South African stamps
the words ‘South Africa’ and ‘Suid-Afrika’ being overprinted ‘SOUTH WEST AFRICA’,
slightly larger and bolder. New printings in the ‘SUID-WES AFRIKA’ or ‘S.W.A.’ were used
1969–72 period had phosphor bands added. in the former German colony (Figure 15).
Later printings had no watermark, and the last South Africa is an extremely diverse collecting
varieties were issued in 1974. The 1961 2c value area with numerous possibilities. Before writing
is devoted to the gold mining industry (Figure this article, I spent an enjoyable afternoon
12). The design is described as pouring gold. assembling all my South African stamps into
The 1961–74 definitive stamps are one stockbook. As I just add the stamps that
somewhat of a challenge because there are I find of particular interest with absolutely no
so many varieties. Identifying the different ambition of ever completing any of the areas, I
watermarks is far from easy, which complicates can collect all the areas discussed in this story.
matters even more. The Stanley Gibbons I guess most collectors will select a particular
Commonwealth and British Empire Stamps area or time period, and there are many to
1840–1970 catalogue has a useful table listing choose between. Some, like the South African
all the varieties. homelands, are inexpensive, while classic Cape
of Good Hope or Natal contain numerous
TRIBAL HOMELANDS rarities. Whatever way you choose to collect,
A study of South Africa’s postage stamps South Africa has a lot to offer. In fact, not
issued until 1994 suggests that the country everything has been revealed in this story; there
has a mainly white population because only is enough to keep collectors busy for life.
white people were ever depicted. This was, of LEFT: 15 ‘SWA’ overprint on South Africa’s 1949 UPU
course, a consequence of the apartheid policy issue

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 39 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

postal history

Making
Using several examples,
John Scott highlights the
different ways money passed
through the postal system.
A more familiar alternative was the bank
cheque, the printed versions of which came
into regular use in the early-19th century.
While they are seldom found with their
original letters, the example illustrated was
posted from Manchester in 1846 instructing
Messrs Jones, Loyd & Company to pay £50
to the bearer (Figure 3). Within 20 years, the
bank had been absorbed by the London &

ABOVE: 1 A second bill of exchange from Tasmania in

1887, with the duty paid by a 2s 6d George & Dragon
revenue stamp

he combination of stamps and

coins in the new format of this
magazine reminds the collector
of either subject of the close
connections between the two.
Money, usually in the form of banknotes
or other financial instruments, frequently
passed through the post, even if the bulk
of ‘Money Letters’ have lost their valuable
contents. One of the few exceptions are bills
of exchange; the favoured method of sending
large amounts of value in the days before
electronic transfers. The dangers in so doing,
arising from robbery, shipwrecks, piracy ABOVE: 2 The bill was posted from Hobart to London with postage paid by a 6d Platypus revenue stamp
and conflict, were such that it was common
practice to post multiple copies of the same
bill by separate sailings in the expectation
that at least one would reach its destination.
This must have been the case with the second
bill of exchange illustrated; the assumption
being that the first bill arrived safely and
was paid to Mrs Kissock, so that the second
was retained for posterity (Figures 1–2). Mrs
Kissock was evidently a shareholder in the
Mount Bischoff Tin Mining Company, which
had been floated in 1873 and paid more than
ten times the original investment, of which
this £500 dividend was a part. ABOVE: 3 A cheque posted from Manchester to London in 1846

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 40 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

 LEFT: 4 A circular of 1822 of the loss of a parcel of notes stolen from the
posted from Ipswich to Ipswich Mail on the night of 11 September
Stourbridge with Quaker
(Figure 4). As a result of the loss, the notes
dating
printed in black ink were replaced with a new
issue in red ink, and bankers were asked to
reject any of the former. The date expressed on
the circular, ‘2d, 10th Month’ is indicative of
the Alexander family’s Quaker beliefs.
When the Birmingham Bank of Galtons
& James had a parcel stolen from the

Westminster Bank, now part of the National RIGHT: 5 A reward

Westminster Group. notice posted from
Birmingham to
Banknotes themselves could be entrusted to
Stourbridge in 1818
the mail, but since there could not be multiple
copies of the same note, the sender frequently BELOW: 6 An Austrian
cut them into two halves, to be rejoined by the banknote posted
recipient on arrival. Enterprising publishers even from Gosport to
Berlin in 1928
offered patent banknote connectors to facilitate
this process. Sending quantities of banknotes
around the country was obviously a hazardous
business and represented a huge temptation to
the highwaymen. In 1822, Alexanders & Co,
a bank in Ipswich, sent out a circular advising

Birmingham Dog Coach on 15 December

1818, they offered a 20-guinea reward for
information pertaining to the five £20
notes and 105 £5 notes that had been lost,
amounting to over £40,000 in today’s money
(Figure 5). Evidently, the robbers were
endeavouring to cash in on their haul because
the numbers of the notes stolen were circulated
again to other banks in January 1819.
More of a curiosity is the Austrian
1,000-kronen banknote sent by registered
airmail from Gosport to Berlin in 1928
bearing the handwritten label: ‘To all whom
it may concern: This note is commercially
valueless.’ The note itself had been withdrawn
in 1918, and probably of more interest to
many stamp collectors is the ‘I 28’ control
strip of the 2½d postage stamps (Figure 6).

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 41 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

postal history

Following the establishment of the Zeppelin route to South America in 1930, a special Christmas
trip took place in 1934. Michael Burzan takes a look at the collecting opportunities of the voyage.

ABOVE: 1 2m stamp from a 1930 German issue for the

first official South American voyage

n 1934, the operators of the Zeppelin

airships had an original idea for
marketing their air journey to South
America at the end of the year – it
was declared a ‘Christmas trip’. Mail
items carried on this tour were given special
confirmation cancellations in green with
a Christmas illustration. Such covers are,
therefore, not only sought-after by collectors ABOVE: 2 Announcement about
the first South American
of Zeppelin mail, but are also of interest to
voyage of the Graf Zeppelin in
enthusiasts from a thematic point of view. 1930 (Felzmann)
The Christmas voyage of Zeppelin airship
LZ 127, known as Graf Zeppelin, was its 12th RIGHT: 3 $1.30 value from
successful tour of that year to South America. the 1930 US issue for the
first official South American
During the pre-Christmas tour of Graf
voyage of the Graf Zeppelin
Zeppelin in December 1934, it was possible
to celebrate the one million kilometres it Friedrichshafen, Germany,
had travelled since entering service on 18 reports, the suggestion
September 1928. This record was documented for a regular airship service to South America a special hangar for the gas giants. Brazil
on covers with additional handstamps. came primarily from Spain, which was very initially hesitated for the same reason. But
interested in a fast connection with Latin then Recife, the capital of the Brazilian state
FIRST ZEPPELIN VOYAGE TO American countries due to the growing of Pernambuco on the north-east coast,
SOUTH AMERICA economic importance of the continent. Spain constructed a landing site with an anchor mast.
The first test voyage of the Graf Zeppelin had also installed a landing site in Seville to A dedicated airship hangar did not appear
(planned as an experimental ship) to South enable the airship to pick up supplies before to be absolutely necessary there due to stable
America was undertaken to research the setting off across the ocean. weather conditions.
meteorological conditions in the South On the South American side, Argentina
Atlantic in preparation for a planned and Brazil were interested in the project, ACCOMPANIED BY STAMPS
transatlantic air service. but an airship connection with Argentina The German Reichspost accompanied the
As the historian Barbara Waibel, head did not materialise because the government first official voyage to South America of 26
of archives at the Zeppelin Museum in shied away from the high costs of building April 1930 with the first Zeppelin special

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 42 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

 along the Brazilian coast to Rio de Janeiro One of the most important cards featuring
within a few hours, with a short stopover to the ‘Parahyba Provisional’ is a 100r postal
change passengers and mail, then straight stationery card with a ‘5’ on 20,000r blue,
back to Recife. together with a 200r stamp. Sold by Köhler in
After taking on new resources, the next 2022, it was tied with an airmail ‘PARAHYBA
leg of the journey led northwards, along the 25.MAY.30’ cancellation and also had a
coast to Natal, across the island of Barbados ‘FRIEDRICHSHAFEN 6.6.30’ arrival
and the Lesser Antilles to Lakehurst in mark. On the reverse, Ernesto Oehlecker
the USA. After a short landing, the return (the sender) wrote in the text, dated 20
journey began. After a stopover in Seville, May: ‘Since the Rs. 5$000 stamps have all
Friedrichshafen was reached on 6 June 1930. been sold, overprints were created at the last
moment. I managed to get some of them, I
ABOVE: 4 Stamp from a 1930 Bolivian issue marking hope to give you a little pleasure with it.’
the first official South American voyage

FASTEST MODE OF TRANSPORT

RIGHT: 5 One of the values from Argentina’s set
issued for the first official South American voyage As was usual for test flights, Zeppelin
commander Dr Hugo Eckener had invited
BELOW: 6 5,000r value from Brazil’s issue marking the a number of journalists, celebrities, experts
first South American trip and important members of the government
to help convince them of his transatlantic
plans. According to Barbara Waibel: ‘The
result of this pioneering flight was thoroughly
FROM THE USA TO BRAZIL satisfactory. It had been shown that a scheduled
Several countries in America also marked the service to South America was possible, and
first South American voyage of the Graf Zeppelin it was to be started as soon as some of the
with special editions. In the United States, the necessary facilities at the landing site in Recife
project operated under the name ‘EUROPE had been completed.’
– PAN AMERICA FLIGHT’. On 19 April In the speed competition with transatlantic
1930, the US Postal Service put into circulation ships, the airship was clearly in first place.
three decorative oblong stamps at 65c, $1.30 While the ships from Hamburg to Rio de
stamps at 2m ultramarine and 4m black- and $2.60 in intaglio printing, which Dr Hugo Janeiro took two to three weeks, the Zeppelin
brown (Mi 438/39). In terms of image and Eckener had suggested the previous year during completed the same route in four to five days.
colour, they corresponded to the airmail the visit to the 1929 world tour (USA Mi At the beginning of the 1930s, the fastest
stamps of 1928 (Mi 423/24) with the airship 326/28, Scott C 13/C 15) (Figure 3). aeroplanes did not yet have the range and
Graf Zeppelin above a section of the globe, Bolivia celebrated the airship’s visit to South capacity to carry passengers or freight over long
but they also had a small inscription ‘1. America on 6 May with six values overprinted distances. The LZ 127 also had an advantage
SÜDAMERIKA/FAHRT’ at the top left with ‘CORREO AEREO R. S. 6 V 1930’; over ships in terms of mail transport due to
(Figure 1). the overprints appear in various colours, some its great time saving, which thus generated
Stamp dealers took the opportunity with a metallic sheen (Mi 188/93) (Figure good revenue. Nevertheless, even then it was
to draw their customers’ attention to the 4). Argentina’s post office had five values foreseeable that the airship would only retain
forthcoming event. Karl Klipstein from overprinted on 19 and 21 May 1930, first in its raison d’être until aeroplanes were able to fly
Erlangen, for example, had a two-colour blue and then in green (337/46) (Figure 5). long distances without a stopover
printed card sent out with the route of the The Brazilian postal administration was Despite its lower level of comfort compared
‘South American voyage of the Graf Zeppelin not involved in the Zeppelin service at that to the luxury ocean liners, the Graf Zeppelin
airship’ marked, with stops at Friedrichshafen, time; the service was provided by Syndicato was an interesting alternative for travellers
Seville, Pernambuco, Rio de Janeiro, Cuba Condor Ltda. However, three basic values for to South America. Barbara Waibel said:
and Lakehurst (Figure 2). Pre-orders could mail to Europe at 5000r, 10,000r and 20,000r, ‘Businessmen in a hurry were quite prepared
be placed using a pre-printed form, with with the inscription ‘PRIMEIRO VOO to accept compromises in terms of comfort in
the prices quoted only intended as a guide COMMERCIAL/BRASIL – EUROPA’ and view of the great time savings. Contemporaries
because the final postage rates had not yet a view of the Graf Zeppelin with a sailing ship, suffering from seasickness appreciated the
been determined. The German stamp set on a came into use between 16 and 23 May 1930 smooth ride of the airship, even in gusty
letter and card from Friedrichshafen to Spain (Figure 6). For mail to the United States, they weather, and after all, travelling across the
was to cost 5 marks, to Brazil 10 marks, to were produced with an additional two-line ‘Graf Atlantic in the most modern means of transport
North America 16 marks and the complete Zeppelin USA’ overprint. at the time and experiencing a completely new
round trip 25 marks. Foreign post for partial Further overprints were created with new perspective was an attraction in itself.’
routes cost between 12 and 25 marks. values, including the top rarity of a ‘Parahyba
The first leg of the triangular voyage got Provisional’, with a handstamped ‘5’ overprint, TOP-CLASS TRAVELLING
to Seville in Spain on 18 May 1930. After as a local issue for Parahyba and Recife, of The cost of a first-class passenger cabin on a
three days, Recife on the westernmost part which only 11 copies are still known loose and fast steamer from Europe to Rio was around
of Brazil’s coast was reached. It then travelled on covers. 1,500 marks at the time. For the same route

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 43 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

postal history
by fast airship, the price of a ticket at the
beginning of 1934 was 1,980 marks, later
reduced to a comparable level of 1,500
marks to Rio de Janeiro and 1,400 marks to
Recife.
The first scheduled South American
journey between Germany and Brazil began
on 29 August 1931, opening up the world’s
first regular mail and passenger service
across the Atlantic by air. The connection
was maintained until 1935 by Deutsche
Luftschifffahrts-Aktiengesellschaft DELAG,
which was founded in 1909 as the world’s

ABOVE: 7 Rare delivery not even the wine sloshed in the glasses.’
for the Christmas trip Supported by extensive photo reports in the
from Ireland dated 5
media, and attractive colourful advertising on
December 1934, signed
by Zeppelin commander
posters and cards, the popularity of Zeppelin
Albert Sammt and trips to Brazil grew steadily. In 1931, two
Captain Hans von Schiller further scheduled trips with Graf Zeppelin

first airline (renamed Deutsche Zeppelin- ABOVE: 8 Decoratively

Reederei GmbH, or DZR for short, in 1935). franked registered cover
from Helsinki, Finland,
Advertising and bookings were also made via
to Pernambuco dated
the Hamburg-Amerikanische Packetfahrt- ‘4.XII.34’
Actien-Gesellschaft HAPAG.
Between 1928 and 1937, Graf Zeppelin RIGHT: 9 With Swiss
achieved an impressive total of 140 journeys franking, sent from
Romanshorn to Recife
across the Atlantic, including 63 crossings to
for the 1934 Christmas
and from South America. trip (Heuberger)
As Barbara Waibel describes, passengers
enjoyed the marvellous South American
voyages with all their senses. They usually
departed from Friedrichshafen in the
evening, arriving at the southern tip of Spain
the next morning to exchange mail bags.
Depending on the weather conditions, they
then headed south across the Bay of Biscay
and along the Portuguese coast, or east of the
Iberian Peninsula across the Mediterranean,
continuing along the west coast of Africa or
via Madeira and the Canary Islands to the
Cape Verde Islands with the striking Pico do
Fogo, the highest mountain at 2,829m. ‘From
the Cape Verde Islands, the airship headed
south-west across the ocean with the north-
east trade wind behind it. It was usually so
warm over the Atlantic that the passengers
appeared in light summer clothing and let ABOVE: 10 Registered cover from Budapest, with Hungary franking, to Buenos Aires, Argentina (Nordphila)
the pleasantly cool wind blow in their faces
through the open windows of the gondola. stormy, the travellers could see the ocean were booked out in September and October;
The shadow of the airship was a faithful ships below struggling through the waves in in 1932 and 1933, there were nine trips, and
companion on the glittering water surface heavy seas, while on board the Zeppelin, there in 1934, with the ‘Christmas trip’, a round
below. Sometimes, when the weather was was no vibration whatsoever and supposedly dozen.

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 44 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

 place due to technical problems, the postage
was charged for the subsequent Zeppelin
transport. The letter travelled by airmail from
Rome to Munich (7 December 1934) and
then by land to Friedrichshafen. From there, it
was then transported to Recife on the airship
Graf Zeppelin on its 12th South American
‘Christmas’ voyage in 1934. The Italian rate
was 1.25 lire as an international letter, plus 7
lire as a Zeppelin surcharge to Brazil; a total of
8.25 lire, overfranked by a modest 5 centesimi.
Among the highly valued offers is also
a very nice treaty state Zeppelin cover by
registered mail with eight different values
from Dahomey, neatly cancelled with
‘COTONOU DAHOMEY 25 OCT.34’

ABOVE: 11 Red additional

BEFORE CHRISTMAS 1934
handstamp for the
Graf Zeppelin took off from Friedrichshafen one million kilometres
at 9.48pm on 8 December 1934 for that travelled by LZ 127 on a
‘Christmas trip’ to South America. After cover dated 9 December
a journey of a good 76 hours, it landed in 1934 (Felzmann)

Recife, Pernambuco, on 12 December at

RIGHT: 12 Planned special
1.50am. flight from Tripolitania
Covers from this trip bear a striking green to Rome cancelled in
confirmation cancellation from the on-board November 1934, then
post office (Figure 7). It bears a Christmas transported to Recife by
the Christmas flight (Dr
tree in the centre, decorated with three
Fischer)
candles and a star, with the airship above
it. Under the foot are small distinguishing
letters, not always clearly recognisable. The Zeppelin shape reads:
inscription reads ‘LUFTSCHIFF GRAF ‘AN BORD DES
ZEPPELIN SÜDAMERIKAFAHRT LUFTSCHIFFS/GRAF ZEPPELIN/12. (Figure 13). In addition to the special
WEIHNACHTEN 1934’. SÜDAMERIKAFAHRT 1934’ across three green confirmation ‘LUFTSCHIFF GRAF
The variety of preserved covers from this lines, with ‘1928–1934 1.000.000 Km.’ below. ZEPPELIN SÜDAMERIKAFAHRT
journey offer a broad spectrum of frankings Among the more unusual examples was a WEIHNACHTEN 1934’ cancellation,
and cancellations and are from a wide range letter from Tripolitania, franked with six special it was sent to Bahia, Brazil, and received
of countries (Figure 8–10). airmail stamps of 25 centesimi to 2 lire on the the corresponding transit and arrival
An additional interesting feature is the red front, with three more on the reverse (Figure cancellations.
Christmas cruise handstamp, which refers to 12). Addressed to a Signor Di Cola in Rome,
the total distance of one million kilometres it was forwarded to H Stoltz & Co in Recife, THE LAKEHURST DISASTER
travelled by the LZ 127 in the six years since Brazil; a frequent recipient of Zeppelin items. After a fortnightly service to South America
it was commissioned (Figure 11). The stylised As expert Dieter Leder’s certificate reports, the had been set up from spring to autumn in
cover was originally 1934, the number of South America trips rose
intended for the to 16 in 1935 and 20 in 1936, extended by
special ‘Volo Special the extension of the travelling season from
Roma – Mogadiscio March to November and the inclusion of the
Novembre 1934 new airship LZ 129 Hindenburg, which was
– XIII’ flight of around twice the size. Its tragic end on 6 May
11 November and 1937 in Lakehurst also meant the end for
was marked with a the further voyages of Graf Zeppelin, which
violet confirmation was decommissioned after its last voyage to
cancellation. Frankfurt am Main on 18 July 1937, and it
However, as that was scrapped in 1940.
flight did not take The Zeppelin Tower in Recife, where
Graf Zeppelin had first anchored on 21 May
LEFT: 13 Rare Zeppelin
1930 on its first voyage to Brazil, has been
treaty state mail from
Cotonou, Dahomey,
preserved as the only complete anchor mast
dated 25 October 1934 of the German airships and a monument to
(GM) aviation history.

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 45 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

philatelic firsts

It was Charles I who transformed the Tudor

postal system into Britain’s first true ‘public’ postal system,
writes Paula Hammond.

enry VIII may have laid

the foundations of the
Royal Mail, but it was a
very different king who was
responsible for transforming
Henry’s service into Britain’s first true ‘public’
post in 1635. ABOVE LEFT: 1 King Charles I stamp from Royal Mail’s
House of Stuart issue of 2010
Faced with an uncooperative parliament,
and strapped for cash, Charles I found ABOVE: 2 FDC of 1985 from Cotswold Covers
himself needing to devise new and creative celebrating Thomas Witherings’ connection to
money-making schemes (Figure 1). Additional Hornchurch
taxes and monopolies had been the
RIGHT: 3 Print made around 1655 by Jan van de Velde
establishment’s go-to way of increasing the
IV (c.1620–86) of Oliver Cromwell (Yale Center for
royal purse for generations, and it was during British Art, Paul Mellon Fund, B1970.3.2)
Charles’ reign that one such monopoly – the
British post office – was established. Dover, Edinburgh, London, Plymouth and
There had already been several attempts Yarmouth – then gradually expanding to
to expand the existing Tudor mail system include less travelled routes.
into a proper public service, but it was According to Bennett’s History of the Post
Thomas Witherings who eventually won the Office, it was Witherings who ‘made the Post
commission to ‘settle a pacquet post between Office a paying concern [and] created the
London and all parts of His Majesty’s Post Office as we know it today’.
dominions, for the carrying and recarrying of Under this new system, a single letter
his subjects’ letters’ (Figure 2). sheet cost 2d to travel 80 miles, 4d for under
140 miles and, above that distance, 6d for
FOR BETTER OR WORSE England and 8d for Scotland. The letter For some, the advent of a public post
Witherings was already responsible for post was expected to run 24 hours a day, office was also more inconvenient. While,
the delivery of mail to and from London but like all organisations, it had its quirks. previously, there were a number of competing
merchants. As part of that role, he had It was said to be possible to receive a letter courier services, the mail now became a
established a postal route between London sent from Bath to England’s first post office true monopoly, being established with the
and Dover. He was now tasked with in Bishopsgate Street, London – a journey of following proviso: ‘And his Majesties further
expanding that ‘betwixt London and all 115 miles – in around 16 hours. But letters will and pleasure is that from the begyning
parts of His Majesty’s dominions’. Initially, sent between Lincoln and Hull – a journey of this service … noe other messenger or
this meant ensuring that there were routes of just 48 miles – could take weeks because … foot posts shall take up, carry, receive,
between the nation’s major cities – Bristol, neither town had established post roads. or deliver any lre or lres [letter or letters]

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 46 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

whatsoever other than the
messengers appoynted by the
saide Thomas Witherings to
any such place or places as the
saide Thomas Witherings shall
settle.’

WIN SOME, LOSE

SOME
Witherings’ argument to
justify the expense of making
the mail ‘public’ had been
that ‘newes will come sooner
than thought’. However, as
someone who had successfully
run the foreign letter post,
he also knew that whoever
controlled the mail stood to
make a fortune – and he used a
large slice of his wife’s inheritance
to buy the post office monopoly.
Sadly, his investment was not as
sound as he had hoped. Although
the post office was already in profit by
1636, Witherings lost his monopoly (in
1640) for ‘abuses’ in exercising his duties,
and ultimately returned to managing
foreign mail.
Despite the legal wrangles over who would
succeed Witherings, the service continued ABOVE: 5
A collection of nine documents
to improve. Indeed, Civil War repairs to the
from the early 1600s (Sotheby’s)
roads, intended to keep the army moving,
also helped keep the mail moving.
Witherings’ monopoly was eventually naturally, it was a system that was open to
replaced by the First Commonwealth abuse. Correspondents not only came up with
Parliamentary Postal Service and, later, by a ingenious ways of squeezing more text onto
new monopoly run by Cromwell’s spymaster, a single page, but established codes, written
John Thurloe. While Henry VIII had resisted on the outer leaf, which allowed recipients
a public mail service – fearing it would be used to refuse letters and still get the message the
by spies and agent provocateurs – Cromwell sender intended.
embraced it and employed Thurloe to read the Sadly, the letter service that Thomas
letters before they were delivered (Figure 3)! Witherings helped establish reached its height
In 1657, Cromwell’s government further by the end of the 1600s. Roads became
strengthened the service by creating a single impassable, highwaymen abounded and post
post office for the whole Commonwealth, boys were so poorly paid that even if the
with fixed rates ‘for settling the Postage in highwaymen didn’t get the mail, they often
England, Scotland and Ireland’. Postage was stole it themselves. It was a situation which
to be paid for on receipt of the letter, and wouldn’t improve until the 1800s.

COLLECTING OPPORTUNITIES
The 1600s were one of the most volatile periods in British history, and letters, wax seals, official
documents and document stamps are both collectable and affordable. For instance, an English Civil
War warrant, signed by five Members of Parliament, sold for £378 at Sotheby’s in 2021 (Figure 4).
All of the signatories had supported the trial of the king, and while none actually signed his death
warrant, most served in Parliament during the Commonwealth. A further Sotheby’s lot of nine
documents, sold in 2022, included one signed by John Bradshaw (regicide) and another signed by
Sir Everard Digby, a conspirator in the Gunpowder Plot (Figure 5). That incredible slice of history
ABOVE: 4 English Civil War warrant, signed by five only cost £2,772.
Members of Parliament (Sotheby’s)

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 47 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

postal history part 1

£sd Commemoratives
As a follow-up to earlier articles, Maurice
Buxton provides examples of £sd
commemorative stamps used on cover.
LEFT: 1 Commercial at those groups, and partly at some individual
use of the 1924 11/2d stamps that are difficult to find on cover,
BEE value, which paid
whether in general or specifically as a solo use.
three main letter rates
– inland, Empire and
As the regular issue of commemoratives really
transatlantic to the USA took off in the 1960s, naturally the bulk of the
£sd issues are from that decade. However, the
small number of earlier issues are worth a look
BELOW: 2 Registered 1935
at by way of a lead-in.
airmail to Argentina:
fivefold rate at 4s per
1/2
oz (1931–39) plus a KING GEORGE V ISSUES
3d registration fee The first commemorative adhesive stamps were
(Cavendish Philatelic the famous British Empire Exhibition stamps
Auctions)
of 1924–25. The original intention was for

his is, in a way, a follow-up to

the articles from a few months
ago that discussed the usage on
cover of various King George
VI and Queen Elizabeth II
£sd definitive stamps. There were, of course,
also a lot of commemorative issues in this
period, and these are just as worthy of a usage
collection as the definitives. This article (and
a second instalment) will look at the general
patterns of use and at some individual stamps
and uses that are particularly tricky to find.
An occasional question is ‘were these
stamps really used when definitives of the
same value were available?’ – the answer to
which is an emphatic ‘yes’. Postmasters were
in fact instructed to sell them in preference
to the regular definitive stamps while they
were on issue, a practice that lasted well
into the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. In this
era, commemoratives were mostly issued
for the main inland and overseas rates,
and the majority aren’t too hard to find
on commercial covers. There are, however,
exceptions, and assembling a complete
collection would be quite a challenge.
Many of the stamps fall into natural groups
depending on the particular rate they were ABOVE: 3 The 21/2d overseas rate paid with two PUC booklet stamps. The 1d has cut perfs at top and right, the
issued to pay. In this piece, I’ll be looking partly 11/2d at bottom

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 48 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

 Booklet stamps exist for the ½d, 1d and
1½d values of the PUC and Silver Jubilee
sets (Figure 3), and they can be recognised
by their guillotined perforations (for further
details, see my article in the August 2024
edition of this magazine!).

KING GEORGE VI ISSUES

When you turn to George VI
commemoratives, the standout difficult item
on cover is again a high value – the 1948
Royal Silver Wedding £1, which wasn’t issued
for operational reasons either. The general
idea of the Silver Wedding omnibus set was
to have one low and one high value from each
territory, with the fairly explicit aim being to
raise money from philatelic sales – ‘a special
stamp will earn dollars, which only a stiff-
necked purist would overlook at the present
ABOVE: 4 A large, time’. (Unless, that is, you are prepared to
registered packet credit the conspiracy theory that the omnibus
sent between UK and
was all a ruse dreamed up by Ian Fleming
Australian branches of
a mining company. The
to help create untraceable funds that could
£3 5s total, including be diverted to pay his network of secret
three £1 Silver Wedding agents – which falls under the heading of ‘too
values, is the exact total entertaining not to mention’!)
for the 52nd weight
There was by this time some use for a £1
step at 1s 3d per 1/2oz –
with all that lot to count
value – indeed, a £1 ‘Arms’ definitive was
up, it looks like they issued only a few months later. However, all
forgot to add the 3d three King George VI £1 values are hard to
registration fee! find on cover and don’t come cheap, with

them to be available only at the exhibition itself, ABOVE: 5 1/2d Postal

with even requests mailed to the exhibition Centenary, used quite
late in 1940. A window
post office being refused. Following a storm of
envelope so presumably
protest, the authorities relented to allow those contained an invoice,
after a while, but other than philatelic sales from but with the destination
the London Chief Office that was it. country helpfully written
Most usages, therefore, tend to be
RIGHT: 6 11/2d Postal
from visitors, generally cancelled with the
Centenary, used on a
exhibition postmark. You do see them on special envelope a week
purely commercial mail, though (Figure after issue, during the
1) – probably purchased by the companies first few days of the
concerned as a way of publicising the German invasion of
France
exhibition and making their mail stand out,
in an era that saw a boom in the popularity of real postal need – the £1 Seahorse definitive large airmail envelopes still the most likely bet
stamp collecting. You don’t see such covers all of 1913 had not seen enough use to justify (Figure 4).
that often, though, and items like this are well reprinting it, and indeed, unsold stocks of the The other difficult King George VI
worth picking up on general principles. PUC stamp remained available at face value commemorative usages are from an earlier
The obvious difficult stamp on cover is on request for a decade or so. set – the 1940 Postal Centenary issue. As this
the 1929 PUC £1. The postal archives are As it happened though, the 1930s saw the consisted of the six lowest denominations
frustratingly silent on the question of exactly rapid development of airmail, often at high from ½d to 3d, you might expect them all to
why it was issued, but it’s generally assumed rates, so some posters found a use for the have seen plenty of use, and indeed, they’re
to have been for prestige reasons, in order to PUC £1 on heavier items (Figure 2). There easy enough to find on covers in general. Two
have something more impressive than 5½d are at a guess a few dozen examples around, of them are, however, much harder to find
worth of low values to go in the presentation although they sell for a good price. as specifically solo uses – the ½d and 1½d.
freebies for delegates to the congress. A less obvious usage well worth looking for When the idea of the set was first mooted,
(Although revenue from philatelic sales does is the low values from booklets – a form of these would have paid for inland printed
also seem to have been a consideration.) It issue not done again with commemoratives papers and letters respectively – but many
wasn’t a stamp for which there was much until long into the Queen Elizabeth II period. postage rates were increased a few days before

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 49 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

postal history part 1

QUEEN ELIZABETH II ISSUES

There were nearly 200 commemorative
stamps issued in this reign before the
switchover to decimal currency – close to
300 if you count the ‘phosphor’ stamps
separately. Given that total, you’ll be relieved
to know that I don’t intend to cover every one
individually! Here and next time, I’ll mostly
be looking at solo uses, although with the
occasional nod to more general usage.
The majority of these stamps were issued
for the most-needed rates. For inland use,
this almost always meant the basic letter rate
(Figure 7), or from 1968, the first and second
class rates (Figure 8), although there were

ABOVE: 7 1962 3d National Productivity Year letter-

rate stamp on an advertising envelope

they were issued, and suddenly, there weren’t

actually that many ½d and 1½d rates left for
them to pay.
The ½d still paid the overseas printed
paper rate (yes, cheaper than the new inland
1d rate), but I’ve found examples surprisingly
difficult to locate (Figure 5). My assumption
is that this is because of the wartime
regulations that restricted the sending of
printed papers overseas, except by authorised

ABOVE: 8 1968 4d Christmas stamp – generally only

the annual Christmas issues contained second
class rate stamps such as this one

a few issues in the early 1960s for printed

paper/postcard rates (Figure 9). Stamps
issued for use to overseas were mostly for
the worldwide surface/European all-up rate
(Figure 10) or the Zone B airmail rate (Figure
11), with a few for the Zone A rate and rather
more for the Zone C rate. This made sense,
as Zone B covered a wide area that included
BELOW: 10 1960 6d Europa stamp, appropriately
issued for the air rate to Europe (strictly speaking
‘all-up’ rather than airmail as there was no separate
surface rate)

ABOVE: 9 1961 2d CEPT Conference stamp issued for

the inland and overseas printed matter rates – here
on a ‘Dear Doctor’ card to Canada advertising an
antibiotic (the postcard rate was 21/2d)

users. The 1½d is even trickier as a solo. The

most likely way to find one is paying the
rate to HM Forces on active service overseas
(Figure 6). This remained at 1½d throughout
the war – but in the dark days of summer
1940, with British Expeditionary Force troops
being evacuated from France, the scope to use
it that way was limited.

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 50 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

many major countries – North and South
America, most of Africa and much of Asia.
As anyone who dutifully ploughed through
my earlier articles on Wilding and Machin
usages will doubtless recall, inland rate stamps

ABOVE: 11 1969 1s 6d (North Africa and the Middle East) (Figure 13)
NATO stamp for the are really quite awkward. The commemoratives,
Zone B rate on a printed
of course, are scarcer than the corresponding
envelope of the US
National Geographic
definitives on cover, as any given issue was on
Society European office sale for a much shorter period.
in Mayfair The other ‘structural’ consideration that
affects rarity in this period is the separate
LEFT: 12 1965 1s 6d
issue of both normal stamps and stamps with
Commonwealth Arts
Festival stamp paying
phosphor bands during 1962–67. These
Zone C rate to the most ‘phosphor’ issues were only put on regular
distant parts of the sale in areas with offices that had Automatic
Commonwealth Letter Facing (ALF) cancelling machines,
which could actually make use of the bands.
LEFT: 13 1970 1s Rural
Architecture stamp
Initially, there were few of those, although as
paying the Zone A rate, the rollout progressed, they were more widely
apparently a letter to an available. From July 1967, this had gone far
expat from his British enough that all new stamps were issued with
bank
phosphor bands, so this ceases to be a factor.
BELOW: 14 1963 1s 3d Red
Any ‘phosphor’ stamp is thus going to be
Cross phosphor stamp rarer on a commercial cover (Figure 14) than
paying Zone B rate, the same stamp from the normal issue – which,
cancelled in Glasgow – the combined with the rate factor, means that covers
head office had an ALF
with the few Zone A and C rate phosphor band
machine, but as it happens
this one was processed
stamps are really hard to find (as you can tell by
at a sub-office with only the lack of an illustration, I haven’t succeeded).
a traditional cancelling They were, however, the normal issue in the
machine (another NGS areas concerned, so appear on mail that was
envelope – shoutout to
hand-cancelled too (Figure 15).
whoever there kept them!)

on cover are generally plentiful, and surface and

Zone B stamps common enough (although it’s
still possible to find nice covers that are a bit
more unusual). Usages to Zone C (Australasia
and the Far East) (Figure 12) are harder to find
– surprisingly so, actually – and those to Zone A

LEFT: 15 Block of four

of the 1966 6d Battle Next time, I’ll be looking at some general
of Hastings phosphor
considerations when making a collection of
stamps (European all-up
rate), here hand-cancelled
these stamps on commercial covers, and at
on an express letter from some individual QEII £sd stamps that are
the Swedish embassy to a harder to find than you might expect.
couple of local nobles

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 51 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

cover explained p osta l histo r y

The Tea Chest of

family is not known, but correspondence to

them enables a period of years to be deduced
– certainly 1853 to the 1950s. In all this time,
residing in the house amongst much other
period furniture was a tea chest, though exactly
where is not recorded. More recently, perhaps,
no one bothered to look inside, or if they did,
they saw nothing to interest them. Apparently,
there were about 600 letters that were eventually
recognised of some financial value, if not of
historical importance.
The second cover we shall consider began
life across the English Channel in France.
The envelope, with letter inside, was rated
at 25 centimes for postage from Cannes in
southern France with two postmarks stating
LEFT: An Edwardian postcard showing Fawley Court
in Henley-on-Thames

An accumulation of covers and letters can

sometimes reveal themselves after many years. 1
Philatelist Dane Garrod details when such an 4
occasion brought postal and family history into
3
modern focus.
he earliest cover illustrated is
an entire letter, where a sheet of 1 Entire letter dated 3
October 1856
paper had the correspondence
written on one side, and then,
the sheet was folded with a small
2 Centre panel
with address and
postage stamp
2 5
centre panel having the address and the postage
stamp, usually at a penny cost. Occasionally,
as in this case, a second sheet was included 3 Manuscript ‘1’

inside. This letter, dated 3 October 1856, was

sent from Robert Elliot in Dunkeld, Scotland,
4 Green ‘DUNKELD/
OC 3/1856’
handstamp
to Edward Mackenzie at Fawley Court, three
years after his purchase of the estate, which is
near Henley-on-Thames. With a 1d. red ‘stars’ 5 1d red ‘stars’ stamp

6
stamp, a manuscript ‘1’ denoting the postage
rate and a green ‘DUNKELD/OC 3/1856’
6 Red wax seal
ensured closure
and confidentiality
handstamp, a red wax seal ensured closure and
confidentiality. It is very much a long three-page summarise here. The
business letter, not family social correspondence. site of the house has
Edward Mackenzie (1811–80) was a Scottish been occupied for around 1,000 years. The ‘CANNES/9.E|29/AVRIL/97’, and it was
banker and railway entrepreneur in those years main house is attributed to Sir Christopher addressed to ‘Fawley Rectory/Henley on
of the new and expanding railway system. Wren, and in the later years of World War II, Thames/Angleterre’. Two transit postmarks on
Where has this letter been all these years? it was used as a training camp, then as a school the reverse show it travelled via Paris on the
Apparently at Fawley Court, which has an until 1986 after a rebuild in the 1970s following following day and was in Henley-on-Thames
interesting history that we will shorten and a severe fire. The exact tenure of the Mackenzie the next day. Now, how does that compare

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 52 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

 occurred here. A second surviving letter from
7 Ellen Mackenzie was inside and dated ‘4th
9 July’, possibly also from 1897 and this time
8 with ‘Evreux/France’ beneath the date.
Dating just into the 20th century is the
third cover, which is from an unknown writer
to Maud, ‘Mrs Roderick Mackenzie’, and
probably from an officer with The Queen’s
Own Cameron Highlanders at Wellington
Barracks in Mullingar, County Westmeath.
The Victoria Penny Lilac stamp is postmarked
‘MULLINGAR/PM/5/NO 8/00’ on 8
November 1900, with a speedy arrival on the
following day at her home at Sunnyclose in
Fawley. No letter this time, perhaps in another
envelope now, but the reverse of the cover has
the regimental badge printed in blue.
10

11
7 Cover from Cannes in France postmarked 29
April 1897
12
8 Two ‘CANNES/9.E|29/AVRIL/97’ postmarks

13
9 Rated 25c for postage from Cannes

10 The black border suggests this was a

mourning cover, but there is no firm
evidence to support this theory

with postage today? The writer, with her

printed and entwined initials ‘EFM’ on the
reverse of the cover and on the writing paper,
was Ellen F Mackenzie born 1824/25 and
the second wife of Edward Mackenzie, who
was the receiver of the first letter mentioned.
She had been widowed since 1880 and writes
to ‘Darling Maud’, the wife of her grandson
William Roderick Mackenzie, who used his
second given name. Receivers often saved letters
from the same writer in one envelope, and this

14
11 Cover from Mullingar in Ireland postmarked 8
November 1900

12 Postmarked ‘MULLINGAR/PM/5/NO 8/00’ on

8 November 1900

15
13 Victoria Penny Lilac stamp

It was from about 1998 that this large

accumulation from Fawley Court was
brought out from its long-term hiding into
the philatelic and postal history world,
and then dispersed to many collectors,
historians and others. Apparently, it included
correspondence from Florence Nightingale.
All safely stored and preserved through the
many decades in a tea chest of memories.

14 Reverse of cover sent from Ireland

15 Regimental badge printed in blue

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 53 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

celebrated sets

The Missing A 1923 set from Iraq,

released when administered
by the United Kingdom as a
League of Nations Mandate,
showcases the history of the
country, writes David Bailey.

1 Sunni Mosque, Muadhdham (1/2a) 2 Gufas on the Tigris (1a)

hat we now call Iraq But under the new constitution, this still THE STAMPS
was originally part of had to be ratified by Iraq’s new parliament – All the stamps are recess-printed – except
the Ottoman Empire, which was still not fully functional. for the lithographed 1r value. And the set is
which sided with Meanwhile, the country needed new denominated in the Indian currency, not the
Germany in World stamps. The province was using Turkish local currency – further evidence of how one-
War I. The British invaded the region, taking stamps overprinted ‘IRAQ IN BRITISH sided the Treaty of Alliance was.
Baghdad in 1917, and an armistice was OCCUPATION’, which was out of tune The set was in use from 1923–31, when
signed in 1918. with the tenor of the times. But a new set of it was replaced by a set showing King Faisal
After the war, the three Turkish provinces of stamps could not feature the new monarch in western-style clothes. However, in his
Baghdad, Mosul and Basra were amalgamated until Iraq’s parliament had had its say. first appearance, in 1927, he is traditionally
into one country and the Sykes-Picot dressed. There are two sets of overprints
Agreement came into force. This was a secret THE BRADBURY WILKINSON reading ‘On State Service’. The first, from
deal between Britain and France, which SOLUTION 1923, is in English only. The second, from
divided the post-war Middle East into two Bradbury Wilkinson had printed both the the following years, is also in Arabic.
spheres of influence. And Britain ended up overprints and the Turkish set they were
with a League of Nations Mandate to govern printed on, and they retained the contract SUNNI MOSQUE, MUADHDHAM
Mesopotamia. to produce a new set of stamps. Instead of a (1/2a)
Unfortunately, its boundaries had been royal portrait, they looked to Iraq’s heritage of This is the one of the most important Sunni
drawn up with no regard for tribal, regional art and architecture. This included two of the mosques in Baghdad and was built in 1065
or religious loyalties, and Arab Nationalists country’s oldest and most important mosques; around the tomb of Abu Hanifa an-Nu’man
felt cheated out of full independence. This one Sunni and one Shia for balance. Two (Figure 1). Like Thomas à Becket, he was a
discontent gained a new focus when Emir artists working in the region created the stamps senior cleric who refused to do the bidding of
Faisal I was acclaimed as a regional leader. and their initials are found in the margins. the ruling caliph and was probably poisoned
The result was a full-scale revolt in ‘E C’ is Florence Edith Cheesman, whose in jail. The caliph was one of 50,000 people
1920, which ended in a new agreement. paintings of Mesopotamia and its wildlife said to have attended the funeral.
Mesopotamia would become the Kingdom of were widely exhibited. ‘MJM 21’ is Marjorie
Iraq under Faisal I, with full independence in Josephine Maynard, who worked on the set GUFAS ON THE TIGRIS (1a)
1931, and the Mandate would be replaced by well in advance of its launch date. Officially Also spelt kuphars, these circular boats
a (rather one-sided) Treaty of Alliance. Faisal titled ‘Lady Garbett’, she was an accomplished have been used on the Tigris and Euphrates
was formally crowned king in August 1923. artist, cartoonist and also a farmer. rivers for literally thousands of years; they

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 54 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

 WINGED CHERUB (11/2a) The Arch – or the Taq Kasra – is the
Modern Iraq covers much of ancient Assyria, world’s largest brick-built arch (Figure 5). It
and excavations have revealed some wonderful was constructed around 1,400 years ago and
‘finds’ (Figure 3). This ‘cherub’ is in its original is currently undergoing restoration.
guise of a guardian spirit for a holy place.
TRIBAL STANDARD, DULAIM
BULL FROM BABYLONIA WALL CAMEL CORPS (4a)
SCULPTURE (2a) The 4a, 8a, 5r values feature a second
In the mythology of the region, this being has lieutenant in the Camel Corps (Figure 6).
a bull’s body for strength and an eagle’s wings These troops were the lowest commissioned
for freedom (Figure 4). It is not so striking as rank in the cavalry and typically served as
the lamassu, which also has a human head (for standard bearers.
intelligence), but will have played a useful role The Dulaim Camel corps is the successor to
3 Winged Cherub (11/2a) as the guardian of a palace or a tomb. the International Camel Corps. This was an

ABOVE: 4 Bull from

Babylonian wall
sculpture (2a)

ABOVE RIGHT: 5 Arch of

Ctesiphon (3a)

LEFT: 6 Tribal standard,

Dulaim Camel Corps
(4a)

RIGHT: 7 Shia Mosque,

Al-Khadhimiya (6a)

are shown on reliefs dating back to 3500 ARCH OF CTESIPHON (3a) infantry brigade that served with distinction
BC but were still widely used in the 1970s It is hard to believe today – but this was in the conquest of Iraq during World War I.
(Figure 2). They were made of basketwork the royal capital of the Iranian empires for In peacetime, it operated as a mounted police
coated with bitumen and could carry up over 800 years until the Muslim Conquest force, patrolling Iraq’s western deserts.
to 20 people or a wide variety of goods in 651. As it grew, it merged with other
and animals. Their round shape is fine for cities on the banks of the Tigris to become SHIA MOSQUE, AL-KHADHIMIYA
coasting downriver but not so much fun a major commercial centre. It was said to be (6a)
going up – so many merchants would bring the largest city in the world. But after 651, This important Shia shrine contains the
along a donkey to help with the return the Abbasids moved the capital to Baghdad. tombs of the seventh and ninth of the 12
journey. Otherwise, there were teams of men Ctesiphon fell into decay and was soon Imams and was first laid out as a cemetery in
who would do the job. depopulated altogether. 762 (Figure 7). The present building dates to

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 55 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

celebrated sets
the early-16th century and is in an excellent
state of preservation. At its centre is a vast
gilded dome on a circular base and its four
minarets are plated in gold.

TRIBAL STANDARD, DULAIM

CAMEL CORPS (8a)
The design from the 4a value was repeated in
an 8a olive-bistre (Figure 8).

ALLEGORY OF DATE PALM (1r)

When these stamps appeared, date production
was the leading crop in a field that also
included apples, pomegranates, citrus trees
and vines (Figure 9). It used to be described

THE SET IN DETAIL

1/2
a olive-green Sunni Mosque, Muadhdham
1a brown Gufas on the Tigris
1 1/2a lake Winged Cherub
2a orange-buff Bull from Babylonian Wall Sculpture
3a grey-blue Arch of Ctesiphon
4a violet Tribal Standard, Dulaim Camel Corps
6a greenish blue Shia Mosque, Al-Khadhimiya
8a olive-bistre Tribal Standard, Dulaim Camel Corps
1r brown and blue-green Allegory of date palm
2r black Sunni Mosque, Muadhdham
2r olive-bistre Sunni Mosque, Muadhdham
5r orange Tribal Standard, Dulaim Camel Corps
10r lake Shia Mosque, Al-Khadhimiya

SUNNI MOSQUE, MUADHDHAM Dulaim Camel Corps was repeated again for
(2r) the 5r value (Figure 11). This time it was in
The design from the ½a value was repeated on an orange shade.
the 2r black denomination (Figure 10). Later,
in 1925, it was reprinted as a 2r olive-bistre. SHIA MOSQUE, AL-KHADHIMIYA
(10r)
TRIBAL STANDARD, DULAIM For the 10r value, the design of the 6a,
CAMEL CORPS (5r) featuring the Shia Mosque of Al-Khadhimiya,
The design of the tribal standard of the was repeated (Figure 12).

TOP CENTRE: 8 Tribal

standard, Dulaim Camel
Corps (8a)

TOP RIGHT: 9 Allegory of

date palm (1r)

ABOVE: 10 Sunni Mosque,

Muadhdham (2r)
as a paradise where water for irrigation was
easily available. The picture is different today, ABOVE LEFT: 11 Tribal
standard, Dulaim Camel
thanks to climate change – and the country
Corps (5r)
recently endured four years of drought. But
date production is still a major industry – RIGHT: 12 Shia Mosque,
second only to oil as an export earner. This Al-Khadhimiya (10r)
symbolic tribute to the date palm was in use
All figures Stanley
until 1927, when it was replaced by a portrait
Gibbons
of King Faisal and lithography was replaced
by recess printing.

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 56 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

stamp story

As Chris West reveals, a

stamp from one of the
poorest countries in the world
sheds light on its colonial past.

ritrea is one of the poorest

countries in the world. Its stamps
reflect this: simple, martial,
nationalistic. It has not gone
down the route of issuing endless
birds, movie stars, flowers and so on. Instead,
it has been targeted by forgers, with hundreds
of fake Eritrea stamps out there – including
one set from 2021 featuring ‘erotica’, which
would never have been issued by this sober,
highly controlled country.
Eritrea sits along the south coast of the
Red Sea and has a long history. In the first
millennium AD, it was part of the Kingdom
of Aksum, a trading nation ranked by one
writer in the 3rd century alongside Persia,
China and Rome. Around the year AD 500,
Aksum’s ruler controlled an area as large as
modern Algeria. Two centuries later, decline
set in. The area was then settled by various
groups, parts of it being subsumed into the
Ethiopian empire. In 1550, most of it was
conquered by the Ottoman Turks. 1 15c stamp of 1910 showing the Government Palace, issued when Eritrea was an Italian colony
The stamp shown was issued by the next
wave of invaders, the Italians (Figure 1). The to make the inland city of Asmara, which Ababa (it had been supported by the Soviet
conquest began with an Italian shipping had become the capital in 1897, into a Union) not collapsed.
company buying the port city of Assab in 1869 grand imperial statement. Difficult without
(just before the opening of the Suez Canal). an empire, but the legacy is a series of INDEPENDENCE AT LAST!
Fifteen years later, all the major European remarkable Art Deco buildings (Asmara is Sadly, Eritrea’s warlike leaders seemed unable
powers were trying to grab land in Africa. The a UNESCO World Heritage Site). In the to stop picking fights with their neighbours.
Italian government seized the port and began 1930s, it became known as ‘Little Rome’. The country became a military dictatorship.
a campaign of imperial expansion. ‘Colonia After World War II, it was Britain’s turn Everyone has to join the army and can be kept
Eritrea’ was officially founded in 1890, and to be in charge – there are George VI in it for years. This does not necessarily mean
the first stamps issued (overprints of ordinary definitives overprinted ‘BMA ERITREA’ fighting as the army also carries out most of the
Italian ones). The stamp, from 1910, was the (British Military Administration) – but we functions, such as mining and construction,
colony’s first proper issue – there were only were decolonising, and in 1950, the area which would be handled by civilians in other
four denominations. It shows the Government was effectively handed over to Ethiopia. countries. There is no private sector of any size.
Palace in the colony’s then capital and prime The Eritreans, who consider themselves Dissent can mean imprisonment or death; it is a
seaport, Massawa (now Mitsiwa). culturally very different to Ethiopians, were one-party state; there has never been a national
The occupation was somewhat relaxed, not consulted and, in the early 1960s, began election. Eritrea has been called, a little unfairly,
however, until Mussolini came to power in a war against their new masters. This brutal the North Korea of Africa.
1922. Obsessed with colonising Eritrea’s affair, essentially a set of attacks by Ethiopia It is traditionally a tolerant society, with
inland neighbour, Ethiopia, he poured in determinedly driven back by the Eritreans, half the population Christian and half
resources (mostly for the benefit of the dragged on until 1991 – it might still be Muslim. Eritreans have a reputation for being
colonists, not the Eritreans). He wanted happening today had the regime in Addis unassuming and hospitable. They deserve better.

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 57 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

back of the book
Stamps are just the start! Our wonderful hobby has many sidelines to pursue.
In this popular section of the magazine, we explore the intriguing items that are often listed at
the back of the catalogue.

POSTCARDS

More Payne for less pain hunting and farming cards

paint an idyllic picture of rural
Harry Payne, born in 1868, had no artistic training except for some England.
evening classes, writes Richard Stenlake. However, he showed enough I’ve never read that Payne
talent to soon become art designer at an army and navy clothing went to America, but that didn’t
contractor, where he developed his eye for detail in service uniforms stop him from doing sets on a
before becoming a full-time artist at the age of 21. similarly serene-looking Wild
In 1883, he joined the territorial West Kent (Queen’s Own) West and the US Army. Too
Yeomanry and the next year started producing military art designs old to serve in World War I, the
for the publisher Raphael Tuck. call to arms pushed Harry from
Book illustrations, greetings cards his comfort zone. In ‘What are
and scraps or die-cuts kept him you doing to guard the homes
busy until the postcard era, during of England?’, a smoking and
which time Payne is thought to have drinking toff is being berated by
produced around 560 designs for his ancestors, who have leapt out
various publishers. of their portraits to shame him into joining up!
His brightly coloured British Harry Payne’s work is timeless so still sells, but prices are definitely
military portraits clearly were off their height of 30 years ago. No need to buy the modern reprints
massive sellers, but Payne tackled though because
other subjects too. His military original cards can be
cards glorify soldiering and bought for as little
generally avoid its unpleasant as £1 to £3. Scarcer
aspects, to the extent that some cards go for £10 and
of his battle scenes look like a up, and they are at
jolly lads’ romp across a slightly about 50% of their
untidy field. So, too, his coaching, 1990s prices.

REVENUES

Swedish consular revenues

There was a time when currency fluctuations were minimal and value is shown. In 1906, there was a new
when the exchange rates between different currencies remained the issue comprising 11 stamps, with values
same for years, writes Christer Brunström. This statement is proven from 50 öre to 500 kronor. The 1906
by the rather unusual Swedish consular revenue stamps first issued in stamps list seven different currencies
1887. starting with American dollars.
The stamps were used at Swedish (and Norwegian until the union By 1920, the exchange rates were
with Sweden was dissolved in 1906) consulates and vice consulates far from stable, and from now on, the
throughout the world to indicate that a number of fees had been stamps only carried the denomination in
paid. They included the issuance or renewal of passports, certificates Swedish currency. This new set had nine
of nationality, reports of proceedings and several other consular denominations from 50 öre to 200 kronor.
services, including the relevant documents required by seamen when All in all, there were at least 29 different
joining the crew of a ship. stamps, and it is quite possible that more
The stamps show the Swedish national coat of arms at the top denominations may exist. There were
and the denomination in Swedish öre and kronor. The name of numerous printings of the 1920 issue.
the issuing country is not shown. The first 1887 set of eight values The use of consular service stamps was
from 50 öre to 10 kronor also lists the equivalents in seven different discontinued at the end of June 1950.
currencies starting with the gulddollar (gold dollar). The Swedish consular revenue stamps
Soon after 1900, there was a new issue, but this time only showing are far from common, and all values between 50 and 500 kronor are
six currencies (the silver rouble had been omitted). The 4-krona decidedly rare.

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 58 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

POST & GO

Date codes For Christmas 2012,

the Robin from Birds I
Date codes should more correctly be called year codes because it is was reissued with the code
only the year that is shown rather than a date e.g. ‘26-Dec-24’, writes ‘MA12’ and subsequently
Stuart Leigh. The code is concealed in the background ‘ROYAL in 2013 with ‘MA13’.
MAIL’ underprint as, for example, ‘ROYAL MA12’. All pictorial Post and Go
issues from British Flora
in 2014 had date codes with the year they were released. The Winter
Greenery series, issued each year from 2017 to 2021, all had new
codes for each year.
The Union Flag, first
issued in 2012, had no
date code but was reissued
in 2013 with ‘MA13’.
As a stamp collector of too many years to think of, date codes came When the naval museums
as standard with Machins from 2010 and now with King Charles III opened, the Union Flag
definitives, but with Post & Go, they started to appear in 2012. had a resurgence and
The date code on a definitive Machin is visible at the top left, a reprint was needed in 2019, when ‘MA19’ appeared and was
whereas on the Post & Go Machin, it is adjacent to the forehead of produced on digitally printed stock.
HM Queen Elizabeth II. The Poppy, originally issued with the British Flora series, was
Each year, the date reprinted with ‘MA19’ due to high usage by the Naval Museums
code was updated, each year in November for the Remembrance commemorations.
until in 2017, when it Likewise, the Locomotive and PO Underground
changed to ‘R17YAL Railway from the Royal Mail Heritage series were
MAIL’ up to 2020, reproduced for use at the Steam GWR Museum and
which is the last Mail Rail Museum, with ‘MA16’ and ‘MA17’, and
known printing. The code position also moved towards the end of ‘MA17’, ‘MA18’ and ‘R19YAL’ respectively.
the second row of the service indicator. The only series of Post and Go stamps issued since 2012 without
The 2nd class blue a date code was for the
Machin followed a 50th anniversary of the
similar path, changing Machin series of stamps,
in 2016 from ‘MA12’ although the underprint
to ‘CL16S and from in the background has
‘2nd CLASS’ to ‘1967–2017 MCHIN
‘2ndCL16S’. ANNIVERSARY’.

FIRST DAY COVERS

Children’s television signed at the top by co-creator Peter Firmin and his daughter Emily,
who is the young girl who featured in the sepia photographs in the
For more than 20 years, we have all seen Royal Mail move away programme.
from their more traditional issues to more, though I don’t like the Finally, should you find yourself in Canterbury, make sure you
word, ‘commercial issues’, writes Brian Austin. visit the Beaney Museum in the High Street, where the original
I think all collectors have asked themselves why for at least some Bagpuss lives, along with a Clanger or two, and many other unique
of the issues, but when these issues work, they really do work, things from the Smallfilms archive.
and with this in mind, I bring you the 2014 Children’s Television
Buckingham first day cover.
For this issue, and as they are based in Kent, they just had to work
with Smallfilms and to produce the Bagpuss (who is on one of the
stamps) official cover. Not a traditionally laid out cover because the
stamps are in the centre, with Bagpuss and the mice all around the
border. Am I brave enough to say this is in a Mulready style!
The cover has a Blean (which is near Canterbury) special
postmark, which is where the series was filmed in Peter Firmin’s barn
in the village. The eagled eyed may have noticed that the cover is

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 59 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

back of the book
FIRST DAY COVERS

Queen Mary cover

The year 1936 was a big year, not only was there a new king but
also a new set of stamps was issued with first day covers being sent
all over the world using the newest and quickest means, writes Brian
Austin.
Which brings us to this cover where Uncle Alfred in London (we
know this because the note is still inside) sends the new stamps to
his niece Sarah in New York. This plain first day cover has the first
set of King Edward VIII definitives issued on 1 September 1936 and
was cancelled with an oval Lombard Street CDS postmark, which up
to 36 years before had still been the Post Office headquarters.
Two lovely backstamps on the
back tell us the cover arrived in
New York on 8 September, just a
week after being posted in London.
What drew me to this cover is internet research, I found the
that typed on the top is a note that Queen Mary left Southampton on 2
it was carried on the Queen Mary, September, travelling to New York
who on her maiden voyage (in May via Cherbourg with 698 passengers
on board, plus a first day cover for
Miss Sarah Altman from her uncle
in London.
Finally, I found Beaver Street
in New York using Streetview,
and today, no. 60 looks like an
that year) crossed upmarket Barber shop in the financial district and could possibly
from Southampton be in the same building. This led me down another internet ‘rabbit
to New York in just hole’, trying to prove Sarah’s family was connected with the Altman
five days. Department Store in the city, but I think that may have to be left to
So, after a little someone else.

CINDERELLAS

When a CEO replaced would have preferred

Queen Victoria a portrait of Queen

Victoria.
Great Britain has released numerous telegraph stamps but only one Raynsford Jackson
set of five telephone stamps, writes Christer Brunström. They were was the proprietor of a
issued by the National Telephone Company Ltd in 1884. cotton mill who took
The stamps were introduced for accounting purposes and basically a very strong interest
only intended for members of the general public who needed to in the development of
pay for individual calls. They were not required by those who were telecommunications in
subscribers to the service. Non-subscribers thus had to attach stamps the country, becoming
corresponding to the cost of their call to the invoice (which was then the chairman of the
retained by the company). The stamps were discontinued in 1891. National Telephone
Five different values were printed: 1d, 3d, 4d, 6d and 1s. There are Company in 1881.
two very distinctive shades of the 6d value – myrtle green and olive Once the telephone
green. There must have been several printings of these stamps, which stamps were
were produced in small sheets of 12 by Maclure, MacDonald & Co. discontinued in 1891, the remainders must have been sold off to
in Glasgow. the trade. The telephone stamps were once frequently met with,
Many contemporary people were outraged by the fact that the but they are not that common today. Complete sheets of most of
stamps show the likeness of Colonel Robert Raynsford Jackson the values still turn up from time to time, with the 6d value being
(1823–98), who was the chairman of the company. They obviously particularly rare.

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 60 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

7        Q 
      
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DOCUMENTING COVERS FOUND BENEATH THE CLOTHES
IN A SUITCASE

Behind the Scenes at the Royal Mint

Museum
DISCOVER THE NUMISMATIC TREASURES IN THE ROYAL
MINT’S TOOLING STORE

Coins Through the Centuries

EXPLORING THE CHARM OF VISIGOTHIC CURRENCY OF
THE 6TH CENTURY

AVAILABLE IN ALL GOOD NEWSAGENTS OR DIRECT FROM https://ccgb.mymagazinesub.co.uk/

Stamp Collector — January 2025 | 64 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

Selling your stamp collection?
Warwick and Warwick have an expanding requirement for world collections, single country collections, single items, covers,
proof material and specialised collections. Our customer base is increasing dramatically and we need an ever-larger supply
of quality material to keep pace with demand. The market is currently very strong for G.B. and British Commonwealth and
the Far East. If you are considering the sale of your collection, now is the time to act.

FREE VALUATIONS
We will provide a free, professional valuation of your collection,
without obligation on your part to proceed. Either we will make
you a fair, binding private treaty offer, or we will recommend
inclusion of your property in our next public auction.

FREE TRANSPORTATION
We can arrange insured transportation of your collection to our
Warwick offices completely free of charge. If you decline our offer,
we ask you to cover the return carriage costs only.

FREE VISITS
Visits by our valuers are possible anywhere in the country or
abroad, in order to assess more valuable collections.
Please phone for details.

ADVISORY DAYS
We have an ongoing programme of advisory days, in all regions of
the United Kingdom, where you can meet us and discuss the sale
of your collection. Visit our website for further details.

EXCELLENT PRICES
Because of the strength of our customer base we are in
a position to offer prices that we feel sure will exceed
your expectations.

ACT NOW
Telephone or email Dulcie Marlow today
with details of your property.

Warwick & Warwick Ltd., Chalon House, Scar Bank,

Millers Road, Warwick CV34 5DB England
Auctioneers and Valuers Tel: (01926) 499031 • Fax: (01926) 491906
www.warwickandwarwick.com Email: IZQHNJRFWQT\@warwickandwarwick.com

Get the experts on your side! /warwickauctions @warwickauctions

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your DRR card fault perforations are pro-
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GETTING STARTED: You’ll need to register for us to collections – ‘RARE PERF’... but 9 out of 10 x it simply
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to Collectors – then you have to register to the QR code.
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live (Russia/Belarus excluded) we will mail/airmail your DPR card your mobile
(conveniently credit card sized) which will fit in your wallet – so smart phone
that when you go to stamp shows, seamlessly your card comes to get started
with you. Without your DPR card your web-app enabled
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heavily subsidised)

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on your mobile phone and for your initial £1 registration fee you
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 LATEST NEWS • AUCTION RESULTS • NEW COINS

ISSUE 33 RARE CARSON

JANUARY 2025 CITY DOUBLE
www.collectors-club-of-
great-britain.co.uk EAGLE SOLD

THE LAST KINGS OF

ANGLO-SAXON
ENGLAND

EXPERT GUIDE
WHY CHRISTMAS
COINS MAY BE
OLDER THAN
YOU THINK
TRACING THE HOW TO COLLECT
BIRTH OF THE QUALITY COINS ON
ROMAN EMPIRE A BUDGET
contents

www.collectors-club-of-
great-britain.co.uk 5 16
Published by Warners Group
Publications plc, West Street, Bourne,
Lincs PE10 9PH

PUBLISHING
Publisher: Claire Ingram
claire.ingram@warnersgroup.co.uk

EDITORIAL
Editor: Alison Boyd
Design: Mike Carr
5 COIN UPDATE
Latest headlines, Anarevito gold stater
sold, talks for Michael Dolley announced
16 ANGLO-SAXON KINGDOMS:
LATE ANGLO-SAXON KINGS
As we reach the Battle of Hastings in
Contributors:
Michael Burzan, Jeff Garrett, Paula and BNS North Book Prize awarded. 1066, John Philpotts of Silbury Coins
Hammond, Adrian Marsden, John
Philpotts, Robin Thomas, Sebastian
completes the story of the Anglo-Saxon
Wieschowski.

ADVERTISING
Kristina Green,
8 AUCTION UPDATE
The latest coin sales from around the
kingdoms of England.

Advertising Manager
Tel: 01778 392096
kristina.green@warnersgroup.co.uk
world, both online and in the auction
houses. Plus, recent internet sales via
delcampe.net
20 A-Z OF COINS
Now that she has reached the letter ‘Q’,
Paula Hammond considers the aspect of
Advertising Production: Kay Cotterill
Tel: 01778 395065 quality in coin collecting.
k.cotterill@warnersgroup.co.uk

MARKETING
Marketing Manager: Sophie Thornton
Tel: 01778 395085
sophie.thornton@warnersgroup.co.uk

Marketing Assistant: Rebecca Abbott

Tel: 01778 395081
rebecca.abbott@warnersgroup.co.uk
8
PRINTED BY
Warners (Midlands) plc, The Maltings,
Manor Lane, Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH

DISTRIBUTION BY
Nikki Munton,
12 VIEW FROM EUROPE
Sebastian Wieschowski discusses the
impact of €2 coins on numismatics.
nikkim@warnersgroup.co.uk
Tel: 01778 391171
Warners Group Publications plc
West Street, Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH

Disclaimer
13 VIEW FROM THE USA
Following the US election, Jeff Garrett
shares his views on the effect of the
The views expressed by contributors are not
necessarily those of the publisher. Every care is
taken to ensure that the contents of the magazine
result on numismatics.
are accurate, but the publisher assumes no
responsibility for errors. While reasonable care
is taken when accepting advertisements, the
publisher cannot accept responsibility for any
resulting unsatisfactory transactions, but will
immediately investigate any written complaints.
14 TREASURE HUNT
As Michael Burzan reveals, the tradition
of minting special coins at Christmas
Copyright may be older than you think.
No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system or transmitted
without the prior written permission of the
publisher.

© WARNERS GROUP
PUBLICATIONS PLC 2024

14 22

Coin Collector — January 2025 | 2 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

22 FROM REPUBLIC TO EMPIRE
Using a coin hoard unearthed in 2024, Welcome to
Adrian Marsden traces the end of the
Roman Republic and the birth of the Coin Collector
A
Roman Empire. s we reach December, it is the ideal
time to look back over the past year.
26 FOCUS ON MEDALS
Advances in research resources have
enabled Dr Robin Thomas to uncover
For Coin Collector, the big news in
2024 was its integration into Stamp Collector
the history of some India General Service magazine. This move means collectors can
Medals purchased many years ago. share insights and explore new areas together.
Over the past year, I have really enjoyed
28 NEW COINS
New releases, including Operation
Neptune, Six Decades of 007 and ‘The
the many different contributions to the magazine, which have ranged
from serpents on ancient coins, to 17th-century tokens and how modern
Hare and the Tortoise’. coins are designed and produced.
Beyond the magazine, several numismatic world records have been set
at auction in the past year, including a 1663 Petition Crown of Charles
II from the Cope collection, which became the most expensive British
silver coin sold at auction. Meanwhile, in the USA, a New England silver
threepence of 1652 achieved the world record price for an American coin
struck before the American Revolution.
28 Among the new coins released in 2024 was the first £1 to feature the
effigy of HM King Charles III. In other new coin news this year, the
50p released at the end of 2023 was declared the rarest in circulation,
replacing the Kew Gardens 50p in the top spot.
Among the key numismatic news of 2024 was the acquisition of the
Chew Valley Hoard for the nation. It is currently on display in the British
Museum and will remain there until May, after which it will be displayed
at museums across the UK before finding a permanent home at the
Museum of Somerset.
I do hope that you have enjoyed the past year as much as I have.
From everyone at Coin Collector, I would like to wish you a very happy
Christmas.

Alison Boyd, Editor

Keep in touch. Share your views, coins and thoughts with us:
alison.boyd@warnersgroup.co.uk

COIN COLLECTOR EDITORIAL BOARD

Jonathan Callaway is a Richard Kelleher Senior Ema Šikić Archaeologist,
Director of the International Curator, Medieval and art historian, coin specialist at
Bank Note Society Modern Money, Fitzwilliam Baldwin’s, London
Museum, Cambridge
Lawrence Chard Founder Gareth Williams Curator of
and Expert Numismatist, Jonathan Mann Numismatist Early Medieval Coins and
Speciality Sovereigns and coin expert, British Viking Collections at the
coinage specialist British Museum
Jeff Garrett US coin dealer
and board member of the Rory Naismith Professor of
Smithsonian Museum of Early Medieval English History,
American History University of Cambridge

Coin Collector — January 2025 | 3 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

 SELL YOUR GOLD AND SILVER

Baldwin’s Bullion can assist you with the sale of your Gold or Silver coins.
We offer competitive prices and will accommodate all sales, from one coin to
large collections.
You are welcome to visit our central London location, 399 Strand, Monday
through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
We can also accommodate those unable to visit us in person, helping with
postage or for larger sales we can organise collection.

Andrew Kennedy - akennedy@baldwinsbullion.com - 020 7557 4416

Are you in search of a trusted partner to guide you through the world of buying and
selling gold & silver bullion?
Ask a trusted numismatic dealer, we’ve been doing it since 1872
For more information call 020 7930 6879 or email info@baldwinsbullion.com
www.baldwinsbullion.com | 399 Strand, London WC2R 0LX

Baldwins_Bullion /BaldwinsBullion
c in update T H E L ATE ST CO I N N E WS F R O M
A R O U N D T H E WO R LD

Crimestoppers appeal
The charity Crimestoppers has missing coins will be reunited
launched an appeal over the with the rest of the collection if
unsolved theft of one of the most the appeal is successful.
important collections of early Crimestoppers is offering a
ABOVE: Coins from the Lord Stewartby
Scottish coins. reward of up to £50,000 for
Collection held by The Hunterian
More than 1,000 coins from information given anonymously
the 12th and 13th centuries to the charity that leads to the RIGHT: Launch of the appeal
were stolen from the home of conviction of those responsible for
Lord and Lady Stewartby in this heritage crime. The charity and the coins might be oddly
Broughton, near Peebles, in June has put up its maximum amount shaped, perhaps even cut in half or
2007. They cover the earliest of £20,000, with an anonymous quarters. You could fit 1,000 into a
period of Scottish coinage, from donor boosting the total reward to plastic takeaway container, so they Stewartby never got to see resolved
the reign of David I (r.1124–53) £50,000. The reward is available don’t take up a lot of space. They before he died. My plea to whoever
to Alexander III (r.1249–86). The for three months and is due to may look unremarkable, but these has these coins is to contact
collection was started by Lord expire on 27 February 2025. coins are the earliest symbols of Crimestoppers and return them to
Stewartby when he was a child. Jesper Ericsson, curator of Scotland’s monetary independence. where they belong. Give Scotland
Lord Stewartby, the renowned numismatics at The Hunterian, They are of truly significant back its coins.’
numismatist, has since died. University of Glasgow, said: national importance. Their safe You can call Crimestoppers
His collection of Scottish coins ‘These medieval coins are smaller return will not only benefit anonymously on 0800 555
was entrusted to The Hunterian than a modern penny. Portraits generations of scholars, researchers, 111 or you can complete an
at the University of Glasgow of kings and inscriptions may be students and visitors to come, but anonymous online form at
in 2017. It is hoped that the worn down to almost nothing will also right a wrong that Lord Crimestoppers-uk.org

Coins of the Cantiaci command high prices

Rare ancient British we know by name. It is only the second gold stater of Anarevito
coins from Kent recorded. The first was found in 2010, and this example is now in
proved popular in the British Museum. However, the new discovery is unique, struck
Chris Rudd’s final from different dies, with a slightly different inscription. It confirms
all-Celtic sale of 2024 beyond all doubt that the ruler’s name was Anarevito and not
held in Norwich on Avarevito.
17 November. The place of discovery of this second gold stater of Anarevito
A magnificent Anarevito was only a mile or so from the first and only seven miles from
gold stater, only the second example known and the only one Folkestone, which in the late Iron Age was the most convenient port
available to private collectors, realised £20,000, an impressive result in Britain for crossing to France (ancient Gaul).
and one of the highest prices for an ancient British coin. Its location, plus the fact most of the other gold and silver coins
The coin was found near Dover, Kent, on 4 March 2024 by metal now attributed to Anarevito have also come from east Kent, has
detectorist John White. He unearthed an extremely scarce gold stater led Chris Rudd to believe that Anarevito, possibly based at or near
of Anarevito, who was probably king of east Kent 2,000 years ago. Folkestone, was perhaps best placed to export slaves from Britain and
He may also have been one of the first British slave traders that to import wine from Gaul.

19th-century Japanese coin found in Poland

A coin now on display at the due to its unusual shape and late stage of its production,
Museum of the History of size. Produced in Japan during coinciding with the end of
the Kamień Region in Poland the Edo period (1603–1868), the Tokugawa shiogunate and
originated in Japan, which is far mainly in the second half of the the beginning of the Meiji era
from its place of discovery. It dates 19th century, 100-mon coins reforms.
from between 1835 and 1870 and are recognisable due to their The appearance of a Japanese
has a denomination of 100 mon. characteristic rectangular shape, coin in West Pomerania raises
This unique artifact was opening inside and specific many questions. It could have
discovered a few centimetres inscriptions. They were made of been a part of a collection
deep in the soil by Albert copper or bronze and were widely brought by a European buyer,
Murzynowski, a resident of used in trade, both domestic and traveller or sailor. In the 19th thanks to the Dutch East India
Rewal, in a field near Kamien international. century, trade and relations Company and the development
Pomorskieg in Western The coin discovered dates between Europe and Japan, of global trade since Japan
Pomerania. He noticed the coin to 1835–70, indicating the though limited, were possible opened to the world in 1854.

Coin Collector — January 2025 | 5 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

c in update T H E L ATE ST CO I N N E WS F R O M
A R O U N D T H E WO R LD

World record set

A newly discovered Massachusetts silver threepence, struck in 2016 and belied
Boston in 1652, sold for $2,520,000 (including fees) in the identification for
November showcase auction conducted by Stack’s Bowers Galleries several years before
on 18 November. This price surpassed the previous world record the owner decided
price of $646,250 for an American coin struck before the American to thoroughly
Revolution. The threepence also set a record for any non-gold US research his find. The
An 1850 Baldwin & Co. $10 ‘Horseman’
coin struck before the founding of the United States Mint. 1.1g coin is thought
realised $1,260,000 in November
Struck within weeks of the establishment of the first mint to be to have come from the
opened in the future United States, the New England threepence is Quincy family of Boston, a political dynasty that included Abigail
the only example known outside of a museum. A holed specimen Adams, whose husband John was ambassador to the Netherlands in
has been in the collection of the Massachusetts Historical Society the 1770s and 1780s.
for 120 years. Since that time, no individual collector has had the The next day, in the Stack’s Bowers rarities night on 19
opportunity to own an example. In the auction, several collectors November, an 1850 Baldwin & Co. $10 ‘Horseman’ realised
pursued this once-in-several-lifetimes opportunity in a 12-minute $1,260,000, more than three times the previous record of
bidding battle. $381,875 for this type of coin, which was set in August 2014.
Of the simple New With a face value of $10, the coin was struck by the banking
England coins of firm of Baldwin & Co. in San Francisco during the height of the
1652 struck in the California Gold Rush. The coin’s inscriptions ‘CALIFORNIA
Boston mint, the GOLD’ and ‘TEN DOLLARS’ surround a detailed image of a
threepence is by cowboy on horseback with his lasso aloft and ready to throw.
far the rarest. This Following the abundance of gold found in California’s gold fields
piece, featuring in 1849 and 1850, private companies like Baldwin & Co. bought
just a tiny ‘NE’ gold from miners and created private gold coins that circulated
for New England, was alongside regular United States coins, as well as coins brought
A New England threepence sold for discovered in an old cabinet by new arrivals from countries around the world. Just 20 or so
$2,520,000 at Stack’s Bowers in Amsterdam around Baldwin & Co. Horseman $10 gold are thought to exist

Talks for Coins of England and the United

Michael Kingdom published
Dolley The 2024 edition of the Queen Elizabeth II, arranged such as the Great Engravers,
To celebrate the 100th anniversary Standard Catalogue of English in chronological order and Queen’s Beasts and City Views
of the birth of Michael Dolley Coins, otherwise known as the divided, within each reign, into ranges, giving a full and accurate
(1925–83), one of the foremost Coins of England and the United metals, coinages, denominations display of modern British
scholars of Anglo-Saxon, Irish Kingdom, is now offered to the and varieties. Over 3,000 price coinage.
and Manx coins, the Numismatic numismatic market. This is changes were made in the The pre-decimal volume costs
Society of Ireland (Northern the first edition released since latest edition to reflect market £35, the decimal £25, but if you
Branch) and National Museums Sovereign Rarities became movement across the past year. order both, Sovereign Rarities
NI is hosting an afternoon of free the custodians of this historic The decimal volume are offering a discount to £50
talks at the Ulster Museum in reference work for British coins. comprises the entirety of the for the pair.
Belfast on 5 April. Consisting of separate pre- decimal coinage
During the afternoon, the talks decimal and decimal volumes, minted by the
will cover: ‘Making Waves – Dolley these are not only the go-to Royal Mint during
and the Vikings in Dublin, Belfast guide for collectors and the reign of
and Man’ (Dr Kristin Bornholdt detectorists alike, but provide Queen Elizabeth
Collins); ‘Personal Recollections insight into British history II since 1971, and
– Standing on the Shoulders of itself, shedding light upon subsequently the
a Giant’ (Dr John Rainey); and culture, religion, politics and coinage of King
‘From Sihtric to Sarsfield: Some technological development. Charles III. Sets
Aspects of Irish Numismatics, in The pre-decimal volume is and commemorative
Memory of Michael Dolley’ (Oisín the only catalogue featuring all issues are also
Mac Conamhna). major coin types from Celtic included, as well as
Contact nsinbsec@gmail.com and Roman Britain through coins from exclusive
for more details. to the pre-decimal coinage of Royal Mint series,

Coin Collector — January 2025 | 6 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

Excellence in NEWS IN BRIEF
Currency awards To encourage the revival of stir-
up Sunday. The Royal Mint has
The Royal Canadian Mint won two Excellence in launched a silver sixpence made
Currency awards at the International Association of from recovered x-ray silver. Stir-up
Currency Affairs’ (IACA) 2024 Coin Conference in Sunday, the last Sunday before
Lisbon, Portugal. advent, dates to Victorian times,
Alongside the Central Bank of The Bahamas, process for the manufacture of bronze-plated when family members would take
the mint was presented with the best new circulation coins earned the best new coin product, turns to stir the Christmas pudding
commemorative or test circulating coin award for a process or manufacturing innovation award. and make a wish, with a lucky
world-first circulation coin featuring high-resolution The Royal Canadian Mint has previously won sixpence added to the mixture.
colour on both the obverse and reverse of a coin several awards, including the best new circulating coin Whoever found the sixpence in
marking the Central Bank’s 50th anniversary. or coin series for its bi-metallic $2 circulation coin in their pudding on Christmas Day
Additionally, the mint’s new electroplating honour of the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2023. would enjoy wealth and good luck
in the year to come. A limited run
of 100 pieces was available for
BNS North Book Prize Plans to Christmas 2024, with all sixpence

awarded rename
stock using this uniquely reclaimed
precious metal from 2025.
Every two years, the council of the British
Numismatic Society (BNS) awards a prize for coins An exhibition entitled ‘Impressed
the best book published in the field of British The National Bank of Ukraine in Gold. The Image of the
numismatics. This year, the prize went to has announced plans to rename Gonzagas in the Coins and
Professor Rory Naismith for his book Making Ukrainian coins from kopiika Medals of the Collection of Banca
Money in the Early Middle Ages (Princeton to shah. NBU Governor Andriy Monte dei Paschi di Siena’ is now
University Press, 2023). This book provides Pyshnyy said that the word open at the Palazzo Ducale of
a new analytic framework for understanding kopiika had its roots in the Mantua in Italy. The exhibition
the production and use of coinage over 500 Muscovite imperial tradition is the result of the free loan of
years of change and development. The prize and this move was a ‘bid to the bank’s collection of ancient
was presented to Professor Naismith on 25 represent history fairly, promote coins and medals of Mantua
November at the BNS’s final meeting of 2024. de-Russification and revive and the Gonzaga family to the
Next year, the society is looking forward Ukraine’s cash circulation museum. Among the items on
to another full and varied programme of lectures. They normally traditions’. display are the Dodici Doppie of
meet on Mondays at 6.15pm at the Society of Antiquaries in A unique Ukrainian word, 1614 by Ferdinando Gonzaga – a
London. The talks are livestreamed via Zoom for those who shah dates to the 16th and 17th unique gold coin weighing almost
cannot attend meetings in person. In the meantime, see their centuries and refers to small- a hectogram. The complete
website (www.britnumsoc.org) for recordings of past talks. denomination coins. Until collection includes 2,184 pieces
The programme next year begins on 27 January with ‘The the Ukrainian Revolution of ranging from the 12th to the 18th
Coinage of Henry II’ by Dr Martin Allen. This is followed on 1917–21, small coins called shah century. Entry to the exhibition
24 February with ‘The Irish Coinages of Edward IV: Towards circulated in Ukraine. is included as part of the ticket
a Systematic Classification and Chronology’ by Dr Oisín Mac Several legislative changes will entry to the Palazzo Ducale.
Conamhna. For a full listing of talks, please see the BNS website be needed before the change can
(www.britnumsoc.org). take place. Following the announcement that
the mint of Finland was to close,
the Helsinki Mint will be the new
FORTHCOMING EVENTS producer of Finland’s coins. The
10 December – Noonans 11 December – Warwick & Warwick 19 January – Chris Rudd
new brand name, an initiative
16–17 Bolton Street, Mayfair, London W1J 8BQ Chalon House, Scar Bank, Millers Road, PO Box 1500, Norwich NR10 5WS from the Royal Dutch Mint, will
www.noonans.co.uk Warwick CV34 5DB celticcoins.com take responsibility for minting
www.warwickandwarwick.com Finland’s official circulation
11 December – St James’s 17–21 February – Christoph Gärtner coins, starting from the spring of
10 Charles II Street, St James’s, London 15–17 December – Heritage Steinbeisstraße 6+8, 74321 Bietigheim- 2025. Helsinki Mint will also issue
SW1Y 4AA 2801 West Airport Freeway, Dallas, TX 75261 Bissingen, Germany several commemorative coins
stjauctions.com www.ha.com www.auktionen-gaertner.de in the coming year, to celebrate
national events, anniversaries and
11 December – SGB 15 January – St James’s 18–19 February – Noonans
achievements. To register for the
399 Strand, London WC2R 0LX 10 Charles II Street, St James’s, London 16–17 Bolton Street, Mayfair, London W1J 8BQ
mint’s newsletter, please go to the
sgbaldwins.com SW1Y 4AA www.noonans.co.uk
stjauctions.com
website (www.helsinkimint.com).

Coin Collector — January 2025 | 7 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

aucti n update T H E L ATE ST CO I N SA LE S FRO M
A R O U N D T H E WO R LD

Moton & Eden held a coins,

medals and banknotes sale on The Tennants coin and
20–21 November. One of the banknotes auction on
highlights was a gold unite 20 November included a
dating from 1651, during the Charles II 2-guinea coin (lot
time of the Commonwealth 188). Dating from 1664, the
(lot 157). With a value of 20 coin featured the first bust of
shillings, the coin’s obverse had a shield within a wreath bearing St the king, which was by John coin a one-year type. The reverse
George’s cross, representing England, with a sun mintmark at the top. Roettier, with an elephant below. featured crowned cruciform
The legend ‘THE·COMMONWEALTH·OF·ENGLAND’ was in The elephant motif signified shields around interlinked
English because Latin was thought to be royalist. The reverse had two that the gold was brought from ‘C’s, with sceptres bearing
shields, one bearing St George’s cross, the other bearing the Irish harp, Guinea by the Royal African the national emblems in the
with the denomination indicated as ‘XX’ for 20 shillings. The date of Company. It also indicated angles. There was a divided
1651 was at the top. From an estimate of £10,000–£15,000, the coin that the coin was struck from date above. From an estimate of
made £42,000. a lighter weight standard than £1,800–£2,200, it went under
SOLD FOR £42,000 the standard issue. This only the hammer for £2,500.
occurred in 1664, making this SOLD FOR £2,500
to Francis, the dauphin of
France, who was 15. He
became king of France in Lot 31 in the Tennants coin
September 1559 but died and banknotes auction on
in December 1560. Mary 20 November was an angel
then returned to Scotland from the first coinage of
in August 1561. The obverse Henry VIII (1509–26). The
Another highlight showed a bust of Mary, facing gold coin featured Archangel
from the Morton & Eden left, wearing a French bonnet Saint Michael slaying the dragon
auction on 20–21 November and a high-necked dress. The on the obverse, with the Latin inscription translating as ‘Henry the
was a testoon from the reign date was below in a tablet. Eighth by the Grace of God King of England and France’. On the
of Mary, Queen of Scotland On the reverse, there was the reverse, there was a galley with the monogram ‘H’ and a rose set
(lot 204). This 1561 coin crowned arms of France and below the main topmast, and the ship was surmounted by a shield
was from the third period of Scotland, with four pellets bearing the king’s arms. The inscription, with saltire stops, translated
her coinage and was issued on the fillet of the crown. as ‘By Thy Cross save us Christ our Redeemer’. There was a portcullis
during her first widowhood The crowned ‘M’ at each side mintmark on both sides of the coin. Well struck, this coin achieved
(1560–65). Mary became the indicated that she was the £2,100, which was at the top end of its £1,800–£2,200 estimate.
queen of Scotland when she queen of both Scotland and SOLD FOR £2,100
was only six days old and had France. Described as one of
been largely brought up in the finest-known examples, it commercial
France. Her first marriage in sold for £30,000. transactions during
1558, at the age of 16, was SOLD FOR £30,000 the reign of
Emperor Peter the
Great. Peter led a
Nomos held a sale cultural revolution
of Greek, Roman, inspired by the
Byzantine, Enlightenment that
Islamic and In the Baldwin’s auction of replaced some of the medieval
world coins ancient, British and world social and political systems
that included coins, and medals on 21 with ones that were modern,
the Robert October, a gold ducat of Peter scientific and westernised. The
Hoge Roman the Great from 1716 prompted ducats of 1716 boast a few
collection on 10 a fierce bidding competition different types of portraits,
November. An interesting item in the auction was an 80 drachmai, (lot 502). This rarity of Russian with clear differences in the
or diobol, struck in Alexandria, Egypt, 30–28 BC (lot 756). This Imperial coinage had never emperor’s cuirass and cloak.
bronze coin featured the bare head of Octavian (40–27 BC) facing to been sold before on the market Out of the various types struck
the right on the obverse, while there was an eagle with closed wings and this was its first appearance in 1716, the Bitkin 57 type
standing to the left on a thunderbolt on the reverse. Interestingly, in in auction. It was a rare type gold ducat is one of the rarest,
the left field of the coin, a double cornucopia was visible – indicating referenced as Bitkin 57, and which is amplified by its clear
the coin was overstruck on an earlier issue with a double cornucopia. it was graded by NGC as XF portrait of Peter the Great. A
The ornamented tips of the cornucopia were visible behind the eagle. 40. These gold ducats were winning bid of £105,000 was
It had a hammer price of CHF1,500. produced for international achieved.
SOLD FOR £1,338 financial operations and SOLD FOR £105,000

Coin Collector — January 2025 | 8 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

 P R I C E S E XC LU D E B U Y E R ’ S P R E M I U M U N L E S S OT H E R W I S E S TAT E D

On 19 November, Sovereign Defender of the Faith). Although

Rarities held a sale of ancient, 1954 was the first year where
British and world coins and the ‘BRITT: OMN’ part of the
commemorative medals, which legend was omitted, no pennies
included the Bernard Workman were actually issued as currency.
collection of rare pennies. A key Dies had been prepared and a
item from the sale was a bronze few trial strikes produced, but
penny of 1954 from the reign of as no pennies were required for
Queen Elizabeth II (1952–2022) circulation, the dies and the
(lot 187). Featuring the laureated trial strikes were subsequently is only the second time in its The sea in the background
head of the queen facing to the destroyed. It is believed this coin 70-year history that the coin has featured a lighthouse on the left
right on the obverse, the Latin is the sole survivor from those been publicly auctioned. The horizon. The denomination was
legend was ‘+ELIZABETH. few test strikes and was retrieved reverse showed a draped and of ‘ONE PENNY’ and the date
II. DEI. GRATIA. REGINA. from circulation in the mid- seated Britannia with shield and was in exergue. This unique coin
F: D:’ (‘Elizabeth the Second, 1950s and sold to Spink & Son. trident wearing a plumed helmet sold for £110,000.
by the Grace of God, Queen, This recent auction appearance and facing to the right on rocks. SOLD FOR £110,000

In the sale of coins and The Stack’s Bowers

historical medals at Noonans showcase auction
on 19 November, the highest of rarities on
selling item was an extremely 19 November
rare 1813 Holey Dollar from included an
New South Wales in Australia (lot 316). On an 8 reales (1801–3) 1870 Double
of Charles IV of Mexico, the obverse was countermarked Eagle from the
‘NEW SOUTH WALES’, while the reverse was marked ‘FIVE legendary Carson
SHILLINGS 1813’. Described as in mediocre condition, with City mint (lot 3198).
the countermarks legible but poor, it surpassed its £6,000–£8,000 It was offered as the finest frontier mint. Since there was
estimate to reach £13,000. PCGS-certified example of an no contemporary numismatic
SOLD FOR £13,000 extraordinarily rare Double interest, the issue entered
Eagle, with a grade of AU55. commercial use and suffered the
A spotlight sale of patterns, proofs, the erection of the Oberwittelsbach The double eagle was the expected high rate of attrition.
essays and piedforts was held by Monument, built in a neo-Gothic fourth denomination produced The 1870-CC is not only the
Heritage on 29 October. One style on the site of a former castle. by the fledgling Carson City rarest Carson City Mint Double
of the highlights was a specimen It achieved $2,200. Mint in 1870, following Eagle but also one of the rarest
‘Monument’ thaler of 1834 from SOLD FOR £1,757 silver dollars, Eagles and Half in the entire Liberty Head series,
the reign of Ludwig I in Bavaria Eagles. The year’s mintage was with estimates suggesting only
(lot 22149). Struck in copper at just 3,789 pieces, which was around 35 to 65 coins survive,
the Munich mint, this example the lowest yearly production with none known in mint state.
was an off-metal strike of the figure among the 19 Double This example made $1,440,000.
commemorative taler celebrating Eagle issues attributed to this SOLD FOR £1,150,362

Another highlight from the Sovereign Rarities sale of ancient, Heritage held a showcase
British and world coins and commemorative medals on 19 auction of German
November was a silver penny (type I profile) from the reign states on 10 November.
of William I (1066–87) (lot 22). Stuck at the Hastings mint The auction included
(c.1066–68), which was a rare mint town for the type, by the a gold ducat from the
moneyer Dunninc, it featured a crowned bust to the left with reign of Johann Georg
sceptre, which extended to the bottom of the coin. The legend, I (1591–1656) of the
‘PILLEMVS REX’ (‘William King’), commenced at the lower Electorate of Saxony (lot 25164). It was struck in 1630 for the
left with outer beaded circle surrounding both sides. The reverse centennial of the Augsburg Confession. This document was a
featured an annulet at the statement of Lutheran belief and was read to Charles V, the Holy
centre of a cross fleury, with Roman Emperor, on 25 June 1530. The obverse of the coin
‘DVNNIC ON ÆST’ featured a bust of Johann Georg I with elector’s hat and sword.
(‘Dunninc of Hastings’) The reverse had another portrait, this time wearing a cape and
around. This coin had a holding a sword. Described as being without the slight waviness
£4,700 hammer price. of some other examples, it went under the hammer for $6,250.
SOLD FOR £4,700 SOLD FOR £4,992

Coin Collector — January 2025 | 9 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

price watch YO U R Q U I CK R EFER EN CE G U I D E TO O N LI N E SA LE S ,
I N A SSO CIATI O N WITH D ELCAM PE . N E T

SOLD FOR £341 SOLD FOR £189

France, 1900 20 franc Marianne Paris gold coin, XF South Africa, 1892 5 shilling silver coin, VF

SOLD FOR £197 SOLD FOR £261

France, 1592 Henry IV Maringues ‘Douzain aux deux H’ billon USA, 1921, silver Peace Dollar, VF
coin, XF rare

SOLD FOR £189 SOLD FOR £134

Russia, 1777 5 kopeck Catherine II Siberia copper coin, VF China, 1999 10 yuan ‘Panda’ silver coin, small date, UNC

SOLD FOR £2,602 SOLD FOR £300

Belgian Congo, 1953 ‘SPECIMEN’ 500 franc ‘Banque Centrale du Denmark, 1970, 100 kroner, UNC banknote
Congo Belge et du Ruanda-Urundi’, UNC

BUY AND SELL ON DECAMPE, MORE THAN 80 MILLION COLLECTABLES

ARE WAITING FOR YOU!

Coin Collector — January 2025 | 10 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

Warwick and Warwick have an expanding requirement for coin and banknote collections,
British and worldwide and for coins and notes of individual value. Our customer base
is increasing dramatically and we need an ever larger supply of quality material
to keep pace with demand. The market has never been stronger and if you are
considering the sale of your collection, now is the time to act.

FREE VALUATIONS
We will provide a free, professional and without obligation valuation
of your collection. Either we will make you a fair, binding private
treaty offer, or we will recommend inclusion of your property
in our next specialist public auction.

FREE TRANSPORTATION
We can arrange insured transportation of your collection to
our Warwick offices completely free of charge. If you decline
our offer, we ask you to cover the return carriage costs only.

FREE VISITS
Visits by our valuers are possible anywhere in the country or
abroad, usually within 48 hours, in order to value larger collections.
Please telephone for details.

ADVISORY DAYS
We are staging a series of advisory days and we will be visiting all areas
of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland during the coming months.
Please visit our website or telephone for further details.

EXCELLENT PRICES
Because of the strength of our customer base
we are in a position to offer prices that we feel
sure will exceed your expectations.

ACT NOW
Telephone or email
Richard Beale today with
details of your property.

LIVE BIDDING
Available on www.easyliveauction.com
view from europe

A Stroke of Luck for

Sebastian Wieschowski discusses the impact of €2 coins on numismatics.
he woman on the bull. The markets were essentially in a lull. But with the or even thousands. The mintage figures are
stick figure. The mysterious euro’s launch in 2002, and then the first €2 simply far too low for the significantly larger
€S’ within the star. If we’re commemorative coins two years later, a Europe- number of dedicated euro collectors who seek
to believe the press, then by wide area of collecting emerged – sparking a proof coins as part of their collections.
tomorrow or the day after, numismatic renaissance for the general public. A distinct field of collecting has also
we could all become millionaires at the And it looks like the excitement won’t emerged around the various editions of the
supermarket checkout just by finding a rare wane for €2 collectors in the coming years. same coin design from certain countries.
€2 coin. Yet, most coin dealers in Germany This is reflected in the increasing size of coin Luxembourg leads in this regard, offering
are far from ‘amused’ by the euro craze – catalogues and price lists. New euro countries, relief coins, photo-embossed versions and
they’re practically inundated with phone calls particularly Croatia, are bringing collectors other special effects alongside the standard
about supposed rarities and minting errors. great joy with their intricately designed coins issue of its €2 coins in recent years. Some
I aimed to shed some light on this subject and limited editions. Other euro countries are collectors may criticise this as a cash grab, but
with a specialist book – but now I, too, have also surprising collectors – for instance, with the thrill of the hunt remains.
the pleasure of receiving such queries: ‘I read a €2 coins featuring officially approved colour Speaking of excitement: after years of
few weeks ago on the [sic] issuing €2 coins featuring
Google that there’s a scenes from German
€2 coin from 2002 history, Germany has
from Greece in now announced
circulation worth a second series,
€80,000’ a taxi alongside the
driver recently federal states
wrote to me. series, dedicated to
‘Curious, I checked significant figures
my wallet and found from the history of the
I had one of these €2 Federal Republic. There’s
coins. I don’t know where to 1 Three 2004 €2 coins. San Marino’s first issue eager anticipation as to which
go to pick up my cash for the coin.’ Another featured Bartolomeo Borghesi, who was a historian political heavyweights from decades past will
wrote: ‘I’ve come across some €2 coins while and numismatist soon appear in people’s change. It brings back
shopping – and my intuition tells me these memories of the Deutsche Mark era, when
euro coins are worth something.’ applications. Collectors have waited many notable figures from German history appeared
I can imagine that such enquiries might years for this. in supermarket checkout change.
indeed distract coin dealers from their core The market’s price trends in 2024 present a Looking back, the introduction of €2
business – but shouldn’t we be glad for mix of highs and lows. The top rarities from commemorative coins – despite the constant
the interest in numismatics? Wouldn’t our Monaco have mostly peaked, with prices for hype around minting errors – has been a stroke
philatelist friends be thrilled if strangers called collector favourites like the Grace Kelly coin of luck for numismatics. The collection area
them about supposedly rare stamps? or the fortress on the rock dipping slightly is as accessible as possible because it begins in
In 2024, this area of collecting celebrated its over the past year. However, a lasting reversal is one’s own wallet. And for those willing to climb
20th anniversary (Figure 1). And at coin fairs, unlikely, as new euro countries bring additional the collector’s ladder, treasures like the famous
the continuous crowds at stands offering the collectors into the market, and sooner or later, €2 coin showing Monaco’s Princess Grace Kelly
latest designs and many rarities from past years these treasures will become necessary for anyone and other gems await at the summit.
are clear evidence: €2 coins are here to stay. aiming for a complete collection.
By using the national side of €2 coins to In many other segments of the €2 market, Sebastian Wieschowski is
commemorate events, figures or achievements though, prices are surprisingly on the rise. a numismatic author with
of national or cross-border significance, the Particularly, €2 coins in the highest proof a focus on contemporary
European Commission made a landmark quality have become top rarities in several euro numismatics and bullion
decision for numismatics. Before the euro’s countries. For certain coins from Slovakia or coins (coinosseur.com).
introduction, many national collector Italy, collectors now pay in the high hundreds

Coin Collector — January 2025 | 12 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

view from the usa

American Election
and Numismatics
Following the US election, demonstrations, and the United States and 1 2024 Presidential Silver
the world can begin planning for business in a Medal for Grover
Jeff Garrett shares his views world with Donald Trump as president. Cleveland, who served
as president of the
on the effect of the result on The day after the election, the United States United States from
stock market surged to new highs on the 1885 to 1889 and
numismatics. hopes of a more regulatory friendly business from 1893 to 1897. He
s the world watched in environment. The crypto currency markets was the first president
in US history to serve
November, the American also surged for the same reasons and went up
nonconsecutive terms
election unfolded with more than 30% in one week. With interest
profound interest on both rates nudging lower, the stock market has many Chinese government has been reportedly buying
sides of the Atlantic. Even reasons to be optimistic about the near future. massive amounts of gold in the last year or so
though the contest was for the American The rare coin market will be impacted by all and selling dollars. This would lessen China’s
presidency, the results would have a political of the above macro-economic developments. financial ties to the US and protect the country
impact for citizens around the world. Below are some of the ways the rare coin market against pressure in the case of conflict. The same
Both sides were equally optimistic about may change based on the election results. can be said for several other major countries
their chances of winning. Democrats could not The surge in equity prices will create a very buying gold recently.
picture a world with Donald Trump serving positive ‘wealth effect’ for many collectors who One of Trumps favourite strategies for dealing
another term, and Republicans viewed a purchase rare coins. The rich keep getting with unfair trade deals (his opinion) will be the
Kamala Harris victory as a disaster waiting to richer, and this will undoubtably help boost use of trade tariffs. He has broadly touted the
happen. The battle lines had been drawn and prices for the top end of the market. As stock use of trade tariffs as a tool when dealing with
someone had to win and someone had to lose. prices continue to surge, there will also be some international trade. This could have an impact
With an electoral landside and a narrow investors who seek alternate investments. Like on the import of collectable coins from the
popular vote margin, Donald J Trump will be art, rare coins are an ideal alternate investment many world mints who consider the United
the next United States President (Figure 1). that can be enjoyed and appreciate in value. States one of their most important markets. I’m
The polls had predicted a much closer race, Even though gold and silver dropped sharply sure this will be a hot topic at the upcoming
and many are still in bewilderment with the after the election, neither US presidential World Money Fair in Berlin.
outcome. There had been a few interesting campaign addressed the massive United States In addition to the older age demographic of
clues earlier about who would win the White deficits and the national debt. Worries about the hobby, the majority (exact percentages can
House. In the last few weeks, the online these issues will continue to motivate buyers be debated) of American coin collectors were
betting world had Trump as the clear favorite. of precious metals as a way to protect their Trump supporters. They will undoubtedly be
In the future, election predictions may be wealth. With cutting Federal spending on encouraged by the results and will be optimistic
more accurate by following where people put anything being deeply unpopular, don’t look about spending more on their hobbies.
their money than by tracking polls. for this to change anytime soon. Regardless of whether you are happy or sad
The reasons for the outcome of the election The above-mentioned surge in crypto about the election results, the contest is over,
will be debated for years to come, and I will currency prices could inspire some investors and everyone can now move on. For several
leave it to the political analysts to dissect what to consider digital assets as a replacement for months, dealers around the world have related
happened. As mentioned above, the United gold and silver as a hedge against inflation. to me that their business was slower than
States and the world will be changed in very The crypto currency bulls are extremely excited usual, and they blamed the uncertainty of
significant ways by the election. The change about governments regulating their sector and the election as one of the reasons. The world
of leadership will have profound effects on the ensuing capitol that might come their has been very distracted by this election, and
many issues, including some that will impact way. The long-term impact of crypto currency hopefully, the rare coin business can now
numismatics. versus gold will be very interesting in the next resume its upward trajectory.
Because of the substantial margin of victory, few years. In general, investors in the general
the results of the election were not contested. age demographic that buy rare coins (65 and Leading US numismatist
This has been a huge relief for business leaders up) are solidly in favour of gold. Jeff Garrett is the founder
around the world. About two weeks before the The international demand for gold and silver of Mid-American Rare
election, I received an email solicitation from may accelerate under a Trump presidency. The Coin Galleries (jeff@
our insurance company offering ‘civil unrest’ Chinese government has been a favourite target rarecoingallery.com).
coverage. Thankfully, there were no major of Trump’s ire about unfair trade practices. The

Coin Collector
Coin— Collector
January 2025
- May |2024
13 ||www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk
13 | www.allaboutcoins.co.uk
treasure hunt

A Long Tradition
As Michael Burzan reveals, portrays the power of
Christianity over evil.
the tradition of minting special Even before the
coins at Christmas may be Christian tradition,
25 December had
older than you think. been a religious
holiday, when the
iving coins as presents for Romans celebrated
Christmas has become a the birth of Sol
popular tradition over the Invictus – the Sun god
past centuries. Collecting (Figure 2). In the year AD
coins related to Christmas ABOVE: 1 Roman follis from the last year of Emperor 380, Christianity became the state
may even start with Roman mintings from Constantine I, struck by the Constantinople mint in religion in the Roman Empire, and ‘Sol
AD 337 (CNG/Wildwinds)
almost 1,700 years ago. invictus’ was replaced by Jesus Christ.

BLESSED SAXON MOTHER

Coins that were minted especially for
Christmas celebrations have been issued in a
surprising variety in recent decades in many
countries all over the globe, in different
currencies, metal alloys and denominations.
But they have a long tradition. During
the rule of the Saxon elector Johann
Georg I (1615–56), his mother, Sophia of
Brandenburg, had issued ducats for Christmas
1616 honouring her son (Figure 3). These
ducats were called ‘Sophiendukaten’. Thus,
ABOVE: 2 Bronze Roman follis struck at the London
mint AD 312–13 with Constantine the Great on the
obverse and Sol Invictus on the reverse

Today, Christmas is celebrated all over

the world, not only by Christians. The first
documented Christmas festival was celebrated
in Rome in 336 when Emperor Constantine
the Great reigned over the Roman Empire.
Even though the origin of Christianity was
in the Holy Land, the faith quickly spread
with the apostles Peter and Paul, and Rome,
the old imperial capital, ultimately became
the centre of the early Christians. At the time
of Constantine the Great, only 10% of the
population were Christians, but the emperor ABOVE: 3 Example of a ‘Sophiendukaten’ struck by Sophia of Brandenburg in Christmas 1616 to honour her son
was benevolent towards them. And at the end
of his life on his deathbed, on 22 May 337, inscribed ‘CONSTANTI-NVS MAX AVG’, the godly mother expressed her joy about
he was the first emperor to be baptised. and the emperor’s laureated head is turned her pious and well-behaved children. On the
An ancient Roman follis with the portrait to the right. On the reverse, the legend reverse, the following motto has been used as
of Flavius Valerius Constantinus, later ‘SPES PVBLICA’ (Hope of the Public) runs legend: ‘WOL DEM DER FREUD AN SEIN
designated Emperor Constantine the Great, across the field, with three medallions on a KINDERN ERLEBT’ (Blessed are those who
honoured early Christianity. drapery, and it is crowned by a Christogram experience joy about their children).
An example of this Roman follis, struck PX spearing a serpent (‘CONS’ is in In the following year, the deeply touched
by the Constantinople mint in the last year exergue) (Figure 1). This famous reverse type and grateful elector issued a series of coins with
of Constantine I in AD 337 (2.97g), was represents the defeat of tyranny by the death different denominations for Christmas 1617.
offered by the Classical Numismatic Group of Licinius. Yet, the scene also has powerful Thus, he reciprocated the honour bestowed
(source Wildwinds). On the obverse, it is Christian imagery in that it allegorically upon him by his mother in manifold ways.

Coin Collector — January 2025 | 14 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

 used as precious gifts. Such an example was
offered by Rhenumis – a ‘Sophiendukat’ in
3.49g gold with the image from 1616 but
minted in the 19th century, which closed at
€440 in October 2024.
A rare, decoratively minted 1647
‘Christmas thaler’ from the diocese of
Münster under Ferdinand of Bavaria (1611–
ABOVE: 4 Coin issued by the Saxon elector, Johann Georg I, in 1617
50) depicted the birth and circumcision of

ABOVE: 5 ‘Sophiendukaten’ with a slightly modified legend – ‘KIND’ for child, ABOVE: 6 1647 ‘Christmas thaler’ from the diocese of Münster under Ferdinand of
instead of ‘KINDERN’ for children Bavaria

A selection of these Saxon coins in various type (Figure 4). Like King Salomon, Johann Christ (35.77g) (Figure 6). With a beautiful
denominations commemorating Christmas in Georg I also wanted to pay homage to his patina, it fetched €4,000 at the Teutoburg
Dresden (Germany) from this 1617 minting mother. Coin Auction in 2023.
(without mintmark) were offered by Solidus The ‘Sophiendukaten’ were also issued later A perforated Christmas ¾ thaler of
in its Premium Auction 50 covering Saxony. with a slightly modified legend (‘KIND’ for Ferdinand of Bavaria was priced at €375 at
The obverse represents King Salomon and child, instead of ‘KINDERN’ for children) a Dirk Löbbers sale. The traditional French
his mother, with praying hands and the name up to the 19th century as christening auction house Drouot included a larger 1¼
‘Jehova’ above on the reverse. presents (Figure 5). For Christmas, they were ‘Weihnachtstaler’ from 1647. With a weight
of 35.77g, it was in an excellent condition
and described as a great rarity.
WAG Online Auction presented a
Christmas thaler (ducaton of 1647 but
no year indication) from the Bishopric of
Münster showing the birth and circumcision
of Christ with a starting price of €2,500
(32.44g) (Figure 7). An excellent 1647
¾ thaler (without year) with nice patina
(21.51g) started at €1,500 (Figure 8).
Additionally, a gilded silver cast Christmas
medal from the Ore Mountains from
around 1546 depicting the Nativity and the
Adoration of the Magi fetched €1,400 at
Heidrun Höhn.
ABOVE: 7 Christmas thaler of 1647 (no year indication)
of Bishopric of Münster

RIGHT: 8 A Christmas 3/4 thaler without year (1647)

One of the obverse types shows the elector

in an antique appearing armour in front
of his mother. Another similarly executed
type represented in the auction shows King
Salomon in front of his mother, once he
had a throne provided for her to his right
side (1 Kings 2:19). ‘VT SALOMON SIC
EGO MATREM’ was the legend of this

Coin Collector — January 2025 | 15 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

anglo-saxon kingdoms part 2

Late Anglo-Saxon ABOVE: 1 The Bayeux Tapestry illustrates the coronation

of Harold Godwinson as the last Anglo-Saxon king of
England (Bayeux Museum)

As we reach the Battle of

Hastings in 1066, John Philpotts
of Silbury Coins completes
the story of the Anglo-Saxon
kingdoms of England.

ollowing the death of Harthacnut in London, problems began to quickly emerge. The
1042, the surviving descendants of Thanks largely to his continental upbringing, importance
Æthelred II returned to rule. After Edward favoured members of his entourage Edward attached to the idea of symbolic
nearly 20 years of continental exile, who came from that region – for example, kingly regalia and fulfilling the full image of
Edward, son of Æthelred, was now Robert Abbot of Jumiéges, who was appointed a monarch is clearly visible in two types of
king. For the first time in almost 20 years, it to the archbishopric of London. This use of penny he issued. Firstly, the ‘sovereign/eagles’
was an English-descended monarch who ruled ‘foreign’ aides and advisors caused resentment type – the only one of his types issued that
over England, replacing the Danish dynasty for throughout Edward’s reign. shows a full body portrait (Figure 2). On these
good. This situation remained until the Norman Continental influence is perhaps best coins, he appears sat on a throne, crowned,
invasion of 1066 (Figure 1). exemplified by Edward’s great building project, holding orb and sceptre. By contrast, on his
Westminster Abbey, which was erected in the last type – the ‘pyramids’ issue of 1064–66,
EDWARD THE ‘CONFESSOR’ European ‘Romanesque’ style. Although largely Edward is depicted in profile wearing a
After Alfred the Great, Edward (posthumously reconstructed to its present form by Henry Byzantine style crown (pendilia) with dangling
known as the ‘Confessor’ due to his sanctified III in the 13th century, parts of the original jewels that hang down past his ears (Figure 3).
status and supposed personal piety) is probably building still survive. Edward seems to have had With ornate and accessorised depictions such
England’s next best-known Anglo-Saxon king. the idea of turning London into the true capital as these, he hoped to espouse the very model
However, although Earl Godwin of Wessex city of his realm (as opposed to Winchester, of a ‘modern’ Anglo-Saxon ruler – adhering
had personally ensured Edward’s succession where Anglo-Saxon kings were traditionally to tradition but also enlightened and aware
and he had (according to the Anglo-Saxon crowned), and he sponsored the manufacture of of new ideas both from the Continent and
Chronicle) been welcomed by the citizens of what would become the English crown jewels. further afield.

Coin Collector — January 2025 | 16 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

ROLE OF THE GODWINSSONS the English political stage, his son Harold had William of Normandy – sometimes known as
On taking the throne, Edward strengthened replaced him as Earl of Wessex by 1055. By ‘William the Bastard’. William was effectively a
his position by tying himself to England’s most 1057, thanks to deaths of the other earls with relative by marriage of Æthelred II – one of his
powerful family – the ‘Godwinssons’, headed up underage children, Harold’s younger brothers ancestors being Emma of Normandy (and thus,
by Earl Godwin of Wessex. Although Godwin occupied three of the four remaining earldoms: Edward’s first cousin once removed). Edward’s
had been placed in his position by Cnut and Tostig in Northumbria; Gyrth in East Anglia; ties to the region includes the fact that William’s
then implicated in the downfall of Edward’s and Leofwine as the sub-earl of Wessex. After a father, Count Robert of Normandy, seems to
brother Alfred during his failed insurrection period of stagnation, the Godwins were largely have played a role in protecting Edward and
years before, he was too powerful to ignore. In back in control of Anglo-Saxon England. Alfred at his court during their persecution by
1043, Edward promoted Godwin’s son Swein Some historians have suggested that during Cnut. It is, therefore, very likely that Edward
to a junior earldom in the midlands, following the 1050s, Edward largely took an indirect role would have known William personally – albeit
this up in 1045 by marrying his daughter in the governance of England. Primary sources as a child. Although William’s father died when
Edith. Even Godwin’s youngest son Harold was describe how he turned to churchgoing and he was very young, and nobles fought for
awarded an earldom. Edward was investing a hunting, largely withdrawing from political control of Normandy, by the 1050s, William
great deal into the family, but as it transpired, life. However, this is not totally borne out by (now an adult) had largely regained control
this would be a grave error. the historical record. These years were marked of the region and expanded his territory into
Despite a relatively quiet early reign, by border issues in Wales and Scotland – with Maine, Flanders and Brittany through aggressive
Edward’s reliance on the Godwinssons Edward’s foreign policies towards
unravelled dramatically in 1051. Following a these two realms aggressive
relative’s abortive bid to become archbishop of in nature. For instance,
Canterbury, Godwin seems to have decided to in 1053, he put a
hamper Edward’s rule. As such, during a visit price on the head of
to Dover by Edward’s brother-in-law Eustace, Welsh prince Rhys
Godwin refused to help quell riots when ap Rhydderch for
violence arose between townsfolk and members raiding into England

ABOVE: 2 ‘Sovereign
diplomacy and political marriage. His quick rise
Eagles’ type penny of
Edward the Confessor
to prominence in addition to previous family
from the York mint ties likely helped catch Edward’s eye across the
channel.
LEFT: 3 ‘Pyramids’ type Against the background of Earl Godwin’s
penny from the reign of
betrayal, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle states that
Eward the Confessor from the
London mint
William visited Edward in England around
1051. Whether this trip occurred and its
of Eustace’s retinue. He then ordered his sons (which was duly paid), and in 1055, Edward purpose is uncertain, but Norman sources
to mobilise their forces. Edward demanded his and Harold went on campaign together to drive claim at some point after it, Edward proposed
other earls raise troops to meet the potential risk the legendary Gruffyd ap Llewellyn back into William succeed him to the throne of England
of civil war. Wales – attaining his (temporary) submission. now that Godwin appeared to have burned all
With battlelines drawn, Godwin’s treachery This does not seem much like the actions of a his bridges. Historians have argued endlessly
against Edward’s brother Alfred was resurrected politically disconnected ruler. about what happened and what Edward
by Edward’s close advisor Robert of Jumiéges, intended, some conceding that perhaps a
who accused Godwin of being a traitor. This THE PROBLEM OF SUCCESSION communication breakdown took place. Maybe,
may have been a tactic to divide Godwin’s Towards the end of Edward’s life, the issue of Edward really did intend for William to succeed
forces and re-affirm their loyalty to the king succession became urgent. Despite his marriage him in 1051– but it seems he changed his mind
over the earl. Evidently, it worked – Godwin to Edith, no children had been born. Some afterwards. After all, a mere five years after this
and his family left the country for exile in the mediaeval historians suggest Edward became alleged meeting, the Godwinssons were back at
Netherlands. However, Godwin returned a celibate when king. An attempt was made in court and becoming more powerful than ever.
year later with an army and forced Edward 1057 to reconnect with the long-adventuring The Bayeux Tapestry fosters the claim echoed
to re-instate him as Earl of Wessex and his Edward the ‘Exile’, son of Edmund Ironside by contemporary chroniclers that around
(surviving) sons to their respective positions. and Edward’s nephew, who had spent most of 1064 Harold Godwinsson was shipwrecked in
Edward, by now in his late forties, acceded to his life in Hungary. However, he died shortly Normandy and taken in by William. During
these demands and, thereafter, took a much after arriving in London. His young son this trip, Harold is alleged to have fought
more passive role in the governance of England. Eadgar, of whom we shall hear more of later, bravely alongside William during his Brittany
The subordination of Godwin against was subsequently adopted into the English campaign, and Norman sources claim that
Edward was a watershed moment in late court. Harold swore over a casket of holy relics that he
Anglo-Saxon history. Although Godwin It is now that we introduce one of the most would uphold William’s claim to the throne. It
himself died in 1053, after over 20 years on famous figures in English history, Count is interesting that no English historical sources

Coin Collector — January 2025 | 17 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

anglo-saxon kingdoms part 2

mention this event. As such, it appears to be pence at a variety of mints – his only type and stayed there a week to consolidate his
a blatantly pro-Norman fabrication that (as boldly proclaiming ‘PAX’ within a tablet on army and consult with advisors, instead of
we shall see) superficially legitimised William’s the reverse (Figure 4). Perhaps he was keen to immediately confronting William.
claim to the English throne. resolve the issue diplomatically or dissipate Around 12 October 1066, Harold and his
worries felt by the local population. forces left London and marched to a prominent
HAROLD TAKES THE THRONE Having supposedly received papal assent, ridgetop near to the modern-day town of Battle,
On 5 January 1066, Edward the Confessor William began constructing an invasion fleet in East Sussex, some six miles from William’s
died childless. English and Norman sources northern France. Harold, with the advantage fortifications at Hastings. William, in turn,
agree that on his deathbed he named Harold of a defender, called up the local fyrds (militias) marched out and formed his own troops up.
Godwinsson as his successor, with his wife and and stood ready to receive any attacks on the The two armies were probably of similar size
the Archbishop of Canterbury, Stigand, present south coast for virtually the entire summer. (perhaps around 7,000–10,000 men strong),
as witnesses. However, from the Norman Unfortunately for Harold, most of his forces though compositionally quite different. While
perspective, Edward’s proclamation had no were ‘called up’ from the civilian population as the English forces were mostly composed of
legitimacy because Harold had sworn to support opposed to a standing army. This meant that infantry armed with spears, shields, swords, axes
William’s claim to the throne during his ‘visit’ in early September he was forced to disband a and javelins, the Norman army was more diverse
large part of his forces so they – containing infantry as well as heavy cavalry
could gather the harvest in, and archers. The ridgetop was a sensible choice
otherwise the country on Harold’s part and advantaged the English
would face a difficult greatly – the Normans would have to fight an
winter rife with uphill battle against the traditional Saxon ‘shield
starvation. wall’ – disadvantaging their feared heavy cavalry
With Harold’s and reducing the efficacy of missiles.
brother, Tostig,
assisting him, it is very THE BATTLE OF HASTINGS
likely that Hardrada The Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066 is
of Norway knew that arguably the most significant event in English
an attack in the early autumn history. Aside from its status as a defining
4 Harold II ‘PAX’ type penny struck at Wilton would probably catch the English off-guard. moment in English nationhood, widespread
It, therefore, comes as no surprise that shortly knowledge of the event is assisted by it being
to Normandy several years earlier. None of after Harold disbanded many soldiers, he spelled out in visceral detail on the post-battle
this appears to have deterred Harold, who was ordered the invasion of northern England. Bayeux Tapestry, probably commissioned by
crowned on 6 January 1066 with the apparent Harold’s northern earls, the brothers Morcar William’s half-brother (and co-combatant
support of both the English clergy and nobility. and Edwin, were defeated with their forces in the battle itself), Bishop Odo of Bayeux,
The quickness of his coronation either implies in the Battle of Fulford. As such, Harold was as a depiction of his personal achievements.
his desire to be quickly ratified as the new king forced to march north to confront Hardrada Chroniclers attest to the bloodiness of the
or suggests that preparations for this event had and his traitorous brother. The epic showdown engagement – the battle apparently lasting
been going on under the direction of Edward. took place on 25 September at Stamford from about 9am till sunset. Detailed (and
Whichever is the case, the coronation Bridge, near York, where the Scandinavians wholly reliable) accounts of the day are difficult
caused great ripples in north-western Europe. were utterly routed – both Hardrada and to verify, but initial Norman uphill attacks
William of Jumieges writes that on hearing of Tostig being killed in the engagement. were repulsed effectively by the English.
it, William sent an embassy to remind Harold Despite his victory, Harold was to be Early setbacks occurred – some elements
of his obligations – though whether this extremely unlucky. While he and his troops of the Norman army (specifically William’s
happened or not is unknown. Meanwhile, were still recovering, William’s invasion force set detachment of troops from Brittany) were
across the sea in Norway, King Harald sail from St Valery-sur-Somme on 27 September broken and routed – while a rumour began
Hardrada was pondering his position amid an 1066. Although it is unlikely William circulating that William himself had been
understanding his predecessor, Magnus, had coordinated with Hardrada and Tostig directly, killed in the fighting. The Bayeux Tapestry
with Harthacnut, regarding the eventuality it is probable that he knew the two had attacked depicts this pivotal moment in detail – the
that if either died childless the other should northern England and thus distracted Harold’s duke throwing off his helmet from horseback
inherit both kingdoms. The two-way rivalry attention from the south coast. William landed to show he was still alive. It is probably
had become a three-way power struggle. unopposed on 28 September at Pevensey Bay, indisputable that William was in the thick of
The spring and most of the summer East Sussex, and moving a few miles inland to the combat – his own chaplain, the chronicler
of 1066 can be seen as comparable to Hastings, he threw up fortifications and began William of Poitiers, recounts that several horses
the European situation of 1939 – the to raid and pillage the local area – probably to were killed from under him during the battle.
so-called ‘phoney war’ of World War II. make his presence known and bait Harold into Following the rout of the Breton troops,
Actual hostilities were few and far between, a premature move against him. many Saxons apparently pursued them
except a few raids in the north by Harold’s As news only spread as fast as a messenger downhill – but were quickly surrounded
exiled brother Tostig (in league with the on foot or horseback could travel, Harold and killed. The tactic of combat followed by
Norwegians). As with his predecessors, only received word of William’s arrival several contrived withdrawal appears to have been
Harold literally stamped his rule on the days after the Battle of Stamford Bridge. utilised expertly by the Normans to slowly
population through the issuing of many silver In response, Harold marched to London whittle down the less-disciplined elements of

Coin Collector — January 2025 | 18 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

 THE FINAL KINGS OF LATE ANGLO-SAXON ENGLAND – PART 2
5 Edward the Confessor no heirs of his own gave rise to rumours of father died in 1053, and Harold took up the mantle
voluntary celibacy, a factor which emphasised as Earl of Wessex – assisting Edward greatly in
Edward the Confessor his supposed personal piety and gave rise to driving back the Welsh and calming the northern
(1042–66): One of his epithet the ‘Confessor’ – though this caused border with Scotland. In 1066, Edward died,
the youngest sons of a succession crisis. He supposedly offered the naming Harold his successor on his deathbed.
Æthelred the Unready throne initially to Duke William of Normandy, However, he had previously favoured William of
and Emma of Normandy, but then ratified the succession of Harold Normandy – causing the latter to prepare for
Edward is the last proper Godwinson on his deathbed. He was canonised invasion to defend his ‘right’. Arguably the most
member of the House of Wessex in 1161 by Pope Alexander III, with his saint-cult famous part of Harold’s short reign is its last
(Figure 5). Forced to flee England as a youth persisting in England until the 14th century. month. Marching north to confront an invasion
after the invasion of Sweyn Forkbeard and force assembled by the Danish king Harald
Cnut – he spent many years exiled on the 6 Harold II ‘Godwinson’ Hardrada and his own traitor brother, Harold won
continent. An abortive attempt to invade and a spectacular victory at the Battle of Stamford
regain power in 1036 resulted in nothing, Harold II Bridge. However, William of Normandy landed
but in 1041, he was formally invited back to ‘Godwinson’ (6 on the south coast shortly afterwards, and he
England to take the throne by his half-brother January 1066–14 was forced to march back down the length of
Harthacnut – the last Danish king of England. October 1066): The the country with a tired and depleted force. The
Crowned in 1042, Edward’s reign has long last Anglo-Saxon king of decisive moment came on 14 October 1066 at the
divided historians. Some argue he was an England, Harold was the son Battle of Hastings, where Harold’s forces were
effective ruler able to enact aggressive foreign of Earl Godwin of Wessex – Edward the Confessor’s defeated by William – an event famously depicted
policy and defend his borders, while others right-hand man (Figure 6). Though Godwin and his on the Bayeux Tapestry. Harold was killed during
point out his over-dependency on the Godwins family fell out of favour with Edward during the the battle, and the throne subsequently passed to
to keep order and maintain his position. Having early 1050s, this was a temporary setback. His William – who became William I of England.

the shield wall. The English line held until of Canterbury and York, respectively. In the particularly visible in the realms of both social
quite late in the day, when it appears that the aftermath of Hastings, a young man whom structure and linguistics. The Anglo-Saxon
decisive moment came – marked by Harold’s Harold had largely overlooked was féted as king elite were largely dispossessed of their lands in
death. The exact manner of Harold’s death has by the witan – the young Eadgar Ætheling, the aftermath of 1066, these being given over
long been disputed because the Bayeux Tapestry Edward the Confessor’s nephew and son of wholesale to William’s Norman supporters. The
is rather ambiguous, with two figures next to Edward the Exile. Though how committed new landowning noble classes were demarcated
the text ‘here King Harold is killed’. Whereas the English nobility were to Eadgar’s cause is by language as well as origin, speaking French
one figure has been shot in the eye with an debated by historians, it is worth noting that rather than English – and indeed for centuries
arrow, the other is cut down by a charging resistance to the Normans continued apace after 1066, the dominant tongue of the ‘English’
horseman. The ‘arrow in the eye’ trope derives through the remainder of 1066 and beyond. nobility remained French. By 1075, every
from a source dating to the 1080s, but we don’t An attempt by William to enter London was earldom was held by a Norman – and by 1096,
know its truthfulness or reliability. repulsed, and he was effectively forced to there were no English-born bishops either.
Now leaderless, with their ranks heavily bypass the capital – stamping out uprisings Those of native birth were increasingly being
depleted (having potentially suffered as many as and pockets of resistance as he fought his relegated to even more minor administrative or
4,000 killed) and exhausted, the English broke way along the Thames Valley. Even after the ecclesiastical posts, if any.
and began leaving the battlefield en masse. submission of Stigand and the witan at what is An interesting change because of the Norman
The final scene of the Bayeux Tapestry shows a today Berkhampstead, Hertfordshire, and his invasion was largely indirect – effectively, an
disorganised gaggle of fyrdsmen and some figures coronation on Christmas Day 1066, William Anglo-Saxon diaspora was created, with many
on horses, accompanied by the text ‘ET FUGA still faced acute problems in England. The nobles leaving England for Byzantium to join
VERTERUNT ANGLI’ – ‘and the English legendary Saxon nobleman Hereward launched the legendary Varangian Guard. In the years
turned in flight’. attacks from his base in the Cambridgeshire following 1066, the number of members
fens until his defeat in around 1070, while in deriving from England increased dramatically.
AFTER THE BATTLE the south-west of England, Harold Godwinson’s It is interesting to consider, as a final thought,
William was victorious, but at least several fugitive sons, assisted by the Irish, stirred up that had Edwin and Morcar not lost the battle
thousand of his army lay dead or wounded. rebellion in Devon and Cornwall. Ultimately, of Fulford, had Harold not had to march his
But, although he had won a decisive battle, the William retained his grasp over England during troops up and down the length of the country
war was by no means over. Two of Harold’s this transitory period. within the space of a fortnight and had his
northern earls, the powerful brothers Edwin William’s coronation and reign effectively over-eager troops not broken ranks to pursue
and Morcar, still lived. The Anglo-Saxon marked the end of what historians refer to as the retreating Normans, Anglo-Saxon England
administrative system and government, the Anglo-Saxon England. Although many of the might yet exist – with all of Wiliam’s hopes and
witengamot, still existed, as did the ecclesiastical key governmental institutions, procedures and dreams (and perhaps William himself) lying
posts (and influence) of pro-English churchmen administrative elements were retained – many dead in the dust of southern England. As always
like Stigand and Ealdred – the archbishops aspects of daily life changed forever. This is with history, the devil is in the detail.

Coin Collector — January 2025 | 19 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

a–z of coins

As she reaches the letter ‘Q’,

Paula Hammond considers
the aspect of quality in coin
collecting.
promise of an independent,
third-party assessment.
Despite this, you will still find dealers who
over-grade coins and then offer the apparently
‘high quality’ coins at bargain prices. A quick
look online shows that you can buy similarly
graded George V 1927 silver proof halfcrowns
priced between £200–£450 (Figure 1).
Meanwhile, several sellers claimed to be
selling the rarest and highest quality grade
coins (known as a fleur de coin or bloom of
the die) for £150.
This may seem like a real headache, but
buying quality coins is the same as buying
1 George V 1927 silver proof halfcrown, which has been graded PF65+ by NGC (Sovereign Rarities Ltd) anything else – you just need time to gain the
necessary experience and find sellers you trust.
or some numismatists, collecting is
the habit of a lifetime. Something Q IS FOR QUALITY
that they’ve done for so long, they Starting points 1887, is considered to be one of the world’s
wouldn’t feel complete without Proof coins are a great starting point for most beautiful gold coins (Figure 3). Prices
it. For others, the hobby has gone a ‘quality’ collection because their value start at around £500.
beyond pleasure and practice – it has become depends entirely on their ‘perfection’ — not
a pursuit, and one that’s done diligently, with just the standard of minting, but the beauty Most expensive
financial gain in mind. Regardless of the type of the image (Figure 2). Limited runs may A 1920 sovereign, minted in Sydney, sold
of collector you are, there’s one thing that also appreciate in value. Bullion coins are a in June 2021 in Monaco for €942,400
every coin enthusiast can agree on: quality is relatively ‘safe’ buy, too, as (£785,349) – a world-record price for a
king. And, the joy of coin collecting is that the metal itself has an gold sovereign.
prioritising quality doesn’t necessarily mean intrinsic value.
breaking the bank. 2 Reverse of a gold Least expensive
Where quality is concerned, there are proof coin struck for the We’re often told that building a collection
generally five factors to take into account: the anniversary of D-Day in on a budget means focussing on lower-
2024 (The Royal Mint)
sharpness of the strike, the condition of the grade coins. Yet, it is perfectly possible to
coin, its lustre, colour and attractiveness. Must haves buy quality, inexpensively, if you choose
Coins are graded using these baselines – and William Wyon’s famous Young Head larger circulation releases, less popular dates,
sellers employ terms such as ‘mint’, ‘proof’, sovereign, minted between 1839 and smaller denomination coins, silver instead
‘uncirculated’, ‘extremely fine’, etc., as a way of gold or base metal coins over precious.
of letting buyers judge a coin’s quality, sight Silver 1oz Britannia coins are both beautiful
unseen. Some dealers also employ a points- and affordable, with prices starting at
based system, where coin quality is ‘scored’ on around £30 (Figure 4).
a scale from one (low) to 100. In the US, both
the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) 4 Silver Britannia coins,
here the reverse of
and the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation
the 2025 issue, are
(NGC) use the ‘Sheldon’ scale. an affordable way to
3 William Wyon’s Young Head sovereign is
Even where sellers use the same grading considered one of the world’s most beautiful buy quality (The Royal
system, these things are still subjective. So, gold coins (Sovereign Rarities Ltd) Mint)
to protect buyers, many dealers offer the

Coin Collector — January 2025 | 20 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

 View our stock online at
www.silburycoins.com

We are looking to buy high value single items

and collections of coins.

Email: info@silburycoins.com | Tel: 01242 898107

ancient coins

From Republic

Using a coin hoard unearthed in 2024, Adrian Marsden

traces the end of the Roman Republic
and the birth of the Roman Empire.

very year, I identify and record The hoard is probably

several coin hoards from all what we might call an
periods as part of my role as invasion hoard, which went
Norfolk County Council’s into the ground at the time of the
numismatist. A small hoard What I really like about this hoard is how Roman invasion of Britain in AD 43 or a
of 13 silver denarii from near Dowham its constituent coins tell a story on an epic few years afterwards. It terminates with two
Market is one of the more interesting that scale – they chart the fall of the Roman coins of Tiberius and there are none of Gaius,
has turned up this year; the issues within it Republic, the civil wars that brought about known generally as Caligula (AD 37–41), or
span well over a century from the late-2nd its collapse and the emergence of Rome’s new Claudius (AD 41–54), but the silver coins of
century BC to the reign of Emperor Tiberius rulers, first Julius Caesar, then the Triumvirs those two emperors were not struck in large
(AD 14–37). and, finally, the Julio-Claudian dynasty. numbers, and the lack of any of them in a

Coin Collector — January 2025 | 22 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

 around what we might call two parties, the
Optimates, generally an aristocratic class who
believed in the status quo, the continued rule
by families of influence, and the Populares,
a newer breed who championed the cause
of the lower orders. That is a very simplistic
summary, indeed, but it will have to suffice.
Two brothers, Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus,
could be said to have begun the popular
movement, proposing a raft of measures
to alleviate what they saw as the increasing
poverty and disenfranchisement of the poor
in Rome. That brought them very much into
the sights of the Optimates and both were
ABOVE: 1 Worn denarius, showing bankers’ marks,
with a helmeted bust of Roma on the obverse and
Victory driving a biga on the reverse

hoard lost or concealed around the AD 43

invasion would not be at all surprising.
Certainly, the lack of any coins after the
reign of Caius or Claudius, together with
the wear patterns within the group, strongly
suggest that we are indeed looking at a hoard
or purse loss that went into the ground at
about the time of the Roman invasion of
Britain. That is one landmark event – the
start of the addition of a new province to the ABOVE: 2 Denarius of Gaius Vibius Pansa dating to
Roman Empire. But the Downham Market 90 BC
hoard’s coins tell a story that goes back much
further, to the Civil Wars that ushered in the bankers’ marks, small punches on its surfaces assassinated with their work unfinished.
Julio-Claudian dynasty and to the Roman made to show that it had been checked and But the murder of the Gracchi did not end
Republic that preceded them. passed as a good coin and fit to continue the conflict. The cause of the Populares was
The oldest coin in the hoard is a very worn circulating many times. It had a very long life taken up by the Roman general Marius just as
denarius (Figure 1). It is the one coin that as a coin. the cause of the Optimates was championed
cannot be definitively identified; it carries a That life began when the Roman by his rival, Sulla. Marius took over Rome
helmeted bust of Roma on the obverse and a Republic, which had carried all before it for whilst Sulla was out in the east battling
Victory driving a biga, a two-horse chariot, generations, expanding its territories across Mithridates of Pontus. But Marius died, and
on the reverse. This was a type used on many the Mediterranean so that it was now a serious Sulla’s return saw, in 81 BC, the introduction
coins, particularly of the late-2nd century player on the stage of the time, was beginning of proscriptions by which leading enemies of
BC, and the heavy wear, removing details to show the first signs of the internecine his Optimates were targeted. They were then
necessary for precise identification, means political rivalries that would eventually apprehended, executed and their property
that we cannot precisely date it. Like some of ensure its fall. In the late-2nd century BC, confiscated. One such was Gaius Vibius
the other coins in the hoard, it is covered in Roman political loyalties began to coalesce Pansa, who issued a denarius in 90 BC,
several years before his proscription (Figure 2).
Sulla’s proscriptions did not, of course, end
the matter. After his death, Sulla’s protégé,
Pompey, took up the baton of the Optimates.
The Populares soon found a new figurehead
in the form of the rogue aristocrat, Caius
Julius Caesar. Through the 60s and 50s
BC, the two men formed a concordat, and
an uneasy truce resulted. Pompey married
Caesar’s daughter, and many must have hoped
that the two men – and their backers – might
balance one another off. That was not to be.
In 49 BC, the breach between the two men
became complete and Civil War again ensued.
Pompey and Caesar fought one another
ABOVE: 3 Coin struck in 48 BC that references the Battle of Pharsalus for mastery of the Roman world, and the

Coin Collector — January 2025 | 23 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

ancient coins
two of the group who had killed Caesar, and
the Populares were led by Marcus Antonius,
Lepidus (Caesar’s Master of Horse) and the
young Octavian (Caesar’s great nephew and
principal heir). A coin of Brutus, struck
several years before in 54 BC makes clear his
veneration of his ancestors, in particular the
first Brutus who drove out the last king of
Rome, Tarquinius Superbus, and ushered in
the Roman Republic (Figure 5).
Brutus and Cassius were eventually
brought to battle and defeated at Philippi in
Greece. The victors instituted a new regime,
a Triumvirate, which was a system whereby
RIGHT: 4 Caesar’s Gallic Wars referenced on a coin struck in Spain after the Battle of Munda in 45 BC each Caesarian leader was allotted an area to
rule. Lepidus, given part of northern Africa,
did not last long, and Octavian took over
his territories. That left Antonius with what
was essentially the eastern part of what had
in effect become the Roman empire, and
Octavian with the west.
Relations became steadily less cordial
in the 30s BC. Antonius had married
Octavian’s sister, Octavia, but soon took
up with Cleopatra and based himself
at Alexandria. The two sides became
increasingly hostile towards one another,
and it was only a matter of time before
Civil War returned. Octavian, who now
styled himself as Caesar, taking his deified
ABOVE: 5 Coin of Brutus honouring his ancestors

campaign led to a decisive battle at Pharsalus

in Greece the following year. One of the
coins in the hoard, struck in Rome by Lucius
Hostilius Saserna, references the battle with
a Victory advancing right (Figure 3). It was
struck in the months following the battle and
uses the time-honoured motif of a Victory to
declare Caesar’s success.
Pompey, defeated, fled to Egypt, where
he no doubt hoped that he would receive
refuge and support from his old friend, the
pharaoh Ptolemy Auletes. But Auletes had
died, and Pompey was murdered as he landed
in Egypt. Caesar then travelled to its capital, ABOVE: 6 Octavian coin that was struck in the western half of the Roman Empire

Alexandria, and took control, marrying – in

Egyptian form – Cleopatra. Who, of course,
we’ll meet again shortly. He then moved
on to Spain, where he eliminated the last
supporters of Pompey still in arms at the
Battle of Munda in 45 BC. A coin struck
in Spain at this time does not celebrate this
defeat of fellow Romans but harks back to
Caesar’s Gallic Wars of several years before,
showing a trophy of arms (Figure 4).
Caesar returned to Rome in triumph,
only to be assassinated in his turn by the
so-called tyrannicides in 44 BC. The Civil
Wars began again in earnest. This time, the
Optimates were led by Brutus and Cassius, ABOVE: 7 Well-known coin from the legionary series of Antonius

Coin Collector — January 2025 | 24 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

uncle’s name as his own, struck coins in the
west; one of these is in the hoard (Figure 6).
Antonius, preparing for war and assembling
his legions as he marched towards Greece to
meet Octavian in battle, also struck coins,
in particular his well-known legionary series
that named him as ‘IIIVIR R P C’ (Triumvir
to Reform the Republic) (Figure 7).
Antonius was defeated at the battle of
Actium in 31 BC, and Octavian hunted
him and Cleopatra down to Egypt, where
they both committed suicide. Octavian now
assumed control of Rome and its dominions
and began his rule as the first emperor, ABOVE: 8 Coin struck in Spain around 19 BC for Augustus – the first Roman emperor
taking the title Augustus, an epithet
meaning revered. This was to become
the overarching title of emperors for

ABOVE: 9 Coin stuck in Lyon showing full-length images of Gaius and Lucius, who were the heirs of
Augustus but predeceased the emperor

ABOVE: 10 Tiberius became the heir of Augustus

centuries to come. A coin struck in Spain 4 BC and AD 2 (Figure 9). The lack of an
about 19 BC and advertising his new title heir of his blood meant that Augustus had
celebrates regaining the standards lost to the to make his stepson Tiberius his heir (Figure
Parthians at the battle of Carrhae in 53 BC 10); a story given a particular slant in Robert
(Figure 8). Graves’ I Claudius.
The latest coins in the hoard were struck Out of the 13 coins in the hoard, only
in the final 20 years or so of Augustus’ life three don’t add anything extra to the overall
and in the reign of his successor Tiberius. All story. This makes the Downham Market
of Augustus’ chosen heirs died before him, hoard fascinating because it contains such a
including Gaius and Lucius, the sons of his high proportion of coins that are so closely
daughter Julia. Their full-length images were linked with the tumultuous decades that saw
placed on a denarius type struck in large the downfall of a Republic and, out of the
numbers at Lyons in France between about ashes, the birth of an empire.

Coin Collector — January 2025 | 25 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

focus on medals

Henry Redvers Kent:

Advances in research
resources have enabled Dr
Killed Defending Dunkirk
Robin Thomas to uncover the
history of some India General
Service Medals purchased
many years ago.
early 40 years ago, my late
mother bought a job lot
of India General Service
Medals 1908–35 at a local
auction house, knowing that
I had an interest in Indian campaigns. One
of these had been awarded to Henry Redvers
Kent (known as ‘Harry’) of the 2nd Battalion,
Royal Norfolk Regiment, for his service
during the Third Afghan War between 1919
and 1921 (Figure 1).
It was only many years later that the resources
available to medal researchers developed
sufficiently to add some detail to Harry’s life.
For anyone interested in the family background
of individuals represented in their medal
collections, census records are an important
source. These revealed that Harry came from
King’s Lynn in Norfolk. His mother had
children from at least three different partners
1 The medals of Henry Redvers Kent
between the late 1880s and early 1900s until
she eventually married Harry’s father in late October. After service on the North-West Harry had already completed a Regular
1901, nearly two years after his birth. From this, Frontier of India, Harry was transferred back Army engagement in the 1920s and would
it would be reasonable to assume that his early to the UK and discharged from the Regular have been aged over 40 at this time, so
years were fairly chaotic, and he may not have Army in March 1922, having completed his was no doubt considerably older than his
had a very stable home life. four-years with the Colours. He completed comrades. This also indicated that he must
Relatively recently, it has been possible to his engagement in August 1926 after four have spent the years 1926 to 1939 in the
submit a freedom of information request to years in the Army Reserve. Territorial Army to have taken an active part
access personnel documents for those who A further set of records available online to in operations in 1940, though further detail
served after the end of World War I, as these researchers are kept by the Commonwealth War is lacking since his personnel records stop in
are currently being transferred from the Graves Commission, recording details of deaths 1926, when his Regular Army service ended.
Ministry of Defence to the National Archives. during World War II. These were searched with Harry Kent now lies in St Valery-en-Caux
They show that in April 1918 Harry joined little expectation of finding anything, but they Franco-British Cemetery. He spent over
the 3rd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, rather surprisingly revealed that Harry had been 22 years in the service of his country, the
stationed at Felixstowe. This was a training killed on 13 June 1940 at St Valery-en-Caux details of which are now revealed courtesy of
battalion, which never left the UK during while serving with the 7th Battalion, Royal various record releases since the date his India
the war. Harry stayed for 11 months before Norfolk Regiment. This formed part of the General Service Medal was acquired. These
transferring to the Royal Norfolk Regiment 51st Highland Division, which had been tasked have also allowed his full medal group to be
in March 1919, being posted first to the with holding up the German advance long reconstituted with the addition of a 1939–45
depot at Norwich and then joining the 2nd enough for the British Expeditionary Force to Star and War Medal, both of which were
Battalion before it departed for India in be evacuated from Dunkirk. issued unnamed.

Find out much more about medal collecting with the help of the Orders & Medals Research Society. The Society exists to promote a
general interest in the study of orders, decorations and medals, and to actively encourage and publish research into all aspects of civil and
military medals, with a particular focus on those issued by Great Britain and the Commonwealth countries. Visit the website: omrs.org

Coin Collector — January 2025 | 26 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

 HOW MUCH ARE
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new c ins YO U R G U I D E TO N E W CO I N S F R O M A R O U N D T H E WO R LD
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Ice Age giants

A new three-coin collection from The Royal Mint
explores the stories of three gentle giants from the
Ice Age – the steppe mammoth, woolly rhinoceros
and giant deer. These three creatures were some of
the largest mammals to have roamed the Earth during
the Pleistocene Epoch.
The Pleistocene Epoch, also referred to as the Ice Age, began was the woolly
around 2.6 million years ago. This period saw vast glaciers, rhinoceros (Coelodonta
known as ice sheets, expand across the Earth’s surface and antiquitatis). Similar
take up large swathes of land. The ice sheets extended beyond in size to a white
the North and South Poles, where they still exist today, and African rhinoceros and
reached as far as the Midlands in England and across what is now weighing around 2 tonnes, this
Canada and the northern United States of America. These ice sheets giant herbivore had a thick double-layered wool
could be up to 3km thick and nearly all animal and plant life was coat to keep it warm during extreme temperatures. In 2002, a rare
excluded from the areas they covered. The large mammals, known partial skeleton was discovered in the valley of the River Tame
as megafauna, of the Pleistocene Epoch lived in the southerly areas at Whitemoor Haye in Staffordshire. It was exceptionally well
next to them, where plant life thrived and supported an abundance preserved, and the bones were in excellent condition, making this
of life. one of the best examples of a woolly rhinoceros to be discovered in
With a vast quantity of the world’s water frozen, the sea levels the UK in the 21st century.
fell, which resulted in animals roaming between different areas of One of the last megafaunas to have lived during the Ice Age
land, and species spreading to new habitats that had previously been was the giant deer (Megaloceros giganteus). Although the giant deer
separated by water. coexisted with the woolly mammoth, this species also lived in
One of the largest megafaunas of the Pleistocene Epoch, the more southerly areas during periods when the woolly mammoth
steppe mammoth (Mammuthus trogontherii) originated in China and woolly rhinoceros would have been absent, until climate
and then spread across Eurasia. It had an average shoulder height change affected the giant deer’s ability to survive. Standing with a
of 4m and weighed around 10 tonnes. One of the most significant shoulder height of just under 2m and weighing around 500kg, the
discoveries of a steppe mammoth skeleton in the UK is the West male of the species had massive antlers that measured up to 3.5m,
Runton mammoth. In 1990, a couple walking on West Runton depending on the age of the animal. The Natural History Museum
beach in Norfolk spotted a large bone sticking out of the cliff face. houses a partial skeleton of a giant deer that carbon dates to around
This was later revealed to be the pelvic bone of a steppe mammoth. 8,000 years ago. Discovered in the Oryol region of Eastern Russia,
Excavations unearthed 85% of its skeleton, making it the most it is thought to be one of the last surviving giant deer.
complete skeleton to be discovered in the UK. It is estimated that Each coin in the set features a scientifically and anatomically
this very well-preserved 700,000-year-old skeleton is a 41-year-old accurate reverse design created by palaeo-artist Robert Nicholls.
male with a body mass of around 9 tonnes and a shoulder height of Developed in collaboration with the Natural History Museum,
approximately 4m. the collection features two colour-printed editions of each coin – a
One of the largest mammals to exist alongside the mammoth brilliant uncirculated colour and a silver proof colour version.

Aesop’s Fables – ‘The Hare and the Tortoise’

A new €1.5 colourised proof coin freed because of his cleverness
from the Greek Mint is the first and became an adviser to kings
in a coin series featuring Aesop’s and cities. As he travelled around
Fables. This first coin in the Greece, he told his stories as
series illustrates the story of ‘The he went. Hundreds of tales are
Hare and the Tortoise’, which is attributed to this mysterious
perhaps the best-known fable. figure, but it is unlikely all these
Aesop’s Fables, or the Aesopica, stories could have been created
are a collection of fables created by him.
to teach moral lessons credited In the fable ‘The Hare and the
to Aesop, a Greek storyteller. Tortoise’, a hare kept mocking
Details about Aesop’s life are a tortoise for being slow. One confident of winning, took a nap beat talent when it fails to work
unclear, but snippets of his life day, the tortoise, tired of the hare midway through the race. When hard.
can be found in ancient sources, showing off, challenged him to he awoke, however, he found that Among the many other fables
such as Aristotle, Herodotus and a race and the hare accepted. his competitor, crawling slowly linked to Aesop are: ‘The Crow
Plutarch. He is believed to have The tortoise set off, moving but steadily, had arrived before and the Pitcher’; ‘The Boy who
lived between 620 and 564 BC. slowly but steadily. The hare him. The fable’s moral is that Cried Wolf ’ and ‘The Goose
Originally a slave, he was later soon left the tortoise behind and, diligence and perseverance can That Laid the Golden Eggs’.

Coin Collector — January 2025 | 28 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

Operation secrecy, through an operation

Neptune code-named ‘Neptune’.

During this operation,
A new 100 lei gold coin 189.67 tonnes of gold
from the National Bank of was relocated to Tismana
Romania commemorates the Monastery. This comprised
80th anniversary of Operation the majority of the National
Neptune in Romania, which saw Bank treasure that was still
the treasure from the National on Romanian soil, as well as
Bank of Romania relocated, 2.73 tonnes of gold from the
along with part of the gold Polish Bank Treasury, who had
from the Polish National Bank, trusted the Romanian National 1944, when King Michael I Operation Neptune ended
during World War II. Bank with it in 1939. In total, of Romania led a coup d’etat successfully when all the gold
At the beginning of 1944, 192.40 tonnes of gold was against the Nazi-sympathetic was returned to Bucharest,
the treasure at the National evacuated, kept in 4,086 cases. government, the NBR Board with its hiding place remaining
Bank of Romania found itself Others who took part in realised that the gold was no shrouded in secrecy
in grave danger. The German the operation included the longer safe and relocated it Tismana Monastery is shown
Army was in Romania, as Romanian government, the from the monastery cellar to a on the obverse of the coin, while
an ally, but could have easily Romanian Orthodox Church, nearby cave the next month. the portraits of NBR governors
become an occupier, while the secret service and the The treasure remained hidden Constantin Angelescu and Ion
Soviet occupation was expected Romanian Railway Society. in the cave until January 1947. Lapedatu appear on the reverse.
because the Red Army was Relocating the gold from For almost three years, the cave The Old Palace of the National
on the offensive and heading Bucharest to Tismana took place was opened only once, at the Bank of Romania features in the
towards Romania’s eastern between 8 and 22 July 1944. beginning of 1945, when 210 background of the reverse.
border. Five vans per day made a total boxes containing 10.2 tonnes As well as the coins, a special
Under these conditions, saving of 75 trips to transfer the gold of gold were taken for the sheet consisting of four banknotes
the gold that was within the to the monastery cellar. manufacture of the Ardealul with a face value of 10 lei was
country was done under strict After the events of 23 August Nostru medal. issued to mark the anniversary.

Celebrating Inuit collaborated on designing its reverse. On the coin, Inuit unity is
symbolised through the four artists’ joint representation of the
Nunangat story of Nuliajuk, who is the spirit of the sea, and through an ulu
representing each of their homes within the Inuit homeland.
The Royal Canadian Mint has celebrated the people, traditions and Expressing both Inuit unity and regional diversity, each of the
lands of Inuit Nunangat (the Inuit homeland in Canada) with a four artists represent one of the four regions of Inuit Nunangat
new $2 commemorative circulation coin. – Tegan Voisey (Makkovik, Nunatsiavut), Thomassie Mangiok
This coin is intended as an invitation to learn more about the (Ivujivik, Nunavik), Charlotte Karetak (Arviat, Nunavut) and Mary
distinct ways of life and culture of the Inuit who live in this vast Okheena (Ulukhaktok, Inuvialuit Settlement Region).
northern homeland. The area of the Inuit Nunangat encompasses Nuliajuk is shared across Inuit Nunanfat but has regional
approximately 40% of Canada’s land area and over 70% of its variations. The inner core of the coin features an image of Nuliajuk
coastlines. wearing an atigi (parka). Clockwise from Nuliajuk are a walrus, two
In a first for a Canadian circulation coin, four different Inuit beluga whales, a seal and an arctic char. On the right of the outer
artists, each representing one of the four regions of Inuit Nunangat, ring appear four different artistic interpretations of uluit (knives),
whose appearance is derived from the traditional shape for uluit
found in each region, and these act as each of the artist’s
signatures. The inscription ‘Inuit Nunangat’ appears on
the left.
The coin’s obverse features the effigy of HM King
Charles III by Canadian artist Steven Rosati.
Limited to a mintage of three million coins, of
which two million will be coloured, this new $2
circulation coin will reach Canadians through their
change. The coloured and uncoloured circulation
coin are also available in 15,000 coloured and
10,000 uncoloured limited edition special wrap rolls
of 25 uncirculated coins.

Coin Collector — January 2025 | 29 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

new c ins YO U R G U I D E TO N E W CO I N S F R O M A R O U N D T H E WO R LD
W W W.CO LLEC TO R S- CLU B - O F- G R E AT- B R ITAI N .CO.U K

Little owl IN BRIEF

The latest coin in Luxembourg’s A new 25-franc gold coin has
‘Fauna’ series, developed in been struck by Swissmint as
partnership with the Hëllef a tribute to the gold coins
fir d’Natur Foundation, is of 1871 and 1955 that never
dedicated to the little owl came into circulation. The
(Athene noctua). The series obverse of the coin, in
highlights species that require 900 gold alloy, is modelled
protection and close monitoring, on the historic 20-franc gold
with this new coin highlighting the risk of the little owl, the smallest coin from 1871; the year modern coinage was introduced in Switzerland.
owl species in the country, disappearing from Luxembourg. It depicts the Swiss coat of arms with a cross of five equal squares on
Weighing 160–240g and with a wingspan of 53–58cm, the little blossoming Alpine rose branches. The inscription ‘SWITZERLAND’ appears
owl has brown plumage with creamy white spots and cross bands. Its above and ‘2024’ below. The reverse of the coin features the inscription
underside is lighter than its upper side, while it legs have pale feathers. ‘CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA’ and the face value of CHF25, in keeping with
A standout feature of the bird are its large, yellow eyes. the design of the 25-franc 1955 coin. A small Swiss cross below the figure
In Central Europe, the species is generally concentrated in lowland adds a decorative touch. ‘DOMINUS PROVIDEBIT’ and 13 stars are inscribed
areas free of woodland, including landscapes with hedgerows, around the edge of the coin, indicating it is the first of the modern
copses and rows of trees, as well as orchards. It occurs throughout 25-franc gold coins. Starting in 2026, it is planned to issue a 25-franc gold
Luxembourg, except for the forests of Ösling. An open and at coin each year in uncirculated quality with the same design, making it a
least partly short-grassed habitat enables the owl to hunt for mice, permanent addition to any coin collector’s collection.
insects and worms. In addition, it also preys on small birds. Trees
with cavities are needed for breeding and perching. The decline of The Central Reserve Bank of Peru
the species is mainly due to the now rare extensively used meadow has put into circulation, the
orchards, which provided nesting opportunities and food. first coin of a new series
on Peruvian Pre-Columbian
Ceramics, which illustrate

Six decades of 007 material produced before the

arrival of Columbus in 1492. It is
The Royal Mint’s Six Decades of 007 collection has journeyed through intended that this collection of 11 coins, which are legal tender, will help
distinct eras of James Bond, from the secret agent’s big screen debut in disseminate the cultural heritage of Peru. The reverse of this 1-sol coin,
Dr No (1962) to his most recent outing in No Time to Die (2021). which is an eight-sided polygon, features the image of a ceramic from the
Until now, each coin has been dedicated to a specific decade in Formative period (1,200–200 BC) in the centre. This classic black globular
James Bond history by featuring a memorable Bond vehicle from each vessel has a stylised feline face in strong relief. Visible on the right of the
respective era. Now, the final coin in the collection features a reverse design is a geometric image of vertical lines and the mark of the national
design that pays tribute to the entire Bond franchise by featuring the mint, while the phrase ‘PRE-COLOMBIAN CERAMICS’ appears on the left. On
six iconic vehicles that were reproduced on the coins in the collection. the obverse, the coat of arms of Peru are surrounded by the legend ‘BANCO
The design integrates ‘Little Nellie’ from You Only Live Twice (1967), CENTRAL DE RESERVA DEL PERU’, the year of minting and an eight-sided
‘Wet Nellie’ from The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), the plane from inscribed polygon that forms the face of the coin. This 25.50mm coin has a
Octopussy (1980s), the speedboat from The World Is Not Enough mintage of 10 million.
(1999), the hovercraft from Die Another Day (2002) and the snow
plane from Spectre (2015). Lithuania has released a
These vehicles appear in a cleverly designed arrangement that sees special €2 coin dedicated
each vehicle spiralling out from the iconic gun barrel effect used in the to the Sodai ‘straw
opening of each Bond film. The design is completed by the inclusion gardens’. These complex
of the signature 007 logo, stylised in its most recent form in the hanging constructions are
centre of the design. Completing the design is the inscription ‘SIX a traditional Lithuanian
DECADES OF 007’, which appears as curved, repeated text around artform and carry a
the border of the design. symbolic meaning. The
The effigy of King Charles III by Martin Jennings appears on the most usual forms of sodai are a four-sided pyramid, along with stars and
obverse of the coin. spheres. They are decorated with traditional elements symbolising life,
fertility and wellbeing. Sodai straw gardens are made from stalks of grains.
The structures are then decorated with details symbolising fertility and
prosperity. They are hung over the cradles of babies and over a wedding
or family table to wish happiness to newborns, fertility to newlyweds or
harmony to the family. Lithuanian homes are also frequently decorated
with sodai gardens for Easter and Christmas. Some sodai-making families
have been practising the tradition for generations. Since 2023, the tradition
of Sodai has been included in the UNESCO Intangible World Heritage.

Coin Collector — January 2025 | 30 | www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk

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