May I put forward three queries relating to the following stamps? First S.G.8a and 8b. I believe that the existence of those surcharges was known and commented on soon after the date of their issue as given in the catalogue. If so, where can this be found end how were they described? Has anything further ever been discovered about them? Incidentally S.G.8b 6d. on 4d. indigo must be one of the major rarities in British West Indian stamps and I can only suppose its "unissued" status accounts for its comparatively low catalogue value.
Secondly S.G.50, the 1/- dull mauve and red (Die 2) of De La Rue Key Type issue. I have a copy of this stamp with the nameand value in orange. The Colour is exactly the same as in the 5/- value and though one is tempted to say the colour of the 1/- has faded or changed in some way, I am sure this is not so. Has anyone a similar specimen and if so is he equally convinced this is a genuine variety or error of colour?
Thirdly S.G.55. The surcharge here has always been unsatisfactory; smudges and so-called 'doubles' are common and all too easily capable of misrepresentation. Nor is this all, a page in my album shows a number of stamps with both damaged and completely missing letters the surcharge in one case reading "ON PENN" with not a trace of the "E" or "Y". Feeling that there must be some reason for this I showed the page to a wise and knowledgeable philatelist who not only evinced no surprise but claimed that without great difficulty the rest of the letters could be completely removed or perhaps it would be better to leave one letter intact just to show which stamp it was. It is obvious that either the ink of the surcharge or the surface of the stamp or both make this operation possible and I would be grateful if someone could divulge the complete answer to why this particular surcharge is such a bad sticker. Fortunately the genuine double which must, of course be well apart, and the rare inverted surcharge remain unaffected."
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