Identifying the Barbados 1916 set issues is primarily a matter of determining the difference in various color shades which resulted as the stamps were reprinted during the course of the set's production.

Unlike modern stamps which are issued in the millions, sets like this one were issued very conservatively. This set was issued from 1916 until 1920. The 3/ issues of this set were issued in a quantity of 6,120 for the initial Deep Violet stamp from the 1916 printing, 6,240 for the Green and Deep Violet issue of 1917, and 2,040 for the Green and Bright Violet printing of 1919.

The quantities printed are from "The Stamps of Barbados" by Edmund A. Bayley. Mr. Bayley indicates that there were from one to six printings of values from this set. Some of the printings resulted in color differences which are listed in some of the catalogues.

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. The descriptions are from the Commonwealth catalogue, but I have also included the Gibbons descriptions below them since when is disagreement about the color shades between the two catalogues.

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