Identifying the Dominica King Edward VII watermarked Crown CC issues is primarily a matter of determining the watermark, and then sorting between ordinary and chalk paper plus a few color changes. The design was used from 1903 until it was replaced with a new design in 1923. You will find it printed on paper with three different watermarks, Crown CC, Multiple Crown CA, and Multiple Script CA. This article deals only with the issues watermarked Crown CC, which were printed from 1903 to 1907.

If you have trouble determining the watermarks on these stamps, try looking at them face down against black paper. The stamps watermarked Crown CC will appear sideways (except for the 5/ issue which was printed upright). When viewed from the back, the CC will be at the right side of the paper. The image below shows the way it should appear when viewed with the stamp placed face down.

Most of the KEVII chalk paper issues do not react to the silver test, but that is not true for the stamps watermarked Crown CC. A piece of silver will leave a mark on this type of chalk paper. It looks like a pencil line. If you prefer not to leave a mark on your stamps, you can also rub your finger across the face of the stamp. It will move smoothly over chalk paper, and will feel some resistance over the ordinary paper. For the record, chalk paper is really just paper with a coating which helps the ink be applied more effectively. It tends to leave a better quality impression and in many cases also will seem a little shiny when looked at under a good light source.

Unlike modern stamps which are issued in the millions, definitive sets in the early 1900's were issued very conservatively. The 5/ printing from this set was issued in a quantity of 2,520 stamps, and only 1,920 the 1/ issues on chalk paper were printed.

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.

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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.