The Condominium Post Office came into being as a joint authority on 1 October 1908, using the French Colonial postal tariff. The British provisional overprints were the first available, and were issued on 29 October. They were sold for English or French money at an exchange basis of 1d = 10c. The stamps adopted for use were seven values of the King Edward VII Fiji key plate series. These had been printed by Thomas De La Rue & Co Ltd, London, in sheets of 120, divided vertically into two panes of 60 (6 × 10), and perforated 14. They were overprinted "NEW HEBRIDES CONDOMINIUM" at the Government Printing Establishment at Suva. It is believed that the overprint was prepared from a typesetting of six horizontal subjects, repeated in stereo 20 times, the lines being locked up in a form. The overprint on the 1d shows evidence of the lines falling out, as varieties range from misplacement of the overprint to its complete absence from the 4th row for a printing of one sheet. This series does not exist with the official overprint "Specimen". |
Watermark Single Crown CA Issue
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A flaw in the denomination field |
Watermark: single Crown CA issue, overprinted: NEW HEBRIDES CONDOMINIUM |
Michel: 1 - 6 |
*****: * - * |
Yvert: 6 - 11 |
S.-G.: 4 - 9 |
Printed Quantities: |
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½d |
2d |
2½ |
5d |
6d |
1s |
2,280 |
39,360 |
30,000 |
19,200 |
19,200 |
1,440 |
Watermark Multiple Crown CA Issue
Place mouse cursor over stamp to see stamo together with used stamp!
Watermark: multiple Crown CA, overprinted NEW HEBRIDES CONDOMINIUM
Michel: 7 - 9
*****: * - *
Yvert: 12 - 14
S.-G.: 1a, 1 -3
Printed Quantities:
½d
1d
1s
40 920
73 200
14 640
Stamps cancelled day of issue: 29 October 1908
>
These are some used stamps with the 29 October 1908 first days cancels. (Goron coll.)
More of them: Treadwell & Klinger coll.
A funny combination: of a mirror print on the reverse at top and no mirror print at bottom. (coll. Petit)
Click for blow-up
Overprint shift on a ½d and a 1d block. (Jeff Blinco coll.)
Click for blow-up
1908 overprint shift
Printer's waste from a faulty overprint (see Hals/Collas page 65 at right).
Click for blow-up
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Place mouse cursor over stamp to see stamo together with used stamp! | |||
Watermark: multiple Crown CA, overprinted NEW HEBRIDES CONDOMINIUM |
Michel: 7 - 9 |
*****: * - * |
Yvert: 12 - 14 |
S.-G.: 1a, 1 -3 |
Printed Quantities: |
||
½d |
1d |
1s |
40 920 |
73 200 |
14 640 |
Stamps cancelled day of issue: 29 October 1908
|
>
These are some used stamps with the 29 October 1908 first days cancels. (Goron coll.)
|
|
More of them: Treadwell & Klinger coll.
|
A funny combination: of a mirror print on the reverse at top and no mirror print at bottom. (coll. Petit)
Click for blow-up
Overprint shift on a ½d and a 1d block. (Jeff Blinco coll.)
Click for blow-up
1908 overprint shift
Printer's waste from a faulty overprint (see Hals/Collas page 65 at right).
Click for blow-up