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1885–1913 / Heritage
Queen Victoria ½d · CA watermark C resembling O
Queen Victoria ½d · malformed C in CA watermark
Only this release range is established; the individual issue year remains unverified.
The story behind the issue
A watermark-form variety in which the C of CA bends round to resemble a small O, expressly described on the 1885 halfpenny.
Technical details
- Issuing authority
- Malta Post Office
- Postal purpose
- Postage
- Currency
- GBP pre-decimal
- Stamp format
- Watermark form variety
- Designer
- Not documented
- Printer
- Not documented
- Printing process
- Not documented
- Stamp dimensions
- Not documented
- Perforation
- 14
- Watermark
- Crown CA, malformed C resembling O
- Paper
- Not documented
- Colour
- Not documented
- Quantity
- Not documented
Sources & verification
Partially verifiedSéfi specifically assigns the malformed watermark to the halfpenny: the C of CA is bent into an O-like form. This is a defect of the watermark shape, not a different printed inscription, new denomination or separately named paper issue. Bounds are base availability in 1885 and known existence by the 1913 handbook, not a dated production sequence. Watermark orientation, shade, gum and first appearance are unestablished; ordinary front illustrations cannot authenticate the defect.
Research notes: The 1885 heading anchors the base design only. The individual stamp's bounded date does not claim that the defective watermark was issued in 1885.
Image & attribution
Image permission not established
One explicitly reported watermark-form variety. No additional inverted or reversed combination is assumed.
In the same issue
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