GB Overprints Society

Postal context

Although Morocco used a system of internal “Cherifien” mail from 1892, much local mail and all international mail was carried by foreign postal services. This led to a number of competing offices in the main towns (especially the ports) run by Germany, France, Spain, and the United Kingdom; for many years, non-Europeans were not allowed to set up shop other than in certain designated ports. At first the British post offices were run by the Gibraltar postal agency effectively treating the country as a sub-office of Gibraltar. The first overprinted stamps and stationery were therefore those of Gibraltar simply overprinted “Morocco Agencies” (1898), retaining their Spanish currency.

When control of the Morocco Agencies was transferred from Gibraltar to London on 1 January 1907 the overprinted Gibraltar stamps and stationery were replaced by British issues with a Spanish currency overprint. At first they were used in British post offices throughout Morocco. In 1917, as a result of the 1915 postal tariff agreement between the Cherifien post and the French, it was decided that the British offices in the French zone would require payment in French currency[1]. This was the area of south west Morocco. Consequently stamps and postal stationery for use in the French zones were overprinted in French currency; until then the offices had issued stamps overprinted with Spanish currency.

In 1924 an international agreement set up Tangier as the Tangier International Zone. Until then the town had used British stamps and stationery overprinted “MOROCCO AGENCIES” with Spanish currency overprints (along, of course, with issues by the French and Spanish postal agencies for their own offices). However it was not until 1927 that British stamps overprinted “TANGIER” were issued, and until 1948 the issues were confined to the lowest values.

In 1950 the GPO permitted the use in the UK of any overprinted stamps or postal stationery (of any vintage) which did not alter the face value. The provision cards for Tangier registration envelopes give numbers for some returns to London, so if sold on to dealers they could in theory be found with British postmarks, but none have been seen for this study (UK usage of Tangier-overprinted postage stamps returned to London is, on the other hand, very common).

The presence of foreign post offices in Morocco was not purely about a desire to give overseas postage facilities to residents, it was also about control and diplomatic and trading imperatives. Several British post offices operated during the period in which overprinted British items were used. The earliest British mail operated between Gibraltar and Tangier and Tetuan dates from May 1778, when the first regular organised postal service with Morocco under the control of the Governor of Gibraltar was inaugurated; an actual postal agency opened in 1857 in Tangier. In 1872 control of the Tangier postal agency was transferred from London to Gibraltar. British post offices or agencies are known to have operated as follows:

Spanish Zone

Alcazar                     1907 to 1916

Laraiche                   March 1886 to 30 June 1938 (also spelt Larache)

Tetuan                      1880 to 31 December 1956

Mequinez                 1907 to 1916

French zone of influence

Casablanca:              1 January 1887 to 14 August 1937

Fez                           24 February 1892 to 8 January 1838

Fez Mellah               1909 to about 1930

Marrakesh                1909 to 14 August 1937

Marrakesh Mellah    1909 to 1917

Mazagan                   1 March 1888 to 14 August 1937 (the main port for Marrakesh)

Mogador                   May 1887 to 31 October 1933

Rabat                        March 1886 to 8 January 1838

Saffi                         1 July 1891 to 14 August 1937

Tangier (later Tangier International Zone)

Tangier                     1 April 1857 to 30 April 1957

Other post offices were opened by Spain, France and Germany, partly to facilitate trade with other countries as well as for internal mail.

Although stamps were also overprinted “MOROCCO AGENCIES” without change from sterling currency, these were for transactions in which the postal staff applied the stamps direct to the items (typically parcels, airmail and postal orders) without passing them to the customer; there was therefore no need to indicate the local currency.

Use of unoverprinted items

In early June 1937 two of the main offices, Tangier and Tetuan used unoverprinted British stamps[2]. Tangier received its own overprinted stamps and registration envelopes on 1 January 1949, though the most commonly used low value stamps (½d, 1d, 1½d), and some commemorative stamps, were also issued overprinted “TANGIER” in the intervening years.

The French currency overprints

Although British postal stationery overprinted for Morocco Agencies in French currency is very scarce, similarly overprinted British postage stamps are mostly very plentiful. By 1917 the British Post Office service in Morocco was well established, serving ten towns through 12 post offices, Fez and Marrakesh each having two. The British post offices at Alcazar and Mequinez had been closed as an economy measure late in 1915, but further closures were not at that time contemplated. However, the remaining British post offices in the French Zone were facing very stiff competition from the French Moroccan post offices. The French, and to a considerably lesser extent the Spanish, were investing to build up efficient postal services for their respective Protectorates, where they expected to remain in power for many years. The position of the British Post Office was quite different.

The practical reasons for British post offices being in Morocco at all had largely disappeared when the French invaded in 1907 and French and Spanish Protectorates were declared in 1912. The British post offices, which were there for historical reason, and by right under the Anglo-French Agreement of 1904, now continued mainly for political reasons, as potential diplomatic bargaining tools. They had hardly ever made money and suffered from chronic under-investment and staff problems. By 1917 it was clear that where the French Moroccan postal service led the British would have to follow.

In 1917 both the Spanish Moroccan and French Moroccan Post Offices demanded that payments from their customers be made in Spanish and French currencies respectively, rather than, as hitherto, in the old Moroccan currency, Hassani pesetas. In September the GPO in London decided that the British post offices in the French Zone would have to follow suit and charge for their services in French currency, as soon as the necessary overprinted stamps and postal stationery could be made available. It seems that in the event Hassani currency continued to be accepted by the British post offices in the Spanish Zone. In December 1917 the use of pesetas / centimos overprinted Morocco Agencies overprints in the French Zone was discontinued, and these were replaced with francs / centimes overprinted stamps and postal stationery.

It is likely that there was a very short period during which pesetas / centimos overprinted stamps remained valid for prepayment of postage from the French Zone, but no examples are recorded after 1 January 1918. The change to French currency facilitated bringing postage rates at the British post offices in the French Zone into line with those charged by the French Moroccan Post, and keeping them aligned in the face of wartime currency fluctuations. The British GPO recognised that it would not be appropriate to compete for general business on price at a time when both the French Moroccan Post and the French Government were urging compliance with the postage rates increase by the former earlier that year, but the Agencies’ preferential rates to Britain and British Colonies were retained.

The rate of exchange implied by the centimes overprints was 24 French francs to the pound. In 1918 the actual exchange rate was 25 to the pound, but it fell to 40 to the pound in 1919 and 58 to the pound in 1920. The depreciation of the franc, which continued with short interruptions for the duration of the time there were British post offices in the French Zone, meant a continual reduction in revenue in sterling terms and a strong reliance on the French Moroccan Post Office increasing its postage rates. The continuing depreciation of the franc meant that revenue at the British post offices in the French Zone, when expressed in sterling terms (the currency in which, of course, the GPO accounts were kept) lagged behind those at the other British post offices in Morocco. Since revenue for the French Moroccan Post Office was in local currency there was limited incentive for rate increases, these being largely driven by rate changes in France in response to UPU decisions. The shrinking revenue from the British post offices was the reason why, when negotiations were completed in 1937 for the abrogation of British rights in the French Zone, these post offices were closed with some haste.

British currency

King Edward VII 1907-13

Printed by De La Rue (unless stated otherwise) in Recess

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
31	½d	Pale Yellowish Green	29/05/1907	47,280
32	1d	Scarlet	05/05/1907	46,560
33	2d (Chalky)	Green/Carmine	30/04/1907	35,040
34	4d (Chalky)	Green /Brown	29/05/1907	35,280
35	4d	Orange	March 1912	23,520
35a	4d	Orange Red	March 1912
36/a	6d (Chalky)	Pale Dull Purple	05/05/1907	34,800
37	1s (Chalky)	Green/Carmine	05/05/1907	17,960
38	2s6d	Pale Dull Purple	05/05/1907	6,944
38a	2s6d	Dull purple

Varieties	(SG №)	denomination	Variety
34.v1	34s	4d	Specimen Type 17
38.v1	38s	2s6d	Specimen Type 17

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(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
40	4d	Bright Orange	1913	24,000

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(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
41	2s6d	Dull Reddish Purple	1913	2,800

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King George V 1914-31

Printed by Harrison & Sons in Letterpress

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(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
42	½d	Green	1914
43	1d	Scarlet	1914
44	1½d	Red Brown	1921
45	2d	Red Orange (Die I)	1914
46	3d	Bluish Violet	1921
47	4d	Grey Green	1921
48	6d (Chalky)	Reddish Purple	1921
49	1s	Bistre Brown	1917

Varieties	(SG №)	denomination	Variety
45.v1		2d	Overprint Double, one albino
49.v1	49a	1s	Overprint Triple, two albino
49.v2	49s	1s	Specimen Type 23

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King George V 1925-36

Printed by Harrison & Sons in Letterpress

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
55	½d	Green	1925
56	1½d	Red Brown	1931
57	2d	Orange	1925
58	2½d	Blue	1925
60	6d	Purple	1931
61	1s	Bistre Brown	1925

Varieties	(SG №)	denomination	Variety
55.v1	55aw	½d	Watermark Inverted
60v.1	60a	6d	Overprint Double, one albino

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(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
55b	½d	Green	1934
58b	2½d	Blue	1932
59	4d	Grey Green	1936
60b	6d	Purple	1933
61b	1s	Bistre Brown	1932

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King George V High Values 1914-37

Printed in Recess by Waterlow Bros. & Layton, De la Rue and Bradbury Wilkinson

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
50 (Waterlow)	2s6d	Sepia Brown	1914
51 (De la Rue)	2s6d	Yellow Brown	1917
51c (De la Rue)	2s6d	Pale Brown
53 (BW)	2s6d	Chocolate Brown	1931
54 (BW)	5s	Rose Red	1931

Varieties	(SG №)	denomination	Variety
50.v1	50a	2s6d	Re-entry (R2/1)
50.v2	50b	2s6d	Overprint Double, one albino
51.v1	51a	2s6d	Overprint Double
51.v2	51b	2s6d	Overprint Double, one albino
54.v1	54s	5s	Specimen Type 23, Type 26
54.v2	52a	5s	Overprint Triple, two albino

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King George V Silver Jubilee 8th May 1935

Printed by Harrison and Sons in Photogravure

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
62	½d	Green	8/05/1935	72,000
63	1d	Scarlet	8/05/1935	51,600
64	1½d	Red Brown	8/05/1935	47,040
65	2½d	Blue	8/05/1935	57,840

Varieties
none

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King George V 1935-37

Lower values printed by Harrison & Sons in photogravure and higher values by Waterlow & Sons in recess.

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(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
66	1d (large format)	Scarlet	April 1935
	1d (small format)	Scarlet
67	1½d (small format)	Red Brown	28/04/1936
68	2d (small format)	Orange	01/05/1936
69	2½d	Ultramarine	11/02/1936
70	3d	Violet	02/03/1936
71	4d	Deep Grey Green	14/05/1936
72	1s	Bistre Brown	31/08/1936
73 (Waterlow & Sons re-engraved)	2s6d	Chocolate Brown	1935
74 (Waterlow & Sons re-engraved)	5s	Bright Rose Red	02/03/1935

Varieties	(SG №)	denomination	Variety
73.v1	573s	2s6d	Specimen Type 23, Type 26

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King Edward VIII 1936

Printed by Harrison & Sons in photogravure

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
75	1d	Scarlet	26/10/1936
76	2½d	Bright Blue	26/10/1936

Varieties
75a	15.25mm overprint
76a	15.25mm overprint

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King George VI 1949

Lower values printed by Harrison & Sons in Letterpress High values printed by Waterlow & Sons in Recess

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(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
77	½d	Pale Green	16/08/1949	43,483
78	1d	Pale Scarlet	16/08/1949	36,829
79	1½d	Pale Red Brown	16/08/1949	27,637
80	2d	Pale Orange	16/08/1949	28,644
81	2½d	Light Ultramarine	16/08/1949	30,422
82	3d	Pale Violet	16/08/1949	51,954
83	4d	Grey Green	16/08/1949	42,203
84	5d	Brown	16/08/1949	25,267
85	6d	Purple	16/08/1949	42,203
86	7d	Emerald Green	16/08/1949	29,474
87	8d	Bright Carmine	16/08/1949	24,548
88	9d	Deep Olive Green	16/08/1949	33,038
89	10d	Turquoise Blue	16/08/1949	28,864
90	11d	Plum	16/08/1949	29,345
91	1s	Bistre Brown	16/08/1949	30,910
92	2s6d	Yellow Green	16/08/1949	15,560
93	5s	Red	16/08/1949	13,751

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King George VI

New Colours printed by Harrison in Photogravure and high values in Recess by Waterlow & Sons

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(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
94	½d	Pale Orange	3/05/1951	52,227
95	1d	Light Ultramarine	3/05/1951	43,557
96	1½d	Pale Green	3/05/1951	34,563
97	2d	Pale Red Brown	3/05/1951	33,363
98	2½d	Pale Scarlet	3/05/1951	50,136
99	2s6d	Yellow Green	3/05/1951	21,033
100	5s	Red	3/05/1951	18,066

Varieties
None

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Queen Elizabeth II 1952-55

Printed by Harrison and Sons in Photogravure. Watermark Tudor Crown

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(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
101	½d	Orange Red	31/08/1953	198,720
102	1d	Ultramarine	31/08/1953	133,920
103	1½d	Green	05/12/1952	187,200
104	2d	Red Brown	31/08/1953	128,400
105	2½d	Carmine Red	05/12/1952	180,960
106	4d	Ultramarine	01/03/1955	119,040
107	5d	Brown	06/07/1953	118,080
108	6d	Reddish Purple	01/03/1955	117,360
109	8d	Magenta	06/07/1953	89,040
110	1s	Bistre Brown	06/07/1953	118,080

Varieties
None

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Queen Elizabeth II 1952-55 (St. Edwards Crown Watermark)

Printed by Harrison and Sons in Photogravure. Watermark St. Edward’s Crown

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(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
111	2½d	Carmine Red	10/09/1956	83,520

Varieties
None

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Spanish currency

King Edward VII, 1907

Printed by De la Rue in recess. Watermark Crown

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(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
112	5c on ½d	Pale Yellowish Green	01/01/1907	924,720
112a	5c on ½d	yellowish Green	01/01/1907
113	10c on 1d	Scarlet	01/01/1907	1,394,640
113a	10c on 1d	Bright Scarlet	01/01/1907
114	15c on 1½d (Chalky)	Pale Dull Purple and Green	01/01/1907	154,320
114a	15c on 1½d (Chalky)	Slate Purple and Bluish Green	01/01/1907
115	20c on 2d (Chalky)	Pale Green Grey and Carmine Red	01/01/1907	129,840
115a	20c on 2d (Chalky)	Pale Grey Green and Scarlet	01/01/1907
116	25c on 2½d	Ultramarine	01/01/1907	166,800
116a	25c on 2½d	Pale Ultramarine	01/01/1907
117	40c on 4d (Chalky)	Green and Chocolate Brown	01/01/1907	45,840
117a	40c on 4d (Chalky)	Deep Green and Chocolate Brown	01/01/1907
118	40c on 4d	Pale Orange	12/05/1910	23,520
118a	40c on 4d	Orange Red	12/05/1910
119	50c on 5d	Dull Purple and Ultramarine	01/01/1907	59,040
119a	50c on 5d	Slate Purple and Ultramarine	01/01/1907
120	1p on 10d	Dull Purple and Carmine	01/01/1907	23,520
120a	1p on 10d	Slate Purple and Carmine	01/01/1907
121	3p on 2s6d	Pale Dull Purple	01/01/1907	12,208
121a	3p on 2s6d	Dull Purple	01/01/1907
122	6p on 5s	Bright Carmine	01/01/1907	7,952
122a	6p on 5s	Deep Bright Carmine	01/01/1907
123	12p on 10s	Ultramarine	01/01/1907	5,488

Varieties	(SG №)	denomination	Variety
114.v1	114b	15c on 1½d	‘1’ of ’15’ omitted
117.v1	117s	40c on 4d	Specimen Type 17
120.v1	120b	1p on 10d	No Cross on Crown
123.v1	123s	12p on 10s	Specimen Type 17

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King Edward VII Harrison Printing

Printed by Harrison & Sons. Watermark Crown

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
124	25c on 2½d	Bright Blue	1912	48,000
124a	25c on 2½d	Dull Blue	1912

Varieties
None

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King Edward VII Somerset House Printing 1912

Printed by Somerset House in recess. Watermark Large Anchor

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
125	12p on 10s	Blue	1912	2,800

Varieties
None

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King George V 1912

Printed by Harrison & Sons in Letterpress. Watermark Crown

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(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
126	5c on ½d	Green	1912
127	10c on 1d	Scarlet	1912

Varieties
None

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King George V 1914

Printed by Harrison & Sons in Letterpress. Watermark Simple Cypher

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(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
128	3c on ½d	Green	1917
129	5c on ½d	Green	1914
130	10c on 1d	Scarlet	1914
131	15c on 1½d	Red Brown	1915
132	20c on 2d	Orange (Die II)	1914
133	25c on 2½d	Ultramarine	1914
134	40c on 4d	Grey Green	1917
135	1p on 10d	Turquoise Blue	1914
136	6p on 5s	Rose Carmine	1914
137	6p on 5s	Pale Rose Carmine	1914
138	12p on 10s	Indigo Blue	1914
139	3p on 2s6d	Grey Brown	1918
140	3p on 2s6d	Yellow Brown	1918
141	12p on 10s	Blue	1918
142	3p on 2s6d	Chocolate Brown	27/04/1926

Varieties	(SG №)	denomination	Variety
130.v1	130y	10c on 1d	Watermark inverted and reversed
131.v1	131a	15c on 1½d	Surcharge double, one albino
132.v1	132a	20c on 2d	Surcharge double, one albino
133.v1	133a	25c on 2½d	Surcharge double, one albino
133.v2	133w	25c on 2½d	Watermark inverted
134.v1	134a	40c on 4d	Surcharge double, one albino
135.v1	135a	1p on 10d	Surcharge double, one albino
136.v1	136a	3p on 2s6d	Surcharge double, one albino
136.v2	136b	3p on 2s6d	Surcharge triple, 2 albinos
136.v3	136s	6p on 5s	Specimen Type 23
137.v1	137a	6p on 5s	Surcharge double, one albino
137.v2	137b	6p on 5s	Surcharge triple, 2 albinos
138.v1	138a	12p on 10s	Surcharge double, one albino
138.v2	138b	12p on 10s	Surcharge triple, 2 albinos
138.v3	128s	12p on 10s	Specimen Type 26
139.v1	139a	3p on 2s6d	Surcharge double, one albino
140.v1	140a	3p on 2s6d	Surcharge double, one albino
141.v1	141a	12p on 10s	Surcharge double, one albino
141.v2	141var	12p on 10s	Misplaced overprint

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King George V 1925 – 31

Printer by Waterlow and Sons in Letterpress. Watermark Block Cypher.

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(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
143	5c on ½d	Green	03/01/1931
144	10c on 1d	Scarlet	04/11/1929
145	15c on 1½d	Red Brown	1925
146	20c on 2d	Orange	1931
147	25c on 2½d	Ultramarine	1925
148	40c on 4d	Grey Green	1930

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
146.v1	146a	20c on 2d	Surcharge double, one albino
147.v1	147a	25c on 2½d	Surcharge double, one albino
147.v2	147w	25c on 2½d	Watermark inverted
148.v1	148a	40c on 4d	Surcharge double, one albino

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King George V Silver Jubilee 8th May 1935 (Spanish currency surcharge)

Printed by Harrison & Sons in photogravure. Watermark Block Cypher

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
149	5c on ½d	Green	8/05/1935	81,000
150	10c on 1d	Scarlet	8/05/1935	42,960
151	15c on 1½d	Red Brown	8/05/1935	46,440
152	25c on 2½d	Blue	8/05/1935	58,440

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
150.v1	150a	10c on 1d	Pair, one with ‘CENTIMES’

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King George V 1935-37

Printed by Harrison & Sons in photogravure. Watermark Block Cypher

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
153	5c on ½d (small format)	Green	09/06/1936
154	10c on 1d (small format)	Scarlet	Nov 1936
155	15c on 1½d (Small & Large format)	Red Brown	Apr 1935
156	20c on 2d	Orange	26/10/1936
157	25c on 2½d	Ultramarine	08/09/1936
158	40c on 4d	Deep Grey Green	18/05/1937
159	1p on 10d	Turquoise Blue	14/04/1937

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
None

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King Edward VIII 26th October 1937

Printed by Harrison & Sons. Watermark KEVIII Cypher

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
160	5c on ½d	Green	26/10/1936
161	10c on 1d	Scarlet	26/10/1936
162	15c on 1½d	Red Brown	26/10/1936
163	25c on 2½d	Bright Blue	26/10/1936

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
161.v1	160a	10c on 1d red	15.25mm overprint

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King George VI Coronation 13th May 1937

Printed by Harrison & Sons. Watermark KGVI Cypher

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
164	15c on 1½d	Maroon	13/05/1937	1,782,100

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
None

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King George VI 1937-52

Printed by Harrison & Sons in photogravure. Watermark KGVI Cypher

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
165	5c on ½d	Green	11/6/1937	507,142
166	10c on 1d	Scarlet	11/6/1937	332,503
167	15c on 1½d	Red Brown	04/08/1937	316,234
168	25c on 2½d	Ultramarine	11/06/1937	319,884
169	40c on 4d	Grey Green	03/09/1940	95,866
170	70c on 7d	Emerald Green	Sept 1940	120,769
171	1p on 10d	Turquoise Blue	16/08/1949	28,864

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
None

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King George VI Centenary Issue 6th May 1940

Printed by Harrison and Sons in photogravure. Watermark KGVI Cypher

King George VI Silver Wedding 26/04/1948

Printed by Harrison and Sons in photogravure. Watermark KGVI Cypher

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
172	5c on ½d	Green	06/05/1940	543,155
173	10c on 1d	Scarlet	06/05/1940	289,467
174	15c on 1½d	Red Brown	06/05/1940	242,027
175	25c on 2½d	Ultramarine	06/05/1940	195,947

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
173.v1	173var	10c on 1d	Thicker overprint

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King George VI Silver Wedding 26/04/1948

Printed by Harrison and Sons in photogravure. Watermark KGVI Cypher

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
176	25c on 2½d	Ultramarine	26/04/1948	411,439
177	10c on 1d	Blue	26/04/1948	26,033

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
177.v1	177var	45p on £1	Misplaced Overprint

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King George VI Olympic Games 29th July 1948

Printed by Harrison and Sons in photogravure. Watermark KGVI Cypher

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
178	25c on 2½d	Ultramarine	29/07/1948	107,309
179	30c on 3d	Violet	29/07/19480	100,020
180	60c on 6d	Bright Purple	29/07/1948	94,278
181	1p20c on 1s	Brown	29/07/1948	93,304

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
179.v1	179a	30c on 3d	Crown Flaw
181.v1	181a	1p20c on 1s	Overprint Double

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King George VI 1951 -52

Printed by Harrison and Sons in photogravure. Watermark KGVI Cypher

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
182	5c on ½d	Pale Orange	03/05/1951	207,309
183	10c on 1d	Light Ultramarine	03/05/1951	124,321
184	15c on 1½d	Pale Green	03/05/1951	93,356
185	25c on 2½d	Pale Scarlet	03/05/1951	81,786
186	40c on 4d	Light Ultramarine	26/05/1952	63,799

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
None

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Queen Elizabeth II 1954-55

Printed by Harrison and Sons in photogravure. Watermark Tudor Crown

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
187	5c on ½d	Orange Red	01/09/1954	756,000
188	10c on 1d	Ultramarine	01/03/1955	346,320

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
None

---

Queen Elizabeth II 1956

Printed by Harrison and Sons in photogravure. Watermark St Edward’s Crown

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
189	5c on ½d	Orange Red	June 1956	347,760
190	40c on 4d	Ultramarine	25/08/1956	78,000

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
None

---

French currency

King George V 1917-24

Printed by Harrison and Sons in letterpress. Watermark Simple Cypher

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
191	3c on ½d	Green	1917
192	5c on ½d	Green	1917
193	10c on 1d	Scarlet	1917
194	15c on 1½d	Red Brown	1917
195	25c on 2½d	Ultramarine	1917
196	40c on 4d	Grey Green	1917
197	50c on 5d	Yellow Brown	1923
198	75c on 9d	Olive Green	1924
199	1F on 10d	Turquoise Blue	1917
200	3F on 2s6d	Chocolate Brown	1924
201	6F on 5s	Bright Rose Red	1924

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
196.v1	196a	40c on 4d	Surcharge Double, one albino
198.v1	198a	75c on 9d	Surcharge Double, one albino
199.v1	199a	1F on 10d	Surcharge Double, one albino
200.v1	200a	3F on 2s6d	Major re-entry R1/2
200.v2	200b	3F on 2s6d	Surcharge Double, one albino
200.v3	200c	3F on 2s6d	Reddish Brown
200.v4	200s	3F on 2s6d	Specimen Type 23
201.v1	201s	6F on 5s	Specimen Type 26

---

King George V 1925-34

Printed by Waterlow and Sons in letterpress. Watermark Block Cypher

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
202	5c on ½d	Green	1925
203	10c on 1d	Scarlet	1925
204	15c on 1½d	Red Brown	1925
205	25c on 2½d	Ultramarine	1925
206	40c on 4d	Grey Green	1925
207	50c on 5d	Yellow Brown	1925
208	75c on 9d	Olive Green	1925
209	90c on 9d	Olive Green	08/05/1934
210	1F on 10d	Turquoise Blue	1925
211	1F50c on 1s	Bistre Brown	08/05/1934

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
203.v1	203a	10c on 1d	Surcharge Double, one albino
206.v1	206a	40c on 4d	Surcharge Double, one albino
207.v1	207w	50c on 5d	watermark inverted
208.v1	208a	75c on 9d	Surcharge Double, one albino
208.v2	208w	75c on 9d	watermark inverted
210.v1	210a	1F on 10d	Surcharge Double, one albino
211.v1	211s	1F50c on 1s	Specimen Type 32

---

King George V Silver Jubilee 8th May 1935 (French currency surcharge)

Printed by Harrison and Sons in photogravure. Watermark Block Cypher

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
212	5c on ½d	Green	8/05/1935	213,600
213	10c on 1d	Scarlet	8/05/1935	89,640
214	15c on 1½d	Red Brown	8/05/1935	82,920
215	25c on 2½d	Blue	8/05/1935	130,680

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
None

---

King George V 1925-34

Printed by Harrison and Sons in photogravure. Watermark Block Cypher

High values printed in recess by Waterlow & Sons

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
216	5c on ½d (small format)	Green	October 1935
217	10c on 1d (small format)	Scarlet	02/03/1936
218	15c on 1½d (small format)	Red Brown	1935
219	25c on 2½d	Ultramarine	11/02/1936
220	40c on 4d	Deep Grey Green	02/12/1936
221	50c on 5d	Yellow Brown	15/09/1936
222	90c on 9d	Deep Olive Green	15/02/1937
223	1F on 10d	Turquoise Blue	10/02/1937
224	1F50c on 1s	Bistre Brown	20/07/1937
225 (Waterlow & Sons re-engraved)	2s6d	Chocolate Brown	1935
226 (Waterlow & Sons re-engraved)	5s	Bright Rose Red	17/06/1936

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
225.v1	225s	3F on 2s6d	Specimen
226.v1	226s	6F on 5s	Specimen

---

King Edward VIII 1937

Printed by Harrison and Sons in photogravure. Watermark KEVIII Cypher

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
227	5c on ½d	Green	26/10/1936
228	15c on 1½d	Red Brown	26/10/1936

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
227.v1	227a	5c on ½d	Bar through ‘POSTAGE’

---

King George VI Coronation May 13th 1937

Printed by Harrison and Sons in photogravure. Watermark KEVIII Cypher

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
229	15c on 1½d	Maroon	13/05/1937	2,203,087

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
None

---

King George VI 1937

Printed by Harrison and Sons in photogravure. Watermark KEVIII Cypher

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
230	5c on ½d	Green	11/06/1937	806,732

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
None

---

Tangier

King George V 1927

Printed by Waterlow and Sons in letterpress. Watermark Block Cypher

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
231	½d	Green	1927
232	1d	Scarlet	1927
233	1½d	Red Brown	1927
234	2d	Orange	1927

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
231.v1	231a	½d	Overprint double, one albino
232.v1	232a	1d	Inverted ‘Q’ for ‘O’
234.v1	234a	2d	Overprint double, one albino

---

King George VI 1934-35

Printed by Harrison and Sons in photogravure. Watermark Block Cypher

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
235	½d (intermediate format)	Green	February 1935
	½d (small format)	Green
236	1d (intermediate format)	Scarlet	December 1934
	1d (small format)	Scarlet
237	1½d (large format)	Red Brown	December 1934
	1½d (intermediate format)	Red Brown
	1½d (small format)	Red Brown

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
None

---

King George V Silver Jubilee 8th May 1935

Printed by Harrison and Sons in photogravure. Watermark Block Cypher

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
238	½d	Green	8/05/1935	283,280
239	1d	Scarlet	8/05/1935	53,160
240	1½d	Red Brown	8/05/1935	95,400

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
None

---

King Edward VIII 1937

Printed by Harrison and Sons in photogravure. Watermark KEVIII Cypher

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
241	½d	Green	26/10/1936
242	1d	Scarlet	26/10/1936
243	1½d	Red Brown	26/10/1936

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
None

---

King George VI Coronation 13th May 1937

Printed by Harrison and Sons in photogravure. Watermark KGVI Cypher

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
244	1½d	Maroon	13/05/1937	1,397,799

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
None

---

King George VI 1937

Printed by Harrison and Sons in photogravure. Watermark KGVI Cypher

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
245	½d	Green	11/06/1937	807,805
246	1d	Scarlet	11/06/1937	838,219
247	1½d	Red Brown	04/08/1937	398,723

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
None

---

King George VI Centenary 6th May 1940

Printed by Harrison and Sons in photogravure. Watermark KGVI Cypher

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
248	½d	Green	06/05/1940	192,427
249	1d	Scarlet	06/05/1940	174,507
250	1½d	Red Brown	06/05/1940	139,627

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
None

---

King George VI 1944-49

Printed by Harrison and Sons in photogravure. Watermark KGVI Cypher

High Values by Waterlow and Son printed in recess

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
251	½d	Pale Green	03/05/1944	734,338
252	1d	Pale Scarlet	03/05/1944	282,605
261	2d	Pale Orange	01/01/1949	51,517
262	2½d	Light Ultramarine	01/01/1949	103,521
263	3d	Pale Violet	01/01/1949	294,853
264	4d	Grey Green	01/01/1949	33,149
265	5d	Brown	01/01/1949	35,622
266	6d	Purple	01/01/1949	464,149
267	7d	Emerald Green	01/01/1949	46,050
268	8d	Bright Carmine	01/01/1949	31,327
269	9d	Deep Olive Green	01/01/1949	56,439
270	10d	Turquoise Blue	01/01/1949	36,291
271	11d	Plum	01/01/1949	26,609
272	1s	Bistre Brown	01/01/1949	214,672
273	2s6d	Yellow Green	01/01/1949	24,629
274	5s	Red	01/01/1949	16,122
275	10s	Ultramarine	01/01/1949	11,359

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
None

---

King George VI Victory 11th June 1946

Printed by Harrison and Sons in photogravure. Watermark KGVI Cypher

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
253	2½d	Ultramarine	11/06/1946	545,540
254	3d	Violet	11/06/1946	547,640

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
254.v1	254var	3d	Partial overprint

---

King George VI Silver Wedding 26th April 1948

Printed by Harrison and Sons in photogravure. Watermark KGVI Cypher

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
255	2½d	Ultramarine	26/04/1948	192,513
256	£1	Blue	26/04/1948	24,102

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
255.v1	255a	2½d	Overprint omitted (vertical pair)
255.v2	255var	2½d	Overprint misplaced

---

King George VI Olympic Games 29th July 1948

Printed by Harrison and Sons in photogravure. Watermark KGVI Cypher

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
257	2½d	Ultramarine	29/07/1948	101,965
258	3d	Violet	29/07/1948	101,638
259	6d	Bright Purple	29/07/1948	101,175
260	1s	Brown	29/07/1948	96,190

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
259.v1	259var	6d	Initials H.L.P

The Jubilee line of the 6d originally included the initials of an employee at the company under stamps R20/4-6; this was quickly obscured by hand etching. The normal overprint for Tangier used cylinder 9 dot with the “H” scratched out, but two examples have been reported with the 1^st state of the cylinder with the “H” unretouched.Dick Pollard, who was at Murray Payne stamp company, reports for this publication on one example sold in their auction on 19 July 2011:

The collection was formed by Dave Boakes, and a remarkable collection it was too, one of the top five KG VI collections.  The lot number was 360, and the description read; “Tangier 1948 Olympics, bottom marginal example from R20/4 showing full, unretouched ‘H’ of ‘HLP’, unmounted mint. The first example of any of the unretouched letters on Morocco we have seen for many a long year.  SG 259/CW S11a”.  The estimate was £150”

Subsequently another example has been offered for sale online, being a vertical pair of the same position (The Overprinter 2020/3, p.78).

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King George VI Universal Postal Union 10th October 1949

Printed by Harrison and Sons in photogravure. Watermark KGVI Cypher

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
276	2½d	Ultramarine	10/10/1949	81,873
277	3d	Violet	10/10/1949	74,103
278	6d	Bright Purple	10/10/1949	77,198
279	1s	Brown	10/10/1949	72,404

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
None

---

King George VI 1950

Printed by Harrison and Sons in photogravure. Watermark KGVI Cypher

High Values by Waterlow and Son printed in recess

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
280	½d	Pale Orange	03/05/1951	506,283
281	1d	Light Ultramarine	03/05/1951	101,853
282	1½d	Pale Green	03/05/1951	73,350
283	2d	Pale Brown	03/05/1951	63,309
284	2½d	Pale Scarlet	03/05/1951	132,419
285	4d	Grey Green	03/05/1951	73,178
286	2s6d	Yellow Green	03/05/1951	162,259
287	5s	Red	03/05/1951	38,699
288	10s	Ultramarine	03/05/1951	30,305

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
None

---

Queen Elizabeth II 1952-54

Printed by Harrison and Sons in photogravure. Watermark Tudor Crown

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
289	½d	Orange Red	31/08/1953	884,880
290	1d	Ultramarine	31/08/1953	219,360
291	1½d	Green	05/12/1952	371,520
292	2d	Red Brown	31/08/1953	171,600
293	2½d	Carmine Red	05/12/1952	606,000
294	3d	Violet	18/01/1954	386,880
295	4d	Ultramarine	02/11/1953	141,360
296	5d	Brown	06/07/1953	78,720
297	6d	Reddish Purple	18/01/1954	804,720
298	7d	Bright Green	18/01/1954	78,720
299	8d	Magenta	06/07/1953	67,200
300	9d	Bronze Green	08/02/1954	103,920
301	10d	Prussian Blue	08/02/1954	53,200
302	11d	Brown Purple	08/02/1954	53,520
303	1s	Bistre Brown	06/07/1953	274,080
304	1s3d	Green	02/11/1953	230,880
305	1s6d	Grey Blue	02/11/1953	106,080

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Queen Elizabeth II Coronation 3 June 1953

Printed by Harrison and Sons in photogravure. Watermark Tudor Crown

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
306	2½d	Carmine Red	03/06/1953	230,897
307	4d	Ultramarine	03/06/1953	185,997
308	1s3d	Green	03/06/1953	178,865
309	1s6d	Deep Grey Blue	03/06/1953	174,696

Varieties	(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
None

---

Queen Elizabeth II 1956

Printed by Harrison and Sons in photogravure. Watermark St Edward’s Crown

High Values by Waterlow and Sons in Recess

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
313	½d	Orange Red	21/03/1956	337,920
314	1d	Ultramarine	13/04/1956	99,600
315	1½d	Green	22/10/1956	48,480
316	2d	Red Brown	25/07/1956	45,840
317	2d	Light Red Brown	10/12/1956	74,640
318	2½d	Carmine Red	19/12/1956	64,560
319	3d	Violet	22/10/1956	69,840
320	4d	Ultramarine	25/06/1956	51,360
321	6d	Reddish Purple	22/10/1956	103,440
322	1s3d	Green	26/11/1956	42,240
310	2s6d	Black Brown	23/09/1955	47,800
311	5s	Rose Red	23/09/1955	33,320
312	10s	Ultramarine	23/09/1955	26,840

---

Queen Elizabeth II Centenary 1857-1957

Printed by Harrison and Sons in photogravure. Watermark St. Edward’s Crown

High Values by Waterlow and Sons in Recess

(SG №)	denomination	colour	date of issue	number issued
323	½d	Orange Red	01/04/1957	318,960
324	1d	Ultramarine	01/04/1957	148,080
325	1½d	Green	01/04/1957	135,360
326	2d	Light Red Brown	01/04/1957	118,560
327	2½d	Carmine Red	01/04/1957	120,480
328	3d	Deep Lilac	01/04/1957	91,920
329	4d	Ultramarine	01/04/1957	74,400
330	5d	Brown	01/04/1957	69,360
331	6d	Reddish Purple	01/04/1957	86,640
332	7d	Bright Green	01/04/1957	68,880
333	8d	Magenta	01/04/1957	65,760
334	9d	Bronze Green	01/04/1957	66,480
335	10d	Prussian Blue	01/04/1957	65,520
336	11d	Brown Purple	01/04/1957	65,760
337	1s	Bistre Brown	01/04/1957	68,640
338	1s3d	Green	01/04/1957	56,400
339	1s6d	Grey Blue	01/04/1957	54,240
340	2s6d	Black Brown	01/04/1957	46,520
341	5s	Rose Red	01/04/1957	43,360
342	10s	Ultramarine	01/04/1957	41,800

Varieties		(SG №)	Denomination	Variety
334.v1		334a	9d	TANGIER omitted
340.v1		340a	2s6d	Hyphen omitted
340.v2		340b	2s6d	Hyphen inserted
340.v3		340var	2s6d	Short ‘7’
341.v1		341a	5s	Hyphen omitted
341.v2		341b	5s	Hyphen inserted
341.v3		341var	5s	Short ‘7’
342.v1		342a	10s	Hyphen omitted
342.v2		342b	10s	Hyphen inserted
324.v3		343var	10s	Short ‘7’

---

References specific to this chapter

GBOS GB Overprints Compendium edition 8, Dr John Gledhill (12/4/2020)

GBOS Study Papers

Morocco Agencies No 1 Edward VII Overprints, M Gellatly and M Wlodarczyk (July 1992)

Morocco Agencies No 3c The Overprints on KEVII Issues, A Bishop (December 1989)

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[1] See Stotter 2007, p.317

[2] See Stotter 2007, pp 214ff.