Malta stamps experienced an evolution in 1922, due to the new self-governing status of the crown colony.
During 1921, Malta was granted a new constitution and self-government status within the British Empire. Malta was still a crown colony, with their defense and foreign affairs directed by Great Britain, and the British sovereign, represented in Malta by the Governor General, was still the head-of-state. However, within the colony, the Maltese people and their elected representatives managed all internal civil and political affairs.
Of course, to celebrate their new autonomy, all the current postage stamps had to be overprinted, and a new series of definitive postage stamps had to be designed and issued!
In 1922, the contemporary Malta stamps from the 1/2 P. denomination through the 5 S. denomination that were printed on paper with WMK 3 - the Multiple Crown and CA watermark were overprinted diagonally with "SELF-GOVERNMENT". They are all shown above.
1/2 P. (1922 - Scott #77) - Green.
2 1/2 P. (1922 - Scott #78) - Ultramarine.
3 P. (1922 - Scott #79) - Violet on Yellow.
6 P. (1922 - Scott #80) - Dull Lilac and Red Violet.
1 S. (1922 - Scott #81) - Black on Emerald.
2 S. (1922 - Scott #82) - Ultramarine and Dull Violet on Blue.
2 1/2 S. (1922 - Scott #83) - Olive Green.
5 S. (1922 - Scott #84) - Scarlet and Green on Yellow.
In 1922, stocks of the 1899 pictorial 10 S. definitive stamps were overprinted diagonally with "SELF-GOVERNMENT". These 1899 stamps all have WMK 1 - the Crown and CC watermark.
10 S. (1922 - Scott #85) - Black.
In 1922, the contemporary Malta stamps between the 1/4 P. denomination and the 2 S. denomination that were printed on paper with WMK 4 - the Multiple Crown and Script CA watermark were overprinted diagonally with "SELF-GOVERNMENT".
The revised 10 S. denomination, first issued in 1919, was also overprinted, but the new overprinted stamps were produced on paper with WMK 4 - the Multiple Crown and Script CA watermark.
1/4 P. (1922 - Scott #86) - Brown.
1/2 P. (1922 - Scott #87) - Green.
1 P. (1922 - Scott #88) - Rose Red.
2 P. (1922 - Scott #89) - Gray.
2 1/2 P. (1922 - Scott #90) - Ultramarine.
6 P. (1922 - Scott #91) - Dull Violet and Red Violet.
2 S. (1922 - Scott #92) - Ultramarine and Dull Violet on Blue.
10 S. (1922 - Scott #93) - Black.
Beginning in 1922, a brand new series of definitive postage stamps, reflecting Malta's new self-governing status, was issued. These new Malta stamps feature two different allegorical representations of Malta, instead of the portrait of the British monarch. All of the stamps are typographed, except for the One Pound denomination which is engraved, and they are printed on paper with WMK 4 - the Multiple Crown and Script CA watermark.
1/4 P. (1922 - Scott #98) - Brown.
1/2 P. (1922 - Scott #99) - Green.
1 P. (1922 - Scott #100) - Buff and Plum.
1 P. (1924 - Scott #101) - Violet.
1 1/2 P. (1923 - Scott #102) - Orange Brown.
2 P. (1922 - Scott #103) - Olive Brown and Turquoise.
2 1/2 P. on 3 P. (1925 - Scott #115) - Ultramarine.
2 1/2 P. (1926 - Scott #104) - Ultramarine.
3 P. (1922 - Scott #105) - Ultramarine, Blue.
3 P. (1926 - Scott #106) - Black on Yellow.
4 P. (1922 - Scott #107) - Yellow and Ultramarine.
6 P. (1922 - Scott #108) - Olive Green and Violet.
1 S. (1922 - Scott #109) - Olive Brown and Blue.
2 S. (1922 - Scott #110) - Ultramarine and Olive Brown.
2 1/2 S. (1922 - Scott #111) - Black and Red Violet.
5 S. (1922 - Scott #112) - Ultramarine and Orange.
10 S. (1922 - Scott #113) - Olive Brown and Gray.
1 ₤ (1922 - Scott #114) - Rose Carmine and Black, Carmine Red and Black.
The first allegorical design shows Melita, or the Personification of Malta, flanked by crowned shields of Great Britain and of Malta, and she is holding a ship's oar, one of the ancient symbols of commerce and prosperity.
The second allegorical design shows Melita leaning against Britannia, a possible allusion to their being sisters or maybe mother and daughter.
In 1926, it was decided to produce separate Malta stamps, designated for revenue usage only.
Up until then, the postage stamps were inscribed "POSTAGE AND REVENUE", indicating that they were valid for both purposes.
The current Melita definitive postage stamps were overprinted "POSTAGE", indicating that they were valid for postal usage only.
1/4 P. (1926 - Scott #116) - Brown.
1/2 P. (1926 - Scott #117) - Green.
1 P. (1926 - Scott #118) - Violet.
1 1/2 P. (1926 - Scott #119) - Orange Brown.
2 P. (1926 - Scott #120) - Olive Brown and Turquoise.
2 1/2 P. (1926 - Scott #121) - Ultramarine.
3 P. (1926 - Scott #122) - Black on Yellow.
4 P. (1926 - Scott #123) - Yellow and Ultramarine.
6 P. (1926 - Scott #124) - Olive Green and Violet.
1 S. (1926 - Scott #125) - Olive Brown and Blue.
2 S. (1926 - Scott #126) - Ultramarine and Olive Brown.
2 1/2 S. (1926 - Scott #127) - Black and Red Violet.
5 S. (1926 - Scott #128) - Ultramarine and Orange.
10 S. (1926 - Scott #129) - Olive Brown and Gray.
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Just about all British colonial stamps are printed on paper with the Crown Colonies (CC) or Crown Agents (CA) watermarks.
WMK 1 Crown & CC (1922)
WMK 3 Multiple Crown & CA (1922)
WMK 4 Multiple Crown & Script CA (1922-1926)
The three watermarks used for the stamps of Malta, from 1922 through 1926, are illustrated above. They will be referred to by their watermark numbers in the text descriptions.
