1883-84 Lilacs and Greens

Introduction

The Customs and Revenue Act of 1881 had the aim of unifying the stamps used for postage and revenue purposes. The design and production for these took place over a period time and in the interim the 1d. Venetian Red and the 1d. Receipt stamps were permitted to be used for both purposes. The 1d. Lilac was issued in July 1881 as the first unified stamp. The continuing process for other stamp values was delayed while consideration was given to unification matters associated with fugitive inks, parcel post and telegraph use. Previous stamp designs printed in Lilac and surcharged 3d. and 6d. in carmine were issued in January 1883 as a stop gap.

The unified set of stamps was issued on 1st April 1884, while the 9d. value was issued earlier on the 1st August 1883. Together these 1O stamps were referred to as the "Lilacs & Greens" Issue. The issue had a relatively short usage. They were replaced by similar values with the issue on 1st January 1887, subsequently known as the "Jubilee" stamps as their release coincided with the 50th year of the Reign of Queen Victoria.

This 16‑page display illustrates various aspects of the Lilacs & Greens issue such as Die Proofs for the Small Head of Queen Victoria, two Dies, 2½d and 9d, with impossible corner letters, Dies of 1½d, 3d, 6d, ls, also a 4d and one of a 5d from Die 1 and another from Die 2, Imprimaturs, 'Specimen' overprints, imperforate copies, inverted watermarks, a perforation 12 trial, colour trials, a cancellation trial, and official overprints for- use by the Inland Revenue and on Government Parcels.

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1883-84 Lilacs and Greens

Introduction

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