Following the first Elizabethan stamps, which were printed on Tudor Crown paper, the watermark was changed to St. Edward’s Crown paper after damage to the Tudor Crown dandy roll in early 1955. One new value was issued on this paper: 5s in 1955, and three stamps that skipped Tudor Crown printings were re-issued: 1d, 1½d, and 1s.
Postage Dues continued to be printed in letterpress by Harrison & Sons on sheet-fed machines, giving the possibility of inverted watermarks.
Sideways
Sideways-inverted
Watermarks shown as seen from the front of the stamp.
| ½d | Orange | 16 July 1956 |
| 1d | Violet-blue | 7 June 1956 |
| 1½d | Green | 13 Feb 1956 |
| 2d | Agate | 22 May 1956 |
| 3d | Violet | 5 Mar 1956 |
| 4d | Blue | 24 Apr 1956 |
| 5d | Brown-ochre | 23 Mar 1956 |
| 1s | Ochre | 22 Nov 1955 |
| 2/6 | Purple/Yellow | 28 June 1957 |
| 5/- | Scarlet/Yellow | 25 Nov 1955 |
All except the 1d and 5d are known sideways-inverted.
Only one used 2d sideways-inverted is known (Stoneham).
Varieties
Q for O
Stop after Three
Tail to 2Click the images to enlarge.
“Q” for “O” in “POSTAGE” occurs at row 1/1.
Stop after “THREE” occurs in several positions, mainly row 1.
Tail to “2” occurs at row 11/10.
The 1d is known bisected at: Beswick, Manchester (1958); Huddersfield (1956); London SE (1957).
The 2d is known bisected at: Eynsham, Oxford (1956); Garelochhead, Helensburgh (1956); Harpenden (1956); Hull (1956); Kingston on Thames (1956); Leicester Square, London WC (1956); London WC (1956).
The 3d is known bisected at: London SE (1957).
The 4d is known bisected at: Poplar, London E (1958).
Covers
