SUID-AFRIKA with a Hyphen
Updated - March 2013
The South Africa KGVI official issues were overprinted on stamps that were originally printed for general use in South Africa. Sorting the stamps is done by determining the difference between the characteristics of the original stamp and noticing the style of the overprint. This article is intended to show a collector how to figure them out. If you need help figuring out the stamps, please feel free to visit our companion site showing the unoverprinted KGVI stamps.
The catalog numbers are from the 2008 Commonwealth Catalogue (CW), the 2011 Stanley Gibbons Stamp Catalogue (SG) and the 2011 Scott catalog (ST). The overprint type is our description, and not the one shown in the catalogs.
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.
Please note - the scope of this web page is to identify the basic issues as described in the major catalogs. Tthere are additional color and perforation varieties to this issue. They have been left out in order to simplify the sorting process. Please consult the South African Stamp Colour Catalogue for more detailed lisings.
Scans marked "Courtesy of Bob Hisey" are from "The Officials of South Africa" by R. Hisey and I. Mathieson. For details on this publication please email bobhisey@comcast.net. This book is to be published in 2014. Additional assistance in creating this web page was provided by Murray Payne, and by Barry Moerke. Without their guidance, the identifications could not have been made.
on CW 3 - 1/2d Grey & Green
on CW 4 - 1/2d Grey & Green
on CW 14 - 1/2d Grey & Green
on CW 14 - 1/2d Grey & Green
on CW 25 - 1/2d Sepia-Grey & Green
on CW 25 - 1/2d Sepia-Grey & Green
on CW 5 - 1d Grey & Red
on SG 56i - 1d Grey & Bright Rose-Carmine
on CW 28 - 1-1/2d Bright Gold & Slate-Green
on CW 28A - 1-1/2d Yellow-Buff & Grey-Green
on CW 36 - 1-1/2d Bright Gold & Slate-Green
Overprint is 14.5MM apart
on CW 36 - 1-1/2d Bright Gold & Slate-Green
Overprint is 16MM apart
on CW 7 - 2d Blue & Violet
on CW 20A - 2d Slate & Violet
on CW 20B - 2d Slate & Bright Violet
on CW 10 - 6d Green & Vermilion - Type 1
on CW 10C - 6d Green & Vermilion - Type 2
on CW 10D - 6d Green & Vermilion - Type 3
on CW 11 - 1/ Brown & Chalky-Blue
on CW 33 - 1/ Sepia & Slate-Blue
on CW 13 - 5/ Black & Green
on CW 23A - 10/ Blue & Blackish-Brown
on CW 13 - 5/ Black & Green
on CW 23 - 10/ Deep Blue & Sepia
on CW 4 - 1/2d Grey & Green
on CW 36 - 1-1/2d Yellow-Buff & Blue-Green
on CW 37 - 2d Slate-Blue & Plum
Scan courtesy of Bob Hisey
on CW 8 - 2d Grey & Purple-Lilac
on CW 36 - 1-1/2d Yellow-Buff & Blue-Green
Scan courtesy of Bob Hisey
on CW 4 - 1/2d Grey & Green
on CW 25 - 1/2d Sepia-Grey & Green
on CW 5 - 1d Grey & Red
on CW 26 - 1d Grey & Magenta-Rose
on CW 27 - 1d Grey-Black & Carmine
on CW 36 - 1-1/2d Yellow-Buff & Blue-Green
on CW 37 - 2d Slate-Blue & Plum
on CW 32 - 6d Green & Red-Orange
on CW 32A - 6d Green & Brown-Orange
on CW 33 - 1/ Sepia & Slate-Blue
on CW 33A - 1/ Sepia-Black & Deep Violet-Blue
on CW 34 - 2/6 Green & Brown
on CW 13A - 5/ Black & Blue-Green
on SG 122- 5/ Black & Pale Green
on CW 47 - 5/ Black & Yellow-Green
on CW 23B - 10/ Ultramarine & Grey-Black
This article was written to help you identify your stamps. Please feel free to ask a question, or include a correction.