1913/24 King’s Heads

In my opinion, one of the most attractive King George V issues of the whole of the British Commonwealth, this issue can provide the collector with a myriad of options for collecting.  Once you have a basic set then the next step would be to add a range of shades, especially for collectors of mint.  Many values also come with inverted watermarks, though the 5s & 10s values are rare.  Beyond this are stamps with the marginal plate number attached, available in singles, pairs, and strips of three or blocks. Booklet panes of six in ½d, 1d, 1½d & 2d values would add a further degree of specialisation.  Look out for panes or single stamps with partial tete-beches, these being caused by uneven cutting in the manufacture of panes for stamp booklets.  Often a sliver of the adjoining stamp is visible, but upside down!  There are many fun varieties to be found.  Some are constant, often progressing as the plate wears through use; others are one-offs and can be quite spectacular.

For the used collector, postmarks on this issue are best collected in blocks or multiples due to the small format of the stamp.  Also, look out for stamps used in Basutoland, Bechuanaland, Swaziland or South West Africa.  The low values can be found, but values of 3d and above can be elusive.