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Europe/Great Britain : A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

 

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roy
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BuckaCover.com - 80,000 covers priced 60c to $1.50 - Easy browsing 300 categories

04 Apr 2012
08:58:36pm
This very popular issue causes a quite a bit of confusion, but it's really quite simple to identify one from another. There are four different issues (except there is only one 1 pound green)

Here's a way to tell one from another!

First of all, neither perforation gauge not watermark detector will help. All the issues are perf 11 x 12, and all are watermarked Crown and GvR (Scott wmk #34). So where to start?

The easiest path is to start with the latest issue and work backwards.

The last issue (Scott #222-24) is the easiest to tell. It is called the "Waterlow re-engraved issue". Look at this picture:

Image Not Found

The Waterlow re-engraved issue of 1934 (Scott 222-4) has a cross-hatched background behind the king's head. All the others have only horizontal lines. If your's is cross hatched, you've identified it! If it has horizontal lines, more investigation is necessary.

Ok, so you have horizontal lines -- could still be one of three issues. Look at this picture.

Image Not Found

See the dot in the top center of the stamp in back? If your stamp has one, you have identified it. Only the Bradbury Wilkinson (BW) printing of 1919 has the dot (Scott #179-181). If the dot is there, it's definite, but not all the BW stamps have the dot! so the absence of the dot proves nothing!

No dot? Check the vertical dimension, from outer frame-line to outer frame line. The BW stamps are 22 3/4mm. If that's yours, you have Scott #179-81 -- dot or no dot! The remaining two possibilities are only 22mm. The difference doesn't sound like much, but if you have a good perf gauge, it should have a precise millimeter scale, and the difference is obvious. These pictures are not to scale!!

So your stamp is 22mm high! (It had better be at this point, or you missed something!) Still two choices -- the two earliest printings. Scott #173-176 was printed by Waterlow Brothers & Layton Printing in 1913. Scott #173a-75a was printed by De La Rue & Co.

Look at this picture:

Image Not Found

Now you look at the perfs. De La Rue (#173a-75a) has two big teeth top right and top left, plus smaller perf holes. This is the trickiest step and a reference copy would help a lot. But look at a few and you will soon see the difference.

Now go to your local stamp club and be the expert!

Roy

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StampCommune

04 Apr 2012
09:13:52pm
re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

Learn something new everyday. You make it so simple Roy.
Thank you.
Grant

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lpayette
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05 Apr 2012
01:09:42am
re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

Thanks Roy,Very helpful
Lee

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LiberianTriangle
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05 Apr 2012
02:06:52am
re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

wow, I've got one these stamps.... I'm eager to measure it now! thank you for this post, its so fun to learn something new about a "plain old stamp" I've owned for ages.

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alyn
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webmaster for the ISWSC http://iswsc.org and ATA http://www.americantopicalassn.org

05 Apr 2012
08:28:24am
re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

Thanks Roy.

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"http://iswsc.org - http://www.americantopicalassn.org"

alynlunt.com/
DRYER
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The past is a foreign country, they do things different there.

05 Apr 2012
03:25:07pm
re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

Roy:

I do not (yet) have these stamps but have printed your tutorial and filed it with my "just in case" papers.

Thanks for the education.

John Derry

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Andrejs
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06 Apr 2012
09:58:21am
re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

This is so simple that even I can follow it. Thanks so much!

Andrew

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""If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice." Rush"
CapeStampMan
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Mike

06 Apr 2012
11:30:25am
re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

Thanks for that information Roy. It certainly helps simplify a sometimes boring task.
I don't recall having ever seen a "dot" on any of the stamps that I have gone through, and, so this will really aid in the identification of them.

Mike

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"It's been three years now, since I joined a support group for procrastinators. We haven't met yet..."
nigelc
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07 Apr 2012
11:33:31am
re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

Very useful Roy! Thanks.

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oldtriguy1960
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07 Apr 2012
01:10:14pm
re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

Wow,

Very interesting and I don't even collect GB!

Dave N.

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pre1940classics

08 Apr 2012
07:12:32pm
re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

Thank you Roy! Definitely one of my favorite Great Britain issues!

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roy
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08 Apr 2012
07:18:23pm
re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

@pre1940classics

Mine too! I just bought these:

Image Not Found
(Waterlow re-engraved Scott 222-24)

Can hardly wait until they arrive!

Roy

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pre1940classics

09 Apr 2012
10:20:50pm
re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

Nice color and centering, esp. on the 10' since that is the priciest piece!

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PeatedMike
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24 May 2021
08:40:04pm
re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

Excellent tutorial! Thank you Roy!

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StampCollector
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25 May 2021
08:44:33am
re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

Indeed very thorough information, thanks a million!

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www.webstore.com/~stampcollector1
Gudgie

P!ease ask by private message if you wish my home address.

25 May 2021
06:00:36pm
re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

Great information on a subject I've spent hours trying to properly understand. Thanks Roy for simplifying it for all of us.

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Zipper
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Dogs are my favorite people. I hang with this one as often as I can.

25 May 2021
06:36:58pm
re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

Best info I've ever seen here. I'll bet Lacey taught you that.

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rrraphy
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Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant

25 May 2021
10:35:41pm
re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

Thanks for the reminder. We have so many good tips, analyses and information buried in old discussion posts. Oh how I wish they could all be indexed and searchable. Great info Roy!
rrr...

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"E. Rutherford: All science is either physics or stamp collecting."
        

 

Author/Postings

BuckaCover.com - 80,000 covers priced 60c to $1.50 - Easy browsing 300 categories
04 Apr 2012
08:58:36pm

This very popular issue causes a quite a bit of confusion, but it's really quite simple to identify one from another. There are four different issues (except there is only one 1 pound green)

Here's a way to tell one from another!

First of all, neither perforation gauge not watermark detector will help. All the issues are perf 11 x 12, and all are watermarked Crown and GvR (Scott wmk #34). So where to start?

The easiest path is to start with the latest issue and work backwards.

The last issue (Scott #222-24) is the easiest to tell. It is called the "Waterlow re-engraved issue". Look at this picture:

Image Not Found

The Waterlow re-engraved issue of 1934 (Scott 222-4) has a cross-hatched background behind the king's head. All the others have only horizontal lines. If your's is cross hatched, you've identified it! If it has horizontal lines, more investigation is necessary.

Ok, so you have horizontal lines -- could still be one of three issues. Look at this picture.

Image Not Found

See the dot in the top center of the stamp in back? If your stamp has one, you have identified it. Only the Bradbury Wilkinson (BW) printing of 1919 has the dot (Scott #179-181). If the dot is there, it's definite, but not all the BW stamps have the dot! so the absence of the dot proves nothing!

No dot? Check the vertical dimension, from outer frame-line to outer frame line. The BW stamps are 22 3/4mm. If that's yours, you have Scott #179-81 -- dot or no dot! The remaining two possibilities are only 22mm. The difference doesn't sound like much, but if you have a good perf gauge, it should have a precise millimeter scale, and the difference is obvious. These pictures are not to scale!!

So your stamp is 22mm high! (It had better be at this point, or you missed something!) Still two choices -- the two earliest printings. Scott #173-176 was printed by Waterlow Brothers & Layton Printing in 1913. Scott #173a-75a was printed by De La Rue & Co.

Look at this picture:

Image Not Found

Now you look at the perfs. De La Rue (#173a-75a) has two big teeth top right and top left, plus smaller perf holes. This is the trickiest step and a reference copy would help a lot. But look at a few and you will soon see the difference.

Now go to your local stamp club and be the expert!

Roy

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like this post.
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"BuckaCover.com - 80,000 covers priced 60c to $1.50- 10,000+ new covers coming Tuesday June 1"

www.Buckacover.com
StampCommune

04 Apr 2012
09:13:52pm

re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

Learn something new everyday. You make it so simple Roy.
Thank you.
Grant

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lpayette

05 Apr 2012
01:09:42am

re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

Thanks Roy,Very helpful
Lee

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LiberianTriangle

05 Apr 2012
02:06:52am

re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

wow, I've got one these stamps.... I'm eager to measure it now! thank you for this post, its so fun to learn something new about a "plain old stamp" I've owned for ages.

Like
Login to Like
this post

webmaster for the ISWSC http://iswsc.org and ATA http://www.americantopicalassn.org
05 Apr 2012
08:28:24am

re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

Thanks Roy.

Like
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this post

"http://iswsc.org - http://www.americantopicalassn.org"

alynlunt.com/

The past is a foreign country, they do things different there.
05 Apr 2012
03:25:07pm

re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

Roy:

I do not (yet) have these stamps but have printed your tutorial and filed it with my "just in case" papers.

Thanks for the education.

John Derry

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"Much happiness is overlooked because it doesn't cost anything. "

parklanemews@gmail.c ...
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Andrejs

06 Apr 2012
09:58:21am

re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

This is so simple that even I can follow it. Thanks so much!

Andrew

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""If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice." Rush"
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CapeStampMan

Mike
06 Apr 2012
11:30:25am

re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

Thanks for that information Roy. It certainly helps simplify a sometimes boring task.
I don't recall having ever seen a "dot" on any of the stamps that I have gone through, and, so this will really aid in the identification of them.

Mike

Like
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this post

"It's been three years now, since I joined a support group for procrastinators. We haven't met yet..."
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nigelc

07 Apr 2012
11:33:31am

re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

Very useful Roy! Thanks.

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oldtriguy1960

07 Apr 2012
01:10:14pm

re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

Wow,

Very interesting and I don't even collect GB!

Dave N.

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pre1940classics

08 Apr 2012
07:12:32pm

re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

Thank you Roy! Definitely one of my favorite Great Britain issues!

Like
Login to Like
this post

BuckaCover.com - 80,000 covers priced 60c to $1.50 - Easy browsing 300 categories
08 Apr 2012
07:18:23pm

re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

@pre1940classics

Mine too! I just bought these:

Image Not Found
(Waterlow re-engraved Scott 222-24)

Can hardly wait until they arrive!

Roy

Like 
2 Members
like this post.
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"BuckaCover.com - 80,000 covers priced 60c to $1.50- 10,000+ new covers coming Tuesday June 1"

www.Buckacover.com
pre1940classics

09 Apr 2012
10:20:50pm

re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

Nice color and centering, esp. on the 10' since that is the priciest piece!

Like
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this post
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PeatedMike

24 May 2021
08:40:04pm

re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

Excellent tutorial! Thank you Roy!

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StampCollector

25 May 2021
08:44:33am

re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

Indeed very thorough information, thanks a million!

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www.webstore.com/~st ...
Gudgie

P!ease ask by private message if you wish my home address.

25 May 2021
06:00:36pm

re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

Great information on a subject I've spent hours trying to properly understand. Thanks Roy for simplifying it for all of us.

Like
Login to Like
this post

Dogs are my favorite people. I hang with this one as often as I can.
25 May 2021
06:36:58pm

re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

Best info I've ever seen here. I'll bet Lacey taught you that.

Like
Login to Like
this post

Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
25 May 2021
10:35:41pm

re: A short tutorial on Great Britain Seahorse issues

Thanks for the reminder. We have so many good tips, analyses and information buried in old discussion posts. Oh how I wish they could all be indexed and searchable. Great info Roy!
rrr...

Like
Login to Like
this post

"E. Rutherford: All science is either physics or stamp collecting."
        

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