Montserrat
King George V
Multiple Script CA Issues

Updated - October, 2017
 

Identifying stamps from Montserrat King George V issues watermarked Multiple Script CA is a matter of sorting between the two watermark options: Multiple Crown CA (MCA) and Multiple Script CA (MSCA), and then determining the color shades for many of the lower values. This set of stamps replaced the previous Multiple Crown CA watermarked paper beginning in 1922. This set was used until it was replaced with the King George VI stamps beginning in 1938.

If you have trouble determining the watermarks on these stamps, try looking at them face down against black paper. The stamps watermarked Multiple Crown CA will have sans serif letters with a crown that is narrow and straight edged. The Multiple Script CA watermark has cursive letters and a crown that is more rounded. See the images of the two watermarks below for reference. They are shown as normally seen from the back.

Once you have determined the watermark, the next step is to sort the colors. Color shades can be difficult to sort, especially when you only have a couple of stamps to compare. They typically occur when the stamps are printed after the initial printing. Today we have computer color matching, but during this time it was done by hand with components that might differ from the original ink formula. I like to place the stamps against black and then white paper and view them under a strong light. The images shown attempt to show the colors, but they do not show them as well as viewing the stamps in person. So use the images as relative indicators.

Unlike modern stamps which are issued in the millions, definitive sets from this time period were issued very conservatively. I do not have the printing details, but it would be safe to assume the 5/ issue was printed in a quantity of less than 30,000 based on other issues of this time period.

The catalog numbers are from the 1980 Commonwealth Five Reigns Catalogue (CW), 2013 Stanley Gibbons Stamp Catalogue SG) and the 2011 Scott catalog (ST). The description is from the Commonwealth Catalogue. Please contact Bridger & Kay to obtain a copy of this publication. You can access the other publishers using the "Links to British Colonial Stamp Sites" at the bottom of this page.

The images were saved in a larger size and at a higher resolution so you can more easily see the details used in sorting them. Please be patient if it takes a few minutes for this page to load.

       
   
  Watermark
Multiple Crown CA
Watermark
Multiple Script CA
 
       
CW G22 - SG 63 - ST 54
1/4d Chocolate
CW G23 - SG 63 - ST 54
1/4d Brown
CW G24 - SG 63 - ST 54
1/4d Deep Brown
CW G25 - SG 63 - ST 54
1/4d Dull Brown
       
CW G26 - SG 64 - ST 55
1/2d Green
CW G27 - SG 64 - ST 55
1/2d Dull Green
CW G28 - SG 65 - ST 56
1d Violet
CW G29 - SG 65 - ST 56
1d Reddish-Violet
       
CW G30 - SG 66 - ST 57
1d Carmine
CW G31 - SG 67 - ST 58
1-1/2d Orange
CW G32 - SG 67 - ST 58
1-1/2d Pale Orange-Yellow
CW G33 - SG 68 - ST 59
1-1/2d Carmine
       
CW G34 - SG 68 - ST 59
1-1/2d Rosine
CW G35 - SG 68 - ST 59
1-1/2d Scarlet
CW G36 - SG 69 - ST 60
1-1/2d Red-Brown
CW G37 - SG 69 - ST 60
1-1/2d Chestnut
       
CW G38 - SG 70 - ST 61
2d Grey
CW G39 - SG 70 - ST 61
2d Greenish-Grey
CW G40 - SG 71 - ST 62
2-1/2d Deep Bright Blue
CW G41 - SG 71a - ST 62
2-1/2d Pale Bright Blue
       
CW G42 - SG 72 - ST 63
2-1/2d Orange-Yellow
CW G43 - SG 73 - ST 64
3d Dull Blue
CW G44 - SG 73 - ST 64
3d Pale Dull Blue
CW G45 - SG 74 - ST 65
3d Purple
Yellow Paper
       
CW G46 - SG 75 - ST 66
4d Black &
Red
Pale Yellow Paper
CW G47 - SG 75 - ST 66
4d Grey-Black &
Red
Pale Yellow Paper
CW G48 - SG 76 - ST 67
5d Dull Purple &
Olive
CW G49 - SG 77 - ST 68
6d Pale Purple &
Bright Purple
       
CW G50 - SG 78 - ST 69
1/ Black
Emerald Paper
CW G51 - SG 79 - ST 70
2/ Purple &
Blue
Blue Paper
CW G52 - SG 80 - ST 71
2/6 Black &
Red
Blue Paper
CW G53 - SG 81 - ST 72
3/ Green &
Violet
       
   
  CW G54 - SG 82 - ST 73
4/ Black &
Scarlet
CW G55 - SG 83 - ST 74
5/ Green &
Red
Pale Yellow Paper
 
       

This article was written to help you identify your stamps.
Please feel free to ask a question, or include a correction.

Comments or Questions feel free to write
 
Classic Montserrat Stamps for sale based on the identification from this article.
       
Index to KGVI Stamp Description Web Sites
       
Links to British Colonial Stamp Sites