Rhodesian Admirals - Die I and Die II

The Die I & Die II Admirals

The Die I Stamps:

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Die I stamps are bi-colored stamps with the un-shaded ear. Issued in 1913, these stamps were released at the same time the shaded ear mono-colors were issued. To differentiate between the obviously different ear dies, these were originally called the Die II stamps in the literature. These new bi-colored stamps exist in both perf 14 (SG 209-214) and perf 15 (SG 215-218). While there are no frame shades given catalogue status, one can find distinct frame shade varieties, especially among the 6d. stamps. The 8d. value is quite rare in either perforation as only two or three sheets were printed.

The Die II Stamps:

The literature states that the un-shaded ear die may have been an inadequate design since a revision was ordered before the release of the Die I stamps. This revision called for shading to be added to the ear and engraved lines to be added to the cap. The Die II stamps now superficially resembled the Plate 1 head die used to print the first ½d. and 1d. mono-colors. In fact, the same plate that was used to produce the Die I bi-colors was employed to print the Die II stamps bearing the same denominations as the Die I stamps.

Eventually, two additional plates were created. The 1/- value was printed from Plate 2 while the 2/6, 3/-, 5/-, 7/6, 10/-, and the £1 stamps were printed from Plate 3. With the exception of the 3d. and 2/- stamps, the remaining values can be found perforated 15. Most are quite scarce thus.

The 2d. stamp:

The catalogue lists two distinct frame shades. The gray shade, SG 219, is on the left. SG 220 is the brownish gray shade. SG 244, the perf 15 stamp has the same frame as SG 219.

The 3d. stamp:

The catalogue lists three distinct frame shades. The deep yellow shade, SG 221, is on the left. SG 222, the yellow shade, is the middle stamp while SG 223, the buff shade, completes the trio. This value was not perforated 15.

The 4d. stamp:

The catalogue lists three distinct frame shades. The orange-red shade, SG 224, is on the left. SG 225 is the deep orange-red shade. SG 245, the perf 15 stamp, has a deep orange-vermilion frame and is quite rare.

The 5d. stamp:

The catalogue lists two distinct frame shades. The gray-green shade, SG 226, is on the left. SG 227 is the bright green shade. This value was not perforated 15.

The 6d. stamp:

The catalogue lists two distinct frame shades. The mauve shade, SG 228, is on the left. SG 229 is the purple shade. This value was not perforated 15.

The 8d. and 10d. stamps:

The catalogue lists two distinct frame shades for the 10d. stamps with no distinction made for the 8d. stamps. SG 230, violet and green, is on the left. SG 246, the perf 15 stamp, is listed as having the same colors. SG 231, blue and carmine-red is shown while SG 247, is listed as blue with a red frame.

The 1/- stamp:

The catalogue lists two distinct frame shades. The greenish blue shade, SG 232, is on the left. SG 233 is the turquoise-blue shade. The perf 15, SG 248, has the same colors as SG 232.

The 2/- stamp:

The catalogue lists two distinct frame shades. The brown shade, SG 234, is on the left.
SG 235 is the scarce yellow-brown shade. Note the deeper head color. Printings in this shade were usually sent to Northern Rhodesia or Northwest Rhodesia, formerly distinct areas within the BSAC. This value was not perforated 15.

The 2/6- stamp:

The catalogue lists two distinct frame and head shades. SG 236, indigo and gray-brown, is on the left.
SG 236a with the pale blue head plate on the right, is quite scarce unused possibly owing to its use in N. Rhodesia.
The perf 15, SG 249, bears the same colors as SG 236.

The 3/- stamp:

The catalogue lists three distinct frame shades and two head shades. SG 236b, brown and blue, is on the left. SG 250, chocolate and blue, is the right stamp and is perf 15. SG 237 (not shown) is chestnut and bright blue.
SG 250 is a scarce stamp.

The 5/- stamp:

The catalogue lists two distinct frame shades. The yellow-green shade, SG 238, is on the left. SG 239 is the blue-green shade. The perf 15 stamps, SG 251 and 251a respectively , have the same colors as their perf 14 companions.
SG 251a is a rare stamp.

The 7/6 and 10/- stamps:

The catalogue lists no distinct frame or head shades for the 7/6 stamp, SG 240 and the perf 15, SG 252. Both are blackish purple and slate-black. However, there are two distinct frame and head shades found on the 10/- stamps. SG 241,(above, perf 14), is listed as crimson and yellow-green. SG 253, (below, perf 15), is red and green.

The £1 stamp:

The catalogue lists three distinct frame shades. For the perf 14 stamps (above), the purple shade, SG 242, is on the left. SG 243 is the violet shade. Below are the perf 15 stamps. SG 254, with a purple frame, is the left stamp. SG 254a is the deep purple shade. Both are quite scarce.

Used high value stamps:

More often than not, a high value Admiral would have been used for revenue purposes. As a result, these stamps will often have cancellations in purple ink. Some will have manuscript cancels while others will be perfined. With a little practice, one can soon pick out revenue cancellations from typical town cancels. Citizens would pay taxes, court fees, license fees, mining fees, and the like, usually with the 5/-, 7/6, 10/-, and £1 stamps. These were often affixed to a document and cancelled with an oval canceller as shown below. Low face value stamps are also found with revenue cancellations.

While it is possible to find high value stamps with true postal cancellations, many believe these were "favor" cancels. The 5/- stamp is commonly found bearing a town cancel and in all likelihood was once affixed to a heavy parcel. However, parcels would have had to be quite heavy to have a higher value stamp on it. The likely scenario would have been this: A postal customer purchases a high value stamp, puts it on an envelope and has it neatly cancelled by the postmaster. The letter may have been mailed or simply kept by the owner. Either way, the letter is philatelic.

Die III