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The Monarchies of Malaya through their stamps

Within modern Malaysia, there are nine monarchs at any given time. Eight rule over the individual States. The ninth, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (‘He who is made Lord’) is an elective monarch, chosen from one of the eight by their peers for a period of five years, as Head of State for Malaysia.Malaysian issues of the States’ monarchies are infrequent and, ever since the Malayan ‘small heads’ issue of 1949–51, have mostly followed a common design (e.g. 1957–62 pictorials, 1965 Orchids, 1971 Butterflies, 1985–86 Agri-horticulture and 2007 Garden Flowers). The limited exception to this rule is for the installation (coronation) of a Sultan and Silver Jubilees, etc., of their rule. … [Read More] “The Monarchies of Malaya through their stamps”

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Postal Fraud in the Modern Era

Over the past 50 years or so the Post Office has gone through numerous developments in order to streamline the flow of mail and to cut costs. Unfortunately, as the Post Office developed new practices and embraced new technology, so too have those people eager to defraud it of valuable revenue.

Over the past few decades there have been several key changes in the way that the post office operated.

… [Read More] “Postal Fraud in the Modern Era”

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Saint Lucia: The Provisional overprints of 1891 and 1892

Following the reduction of the postal rate to the UK and British Empire on 1 January 1891, demand for 1d. and ½d. stamps increased dramatically in the colonies. While waiting for new stocks to arrive from the Crown Agents, Saint Lucia found itself dangerously short of these values and so existing stamps were ordered to be overprinted locally to meet the shortfall. Alister Kinnon, a member of the British West Indies Study Circle, talks us through this provisional issue.

For such a small island there is a lot of interest to be had in Saint Lucia for a philatelist. The first stamps had no values shown, were printed by two different companies and in different colours, and later overprinted with face values before being replaced with the standard De La Rue key type, some of which were modified by overprinting, as outlined here. … [Read More] “Saint Lucia: The Provisional overprints of 1891 and 1892”

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The Comoro Islands: Part 1

The Comoro Islands have been known of as a group since about the fifth century, but while individual islands had their own stamps for a while, the first combined issue did not appear until 1950, and for 36 years before that they issued no stamps at all. What’s the story? And most importantly, where in the world are they? … [Read More] “The Comoro Islands: Part 1”

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Antigua 1937 – Then and Now

A former British Crown Colony, at that time Antigua was administered by a Governor supported by a Secretariat. The Governor was responsible to the Colonial Office in London, which was controlled by the Secretary of State for the Colonies on behalf of the British Government. Following the death of King George V on 20 January 1936, and the abdication of his son, Edward, on 10 December 1936, Edward’s brother, Bertie, became King George VI. As the date of Edward’s Coronation had been set for 10 May 1937, there was no opportunity to change this ceremonial timetable for King George VI’s Coronation, which left little time for the preparation and printing of a new set of definitive stamps.

… [Read More] “Antigua 1937 – Then and Now”

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