I have found conflicting information about the dates of issue of the first occupation stamps of Jersey and Guernsey.
This is what the Scott catalogue says:
Guernsey 1p: February 18, 1941
Guernsey 1/2p: April 7, 1941
Guernsey 2 1/2p: April 4, 1944
Jersey 1p vermillion: April 1, 1941
Jersey 1/2p green: Jan. 29, 1942
If someone with a Stanley-Gibbons catalogue could look these stamps up and confirm these dates of issue, or provide others, I would very much appreciate it. The same information from a Michel Western Europe catalogue would also be appreciated.
re: Issue dates of Jersey and Guernsey WWII occupation stamps
the Michel Germany catalogue (these are after all German occupation stamps) comes up with the same dates and additionally lists three types of paper for the 1p red unwatermarked from Guernsey, and two types of paper for the 1p red from Jersey.
re: Issue dates of Jersey and Guernsey WWII occupation stamps
Thanks to Jansimon and sheepshanks for providing this information.
KHJ sent a private message, which I don't mind making public: "Took a quick look at your Guernsey occupation issues. I didn't want to post this in public before consulting with you. I believe the 3 you have are forgeries. Could you provide a higher-resolution picture of the middle lion?"
This didn't surprise me. Reprints and forgeries of Channel Island stamps are common, I understand, and I am certainly no expert on anything! Here's a higher res image of the three stamps. I can provider and even higher one if necessary.
"In the 1970s and 1980s Arms stamps in sheets of 25 appeared, described as facsimiles but later termed reprints. Inevitably some of these have got into dealer’s stocks described as being genuine. They are difficult to identify without holding the actual stamps. Printing and rouletting is superior to the originals and the paper appears thinner and harder. There are none of the varieties found in the war time issues."
Here is a block of a 1p stamps (the other two values are identical in terms of paper and rouletting):
My stamps don't appear to be at all like the bogus stamps, which of course doesn't prove anything, but does make me doubtful that mine are bogus copies. If they are, I have some others as well, all with very rough rouletting. In addition, mine look quite "shopworn," which doesn't seem to match the description of the bogus issues.
re: Issue dates of Jersey and Guernsey WWII occupation stamps
OK, thanks for the bigger pics. I can see the legs much clearer. All three appear to be genuine. The right half of the of the 1d has lost some ink, and the 2½d is slightly underinked in spots -- that's what threw me off and why I requested a larger pic.