Identifying the Dominica
King George VI Stamps 1938 Set

August, 2010

The King George VI stamps of Dominica include two sets, we will focus on the first set which was printed by Waterlow & Sons. A 1/4d value was added to the set in 1940 and was produced by Harrison and Sons. This article deals only with the Waterlow printings.

The Waterlow sets tend not to be as popular with collectors as the De La Rue sets primarily because it is difficult to tell the printings from one another. Generally speaking, the Waterlow sets tend to have been perforated 12-1/2 and other than color and gum differences, there is not much variation. So if you want to identify the Dominica printings, you are going to have to compare colors and the look of the paper and gum.

When comparing paper and gum to determine the approximate date of printing, I recommend using both black and white paper as a comparison. Rather than using natural light, I prefer twin spotlamps with 60 watt soft white bulbs which are mounted on opposite sides of my desk. This allows me to see the details fairly well. Also, when sorting stamps, it is preferable to obtain as many copies as possible. This will allow you to make a comparison and statistically give you enough samples that you are not looking at one printing.

The scans shown below are from Dominica stamps that I have sorted. These descriptions are as seen from the back against black paper as compared to other printings of the same stamp. Ideally as you sort your stamps, you will be able to notice the broad variations in the paper and gum. Then use the details below to help determine the printings. You should expect to see the creamy color of the first printing, the off-white color of the 1944-1946 printings, and the brighter white of the later printings. Then sort based on the color descriptions and the visibility of the watermark. The 1942 printing is fairly scarce, so you may not find an example of it in your collection.