Bought a straits settlements stamp

After staying off my hobby for some time, my passion has been reignited again.  I just bought a straits settlements stamp for $25 over Ebay.  Not certain whether it is a wise purchase or not since it could be an impulse buy.

Straits Settlements Stamps - Stamps of India Overprinted

The Straits Settlements was actually a group of territories in Southeast Asia established in 1826 under the British East India Company.  In 1867, it became a crown colony and came under direct British control.  While Indian stamps were used prior to 1867, with the status of it becoming a crown colony, new stamps had to be issued.  In the interim however, stamps of India overprinted with a crown and the stamp value of "cents" instead of "annas" was used. In a sense, these can be considered the first official postage stamps that were distinctively "created" for the Straits Settlements (since the previous stamps used were stamps from India) by overprinting it with the new values.

The set contained a total of 9 stamps with  values of 1 1/2cents, 2 cents, 3 cents, 4 cents, 6 cents, 8 cents, 12 cents, 24 cents and 32 cents).  However, only 5 different Indian stamps were used.  These 5 stamps were the 1/2 anna, 1 anna, 2 annas, 4 annas and 8 annas stamp.  The stamps were differentiated by different coloured ink overprints as well as different values:

•  1/2 anna blue was used for the 1 1/2 cents.
• 1 anna brown was used for the 2 cents, 3 cents and 4 cents
• 2 annas yellow was used for the 6 cents, 8 cents and 32 cents
• 4 annas green was used for the 12 cents
• 8 annas rose was used for the 24 cents 

For the overprints, the colors used were as follows:

• Red for 1 1/2 cents, 2 cents and 12 cents
• Blue for 3 cents and 24 cents
• Black for 4 cents and 32 cents
• Purple for 6 cents
• Green for 8 cents

An example of one of the stamps that I have bought off Ebay showing the 1 1/2 cents stamp(with the overprints in red depicting the crown that sits on Queen Victoria's head and the three half cents value of the stamp) is shown below:

1867 Stamp of India, Overprinted (Perforation 14 and Elephant's Head watermark)

As this overprinting on Indian stamps  was really an interim measure (the new stamps were printed by the end of 1867), not many of these stamps were produced.  An estimate of the printed quantity for the various stamps is shown below:

• 1 1/2 cents - 40,000
• 2 cents - 96,000
• 3 cents - 96,000
• 4 cents - 32,000
• 6 cents - 24,000
• 8 cents - 144,000
• 12 cents - 24,000
• 24 cents - 80,000
• 32 cents - 64,000

The 12 cents and 6 cents are considered rarer and are harder to find.  

It is also not always true that the mint stamp is more expensive than the used stamp.  For example, the 1 1/2 cent stamp was hardly used at all so the used stamp is much more expensive than a mint stamp.  This is one of the reasons that there were actually some amendments made to the 1 1/2 cents during the period of 1867 onwards where the "THREE HALF" was deleted with a "2" written above it.  In the subsequent set of stamps issued, there was also no 1 1/2 cents value stamp anymore.

Fiscally Used Straits Settlements Stamps

Part of my senseless buying rampage of stamps over Ebay includes the purchase of these fiscally used stamps featuring two beautiful judicial cancellations on a King George V 25 cents, $1 and $2 stamps.  It seems that there were holes punched into these stamps too to render them used.  Since these stamps were used as revenue stamps, they are really quite worthless in the philatelic sense but people still do purchase them off Ebay.  I think the beauty of them really lies in the judicial cancellation.

Straits Settlements Queen Victoria 1883-1891 Definitive Stamps

Just bought an entire lot of Straits Settlements stamps off Ebay and one of the sets includes the Straits Settlements QV Definitive II from 1883-1891.  Have the 2c, 4c, 5c, 6c, 24c and 32c USED.  Please see the scan below.

As I have some duplicates, was thinking that it was possible to actually perhaps sell the extra ones off Ebay.  However, I am not so sure about paying a listing price when there is no confirmation that anyone will actually buy these stamps.

Queen Victoria Straits Settlements Stamps

Look what just arrived in my mail box.  A lovely set of 4 stamps from the Straits Settlements era from various Queen Victoria definitive set.  Seriously, I can't really tell the difference between all the various definitive especially for the King Edward VII sets.  They all look the same to me.  Anyway, here is a scan of the stamps:

I believe the top row (from left) is a 1882 Queen Victoria Definitive 1(b) 8 cents and 10 cents. This is followed by the carmine rose "THREE CENTS" surcharge on 32 cents.  The last stamp is a 1892-1899 Queen Victoria Definitive III 3 cent brown colored stamp.

Do let me know if I got my stamps correctly defined.

Straits Settlements 1867

The first issue of the Straits Settlements stamps took place on 1 Sept 1867 and the stamps used were basically Indian stamps that were overprinted with the crown and the different rate of postages (See example here) .  It comprise a set of 9 stamps featuring 1 1/2 cents, 2 cents, 3 cents, 4 cents, 6 cents, 8 cents, 12 cents, 24 cents and 32 cents.

Of these, I think the 6 cents and 12 cents are pretty rare as I do not seem to be able to find them on eBay.  A quick check on some catalogue prices on the internet also seem to suggest that the entire set of 9 used stamps command a price of almost S$2000!

Have been trying desperately to get my hands on this as this is afterall the first issue of Straits Settlements stamps or the first stamps of Singapore when it was formed into the Straits Settlements together with Penang and Malacca.  Every collection has to start somewhere and my Singapore collection has to start with this Sept 1867 issue of 9 stamps.

I did a rather quick research on Ebay (based on the final bidding prices or buy it now prices) to check some of the prices of these stamps:

3 cents used =  US$54.08 (16 bids)
4 cents used  = US$74.26 (20 bids)
8 cents used  = US$35.00 (Buy it now price)
24 cents used = US$24.99 to US$40.34 (Buy it now price) OR $67.80 (17 bids)
32 cents used = US58.12 (12 bids)

Hope it is useful reference for all.  Apparently, the Ebay prices are going for much lower than the catalogue prices.

Straits Settlements Stamps 1885 and 1892 Surcharge

This are 2 Straits Settlements stamps that I bought some time back. Apologise for the lousy scan as it was done through a stock sheet and there was another protective covering inside the stock sheet so the image is not very clear.

The first stamps is an 1885 stamp 3 cents surcharge on 32 cent pale magenta.

The second stamp to the right is an 1892-1894 3 cents surcharged on a 32cents carmine-rose stamp.

Bought both of these stamps off ebay at the price of USD$4.50.