Stamp Questions

This section of the Virtual Stamp Collection is dedicated to helping stamp collectors identify stamps that are not easily found in standard catalogues. If you have information about the stamps pictured below, share your knowledge with your fellow collectors by sending an email to the address that follows. If you have a mysterious stamp, send a .jpg image of the stamp to the same address and see if a philatelic web surfer can assist you. I cannot guarantee that all questions will be posted or that there will be an answer to every question and I cannot certify the accuracy of the answers that will be received but I hope that this will be a useful forum for sharing information about stamps.

1. Can anybody tell me what C.M.B. stands for on this commercial overprint on this Straits Settlement stamp? (Casper Boks has posted a similar overprint on an Indian stamp on his web site.) - Derrick Grose (2005-05-21)

2. What is the date of issue of this overprinted Chinese revenue stamp and what is the translation of the overprint? How would this revenue stamp have been used? - Derrick Grose (2005-05-21)

3. France established a postal service in Cochin China in 1862 when it assumed control of the eastern provinces after a military campaign that had begun with a punitive expedition against Saigon in 1859. In 1886 France began issuing distinctive stamps for the territory. Was this Straits Settlements issue of 1882 used in error by a traveller? - Derrick Grose (2005-07-06)

Straits Settlements stamps cancelled with French postmarks are not uncommon, they are usually from mail boats belonging to French shipping lines calling at Penang and Singapore. - Michael Briggs (2005-08-09)

4. What is the story behind this overprint on the unissued Ukrainian definitives of 1920? - Derrick Grose (2005-07-18)

Click on the image to see full document.

5. I noted a fair number of war tax issues in your virtual stamp collection and thought perhaps it might be worthwhile to ask if you might know where to locate a little more information on an item I have acquired. Attached is a scan of the item, including a 6d revenue. If you have any ideas where I might do a bit of research on this, I would welcome the suggestions. - Norma L. Nielson, Ph.D., CLU (2006-01-31)

6. I would appreciate information on this surcharged stamp from Flensburg which I would assume was issued during the inflationary period early in the 1920's.

7. Mary Cox asks for assistance identifying this. Is it a semi-postal or a label?
Since there isn't a country of origin or a denomination on this item, it seems most likely that this is a label. Can anybody help by identifying the country of origin and time period? - Derrick Grose (2008-11-30)

NO IMAGE
8. I have come across a stamp supposedly of Jamaica similar to the A3 design of Cape of Good Hope, the A41 design of Victoria. While the design is shifted some to the right margin/edge, the female figure appears to be in center of stamp like the A3 and A41 mentioned, not like A13 Jamaica. Even the tablature is the same as A3, A41. It is in the violet/purplish range, but is washed out, as if the ink were one of those Dutch New Guinea WW2 issues with the fugitive ink, though the cancel is solid. Kingston, some time around 1880. Stamp is not in Scott, and is not in Forbin Revenue. Any idea what this item might be? Thanks. - Larry Toomey
I could not see a scan attached to your email but I wonder, from your description, if the stamp might be a Jamaica customs stamp. The design attached was issued imperf. in 1855, perf. 14 in 1857 and with a Crown CC watermark in in 1874 with a 3d denomination in violet in each case. It is listed in the Barefoot British Commonwealth Revenues catalogue. If anybody has a better match to the description, please let us know! - Derrick Grose (2009-12-09)

Backward

Virtual Stamp Collection
Index

Forward

	1. Can anybody tell me what C.M.B. stands for on this commercial overprint on this Straits Settlement stamp? (Casper Boks has posted a similar overprint on an Indian stamp on his web site.) - Derrick Grose (2005-05-21)
	2. What is the date of issue of this overprinted Chinese revenue stamp and what is the translation of the overprint? How would this revenue stamp have been used? - Derrick Grose (2005-05-21)
	3. France established a postal service in Cochin China in 1862 when it assumed control of the eastern provinces after a military campaign that had begun with a punitive expedition against Saigon in 1859. In 1886 France began issuing distinctive stamps for the territory. Was this Straits Settlements issue of 1882 used in error by a traveller? - Derrick Grose (2005-07-06) Straits Settlements stamps cancelled with French postmarks are not uncommon, they are usually from mail boats belonging to French shipping lines calling at Penang and Singapore. - Michael Briggs (2005-08-09)
	4. What is the story behind this overprint on the unissued Ukrainian definitives of 1920? - Derrick Grose (2005-07-18)
Click on the image to see full document.	5. I noted a fair number of war tax issues in your virtual stamp collection and thought perhaps it might be worthwhile to ask if you might know where to locate a little more information on an item I have acquired. Attached is a scan of the item, including a 6d revenue. If you have any ideas where I might do a bit of research on this, I would welcome the suggestions. - Norma L. Nielson, Ph.D., CLU (2006-01-31)
	6. I would appreciate information on this surcharged stamp from Flensburg which I would assume was issued during the inflationary period early in the 1920's.
	7. Mary Cox asks for assistance identifying this. Is it a semi-postal or a label? Since there isn't a country of origin or a denomination on this item, it seems most likely that this is a label. Can anybody help by identifying the country of origin and time period? - Derrick Grose (2008-11-30)
NO IMAGE	8. I have come across a stamp supposedly of Jamaica similar to the A3 design of Cape of Good Hope, the A41 design of Victoria. While the design is shifted some to the right margin/edge, the female figure appears to be in center of stamp like the A3 and A41 mentioned, not like A13 Jamaica. Even the tablature is the same as A3, A41. It is in the violet/purplish range, but is washed out, as if the ink were one of those Dutch New Guinea WW2 issues with the fugitive ink, though the cancel is solid. Kingston, some time around 1880. Stamp is not in Scott, and is not in Forbin Revenue. Any idea what this item might be? Thanks. - Larry Toomey I could not see a scan attached to your email but I wonder, from your description, if the stamp might be a Jamaica customs stamp. The design attached was issued imperf. in 1855, perf. 14 in 1857 and with a Crown CC watermark in in 1874 with a 3d denomination in violet in each case. It is listed in the Barefoot British Commonwealth Revenues catalogue. If anybody has a better match to the description, please let us know! - Derrick Grose (2009-12-09)