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The First Issue of The Straits Settlements |
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| BY TAY PENG HIAN RDP, FRPSL |
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The Straits Settlements comprising the three Settlements of Penang, Malacca and Singapore, became a British Crown Colony on April 1, 1867. The payment of postage was still in the Indian currency of anna and rupee which was changed to dollars and cents on September 1, 1867. (For an account of postage stamps used in the Straits Settlements prior to 1867, please refer to my article "The 1854 I mperforate Issues of India Used I n Straits Settlements" published in the 1980 edition of the Singapore Philatelist.) As early as January 1864, a request for issuing a definitive set for the Straits Settlements entering into the colony era was made, but it was not until December 1866 that action was taken, when it was realized that it would be too late to be ready and available for the September 1, 1867 occasion. A provisional issue was then hurriedly prepared and appeared on September 1, 1867.
The first provisional issue was executed by overprinting five values of the then East Indian 1865 and 1866 stamps ('elephant's head' watermark) with a CROWN and the new values surcharged in Cents.
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Five values of the
Indian Stamps used
(overprinting with CROWN
& Surcharging in Cents) |
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In transformation to become
the Straits Settlements'
First Provisional issue |
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| 1865 |
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½ Anna, blue
1 Anna, brown
2 Annas, yellow
8 Annas, rose |
| 1866 |
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4 Annas, green |
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1½ Cents
2, 3, 4 Cents
6, 8, 32 Cents
24 Cents
12 Cents |
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The first provisional issue consisted of nine denominations; namely, 1½, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24 & 32 Cents, and was classified as S.G. No. 1 to S.G. No. 9 in the Stanley Gibbons British Commonwealth Catalogue. (The details of the birth of this issue was well documented in Dr. Wood's book "Straits Settlement Postage Stamps"). The first provisional issue was rather short-lived, as it was replaced in December the same year by a permanent definitive issue of nine values, some of which appeared a little later in 1868, with the last (a 30-cent stamp) in December 1872. This article, however, made an attempt to elaborate on the beauty and scarcity of the first provisional issue, as well as the types of cancellations used during that short period.
This issue is generally scarce in fine condition, particularly in strips and blocks which are considered rare.
1½ Cents - This value is common in single mint condition and a good used copy with cancellation is not easy to find. It is much more difficult to find it used on cover as there was very little use for this value. There are only two covers known that are affixed with the 1½-cent stamps. |
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