Page 53 - Sierra Leone to 1961 - The Collection
P. 53
The First Victorian Keyplate 1872 to 1896
1893 Halfpenny Provisional Overprint. Crown CA Watermark. Perf 14.
26 April 1894 - Pair of HALF PENNY provisional overprints on part envelope.
The stamps on this piece total 9½d, suggesting a franking of a triple rate letter of 3 x 2½d plus 2d registration fee.
1893 Halfpenny Provisional Overprint - Clandestine Printings
Single-line overprint Block of four showing loose type Poor alignment and
Ex Beale Ex Beale IENNY for PENNY
In 1894, official Government enquiries were held in Sierra Leone regarding the production of clandestine
printings of this issue. Post office employees and the official printers were both implicated; to satisfy demand
from philatelists, and also to make themselves a profit, the original overprint forme was re-assembled to
produce additional stamps. The contemporary reports include references to a special single-line overprint.
