Definitives From Around The World

I see there are a few members here who enjoy collecting
definitives also called regular issues as compared
to commemoratives or special issues.
These were and are the workhorses for carrying the mail.

Even though a lot of the sets have the same design throughout
the whole series, usually heads of states, the different
colours make a page of them really stand out.

I will start of with the Denmark's wavy line definitives.
One of the longest running same design definitive series
ever and new values are still being issued.

The design was first used in 1905, printing via typography.
Designer:J. Therchilsen

Below is Scott 61 issued in 1912




They were redrawn in 1933, hearts have been removed, numerals are in
double line oval but now they are line engraved.
Engraver:Johannes Britze

Scott 223 1933




Below are the mint ones I have, hopefully someone here can add more.





Here is link to a site which shows all the examples.http://www.frimindeks.dk/Denmark/wavy%20line.html

This is a good idea for a thread. Commemoratives get all the glory, but definitives do the heavy lifting.

Here are a couple with a twist on the Denmark theme, from Danish West Indies:





And a George V for good measure, from Southern Nigeria:

I like those early bi coloured typography ones.

The Coat of Arms Danish (Three Lions ) definitive series started in 1946
and still going strong.

Designer : Primus Nielsen

Engraver : Johannes Oppenheuser

Scott 504

















Scott 806

i hate to admit how many of my stampcollecting years I looked down my nose on definitives..actually I think it was my wife that reminded me they were part of a country collection also ! This is a small representation of the Argentina Belgrano/ San Martin definitive series of the 1970's ! where does the time go ??

Just shows again Phil. You should always listen to the better half.

At least that's what I've been told.

It might not have been much...but I think I once had a mind of my own !!

I like many definitive series, because if you like a design you get to see it in a range of different colours.

BTW, regarding the first stamp, I never realised that they were hearts! I thought they looked odd, but never tried to work out what they were.

Jim, you're right about these so called hearts.

I would have thought they look like water droplets.

Anyway I think the designer Hr. Therchilsen would be well please
to know that people still discuss his design a hundred years later.

Definitives don't have to be all the same design either. Here are a couple of sets I just placed into stock pages.

Some recent definitives from Guernsey:


Some recent definitives from Alderney:

Regards, Robert

Edit: Re-uploaded images.

Great idea for a thread litho.
I've been intrigued by the variations in seemingly the same stamps.
Here are two King George V from Jamaica 1929-32




The George on the left is Type I. Horizontal shading under the name Jamaica.



On Type II, diagonal cross shading has been added.



And when young George VI ascended, his definitives didn't look a whole lot different. The royal apple didn't fall far from the tree.
1938-51




And some colour variation later in 1951.

Those are nice. What a colourful page they make.

Absolutely right. I think one reason for the continuous
same design series years ago was the fact that they just didn't have
the fast modern printing capabilities we now have.
Stamps can now be produced from inception to issue in a couple of days.

Trainwreck, those Guernsey and Alderney are just too colourful.
Defintives are supposed to be monochrome at the most bi-coloured
and always very drab.

Are you sure they're not commems ?


James, your Jamaicans are a perfect example of reusing the same design.
Just delete one head and add another.

Canada 2007 - 2010 Beneficial Insects, low value definitives.

Sir Charles Vyner Brooke, 1932, engraved issue, printed by Waterlow. Proof that it is good to be king (so to speak). Sarawak is full of almost uniformly attractive definitives.


Cyrenaica, 1950, also engraved by Waterlow:


1951 Sudan ibex, typographed:


A somewhat fancier definitive from St. Lucia, with a design error (spelling of Columbus):


A Seychelles definitive with a too-light cancel:


And last for now, a Germania overprinted for Danzig, and cancelled at Oliva, site of a Cistercian abbey, and by now a suburb of Gdansk:

Finland "Arms of the Republic" definitives have 51 Scott numbers and was issued between 1917-29.





The left 40p blue green is type I (thin numerals),issued in 1926, and has a multiple swastika watermark. Question-How in the heck did a swastika symbol end up on a Finnish stamp?

The right 40p blue green type II (thick numerals), issued in 1928, has a post horn watermark.

O.K., I am finnished.