George VI Era Cochin - Mostly Used

Hi rod222 !
Thanks for the welcome and also for the appreciative comment about our place. This makes me think that you have already been there. I was there last month and that is how I got my recent lot of "Cochins". Thanks and regards
Thomas

Welcome from me, too Thomas: you've made an excellent choice with Cochin!

Your stamp is SG 79; Gibbons prices is at £4 used. You're right that it's perf 11. With a little practice, you won't need to measure the gauge, because you'll be able to tell just by looking at the stamp that it's perf 11, not 13x13½.

Stamps with 'O' numbers have the Official On C G S overprint, like this



which is SG O67

And do post some more of your Cochin. Rod and I would like to see them!

Hi tonymacg

Thanks for the prompt response.
OK - here comes....
I read in your post about MRVIII (1932-41) 2 annas O56b and O56ba.

I think these fit the bill....?







Thanks and Regards

Sorry to be the bearer of sad tidings, Thomas, but you have copies of SG 59 and SG O45.

SG O56ba would have to be on the lithographed version of the 2 Annas, but both your 2 Anna stamps are recess printed. Here are the recess printed 2 Anna, SG 59, and the lithographed Service overprinted 2 Anna, SG O56b. (I'm sorry I can't manage a mint copy of the SG O56b - they're catalogued at £80 each )



If you compare the recess printed stamp on the left and the litho stamp on the right, you'll see that the recess print is more 'three-dimensional' in effect, while the litho printing is much 'flatter'. Much of the fine detail has been lost in the litho printing.

Another help in determining the SG number is the shape of the overprint. In your stamp, the O in the "On' is quite round and the 'N' does not have serifs, making it overprint Type O6, but the litho printed stamps were never overprinted with Type O6. The litho 2 Annas were only overprinted with Types O9 (the 'N' of "On' has serifs) or Type O10 (with the flat, oval 'O' as in my example above).

Hi tonymacg

Thanks very much for the details given and the effort for explaining everything to an amateur. In fact I got about 400 stamps when I visited my place last month. I am in the process of sorting them with the help of SG catalogue as well as your posts

Meanwhile one more - MKVIII 1946-48 - 3 annas unused



Thanks and regards
Thomas

you are singing praises of the blue planet? what about the rest of the galaxy. we never hear you praising vulcan these days?

Now you're talking, Thomas! A very nice stamp indeed that 3 Annas mint. I'll happily admit I don't yet have it: I only have it used. Mint it's the most expensive stamp in that Kerala Varma III set, at £75. (Used, it's £1 )

If you have any more copies, do look for this nice coloured flaw from the corner of the Maharaja's mouth down into the left corner of the value tablet:



It only occurs once in the sheet of 48 stamps of the 3 Anna value. I was incredibly lucky to find this example, used on a registered postcard:

Hi

Images of MKVIII 1946-48 stamps with me.






Missing : 2 annas and 3 anna 4 pies

Regards
Thomas

Hi tonymacg

Thanks for the encouraging news on the 3 anna mint SG115.

Thomas

Tony is complainign about not having mint stamps. a closet mint collector :)

Thomas, good hunting with the 2 Annas and 3 Annas 4 Pies. They're the second and third most expensive stamps in the set: £70 for the 3 Annas 4 Pies, and £65 for the 2 Annas. I don't have either of them myself. The 3 Annas 4 Pies is actually rarer used than mint (£375 used). This is understandable. It was only released in 1950, not very long before the Travancore-Cochin Anchal was closed.

Incidentally, your 2 Pies is the rarer Die II stamp (£2.75 used, against 15p for the Die I). Here are the two Dies together, with Die II at left, and Die I at right:

I'll take what I can get - especially when the mint are so much more expensive than the used . The 2 Annas is £2.50 used and the 3 Annas is £1.

Incidentally, a Cochin item on ebay (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI...80517614893) closed overnight. It was a MUH single of SG 91. This is a pair of the same stamp (also MUH) from my own collection



It went for £33.01, which is £5.01 over full Gibbons catalogue price. I'd say Cochin is running pretty hot!

Hi tonymacg

That is good news - about the Cochins become hot
So I made a proper decision.
Meanwhile scans of the MKVII 1941-43 in my collection is on.
Will post them as soon as possible.

Further - my other interest is in British India - Q Victoria, KEd, KGV, KGVI ..... pls let me know if any thread for these exist over here...

Thanks and regards

Thomas

Hi
Ok - here are the MKVII







Thomas