Gold Coast  

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H&G 3 H&G 8 H&G 9 H&G B3 H&G B4 H&G C7 H&G C7a H&G C10 H&G C11 H&G C1a – see Note 2

UPU member as British Colony from 1 January 1879.

was the KGVI size G reg env overprinted SPECIMEN sent to the UPU ??? - if so what type of SPECIMEN overprint ???

were any Airletters overprinted SPECIMEN sent to the UPU ???

class H&G Huggins year value / (colour) size description printer specimen type notes
post card 2   1889 ½d   QV – Gold Coast key plate De La Rue D{2a}  
  3   1892 1d   QV – Gold Coast key plate De La Rue D{2a}  
  4   1892 1d + 1d   QV – Gold Coast key plate De La Rue D{2a}  
  5   1903 ½d   KEVII head De La Rue D{4}  
  6   1903 1d   KEVII head De La Rue D{4}  
  7   1916 ½d   KGV head De La Rue D{4}  
  8   1916 1d (red on buff)   KGV head – inscribed 'U P U' and '(CÔTE D'OR)' De La Rue D{4}  
  9   1920 1d (red on white)   KGV head – 'U P U' and '(CÔTE D'OR)' omitted De La Rue D{4}  
  10   1922 1d (brown)   KGV head De La Rue D{4}  
  11   1928 1d (brown)   KGV and Christiansborg Castle Harrison H{3}  
envelope B1   1899 1d   QV – Gold Coast key plate De La Rue D{4}  
  B2   1904 1d   KEVII head De La Rue D{4}  
  B3   1916 1d (carmine on cream)   KGV head De La Rue D{4}  
  B4   1926 1d (brown)   KGV head De La Rue D{4}  
  B5   1928 1d   KGV and Christiansborg Castle Harrison H{3}  
  B6   1931 1½d   KGV and Christiansborg Castle Harrison H{3}  
regist env C7 RP24(G)a 1902 2d + 1d G: 152 × 96 GB KEVII reg env with straight line opt McCorquodale GB16 1
  C7a RP24(H2)a 1902 2d + 1d H2: 225 × 100 GB KEVII reg env with straight line opt McCorquodale GB16 1
  C8   1904 2d + 1d F: 133 × 83 KEVII – square Gold Coast type De La Rue D{4r}  
  C9   1916 2d + 1d F: 133 × 83 KGV – square Gold Coast type De La Rue D{4r}  
  C11   1923 3d F: 133 × 83 KGV embossed De La Rue D{4r}  
  C11b   1923 3d G: 152 × 96 KGV embossed De La Rue D{4r}  
  C11d   1923 3d H: 202 × 127 KGV embossed De La Rue D{4r}  
  C12   1938 3d F: 133 × 83 KGVI embossed De La Rue D{9a}  
  C12a   1938 3d G: 152 × 96 KGVI embossed De La Rue – ??? not UPU

type image dimensions application
D{2a} 89–90 × 8½–9 overprinted diag TL to BR
D{4} 91½–93 × 8½–9 overprinted diag BL to TR
D{4r} as above 91½–93 × 8½–9 overprinted diag BR to TL (inverted) on reverse
D{9a} 41 × 4 overprinted diag TL to BR
GB9 14¾ × 2 handstamped horiz on stamp impression
GB16 15½ × 2¾ handstamped horiz on stamp impression
H{3} 57 × 8 overprinted diag BL to TR

Notes

1  Envelope printed by McCorquodale & Co, overprinted ‘GOLD COAST COLONY.’ by De La Rue. The decision to use overprinted Great Britain registered envelopes was made for reasons of economy. [to be revised]
2  The 1882 Great Britain 2d registered envelope with curl type 1, 9 dots in florets, size F (Huggins RP13 F Ab) with GOLD COAST COLONY embossed in white on black in an arc above the impressed stamp (H&G C1a) handstamped SPECIMEN type GB9 is listed by Samuel and Huggins. Only one example has been recorded, ex Samuel collection (illustrated above).

Acknowledgement

Compiled by Philip Levine.

References

Sacher, John [ed]. The Postal Services of the Gold Coast to 1901. The Royal Philatelic Society London, 2003.

Ensor, Michael [ed]. The Postal Services of the Gold Coast 1901–1957. West Africa Study Circle, Dronfield, Yorkshire, 1998.

Samuel, Marcus and Huggins, Alan. Specimen Stamps and Stationery of Great Britain. G. B. Philatelic Publications, Saffron Walden, Essex, 1980.

Huggins, Alan K. British Postal Stationery. The Great Britain Philatelic Society, London, 1970.

Last updated 25 May 2009

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