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Malta Stamps

Issues of 1926-1935

New definitive Malta stamps, a mixture of portrait and pictorial issues, was issued beginning in 1926.

There must have been a lot of indecision going on in the period from 1926 to 1930.  Earlier, the Melita and Britannia definitives were overprinted "POSTAGE" to designate them as valid for postal use but not for revenue use.  Then in 1928, the new definitives, were overprinted "POSTAGE AND REVENUE" to designate them as valid for postal use AND for revenue use.  This resulted in the repetitive re-issue of the huge definitive postage stamp sets reviewed on this page.

The period between 1926 and 1935 also witnessed the issues of the first commemorative stamps of Malta, as well as the first Airmail stamp of Malta.

The ten lower denomination definitive Malta stamps shown above were issued in 1926.  All of these stamps are inscribed "POSTAGE" at the bottom. 

These more modernistic designs feature the country name, a shield, the denomination numeral, and the left-facing portrait of King George V in a circle.

• 1/4 P.  (1926 - Scott #131) - Brown.
• 1/2 P.  (1926 - Scott #132) - Green.
  
• 1 P.  (1926 - Scott #133) - Red.
• 1 1/2 P.  (1926 - Scott #134) - Orange Brown.
  
• 2 P.  (1926 - Scott #135) - Gray.
• 2 1/2 P.  (1926 - Scott #136) - Blue.
• 3 P.  (1926 - Scott #137) - Dark Violet.
  
• 4 P.  (1926 - Scott #138) - Orange Red and Black.
• 4 1/2 P.  (1926 - Scott #139) - Yellow Buff and Violet.
  
• 6 P.  (1926 - Scott #140) - Red and Violet.
  
  
  

The seven higher denomination pictorial definitive Malta stamps shown above were also issued in 1926.  All of these stamps are inscribed "POSTAGE / POSTAGE". 

• 1 S.  (1926 - Scott #141) - Valletta Harbor.
• 1 1/2 S.  (1926 - Scott #142) - St. Publius.
  
  

Saint Publius is venerated as the first Bishop of Malta.  It was Publius, the Roman governor at the time, that received St. Paul of Tarsus after his shipwreck at Malta, as recounted in the Acts of the Apostles.  His conversion to Christianity led to Malta being the first Christian nation in the World to adopt Christianity.

• 2 S.  (1926 - Scott #143) - Notabile (Mdina).

The walled city of Notabile (Mdina) was the original capital of Malta.  It was the home of the Roman colonial governor and where St. Paul stayed following his shipwreck in A.D. 60.  The modern town of Mdina is still completely enclosed within its medieval walls, and it has a population of under 300.

• 2 1/2 S.  (1926 - Scott #144) - Gozo Island Fishing Boat.
• 3 S.  (1926 - Scott #145) - Statue of Neptune.
  
  

The stamp pictures the bronze statue that originally overlooked Valletta Harbor, as shown in the illustration on the stamp.  The Neptune Fountain, as it was originally called, was erected in 1615 by Grand Master Adolf de Wignacourt, and in 1858, it was moved to the courtyard of the Grand Master's Palace in Valletta, where it remains to this day.

• 5 S.  (1926 - Scott #146) - Ruins at Mnaidra.

Mnaidra, or Mnajdra, is a limestone Megalithic Temple Complex on the southern coast of the Island of Malta.  The oldest of these temples dates to about 3,500 B.C.

• 10 S.  (1926 - Scott #146) - St. Paul.
  
  
  

In 1928, it was again decided to stop printing revenue stamps and to allow postage stamps to be used on revenue documents.  This decision necessitated the overprinting of all the existing supplies of definitive postage stamps with "POSTAGE / AND / REVENUE".

• 1/4 P.  (1928 - Scott #148) - Brown.
• 1/2 P.  (1928 - Scott #149) - Green.
  
• 1 P.  (1928 - Scott #150) - Red.
• 1 P.  (1928 - Scott #151) - Orange Brown.
  
• 1 1/2 P.  (1928 - Scott #152) - Yellow Brown.
• 1 1/2 P.  (1928 - Scott #153) - Red
  
• 2 P.  (1928 - Scott #154) - Gray.
• 2 1/2 P.  (1928 - Scott #155) - Blue.
• 3 P.  (1928 - Scott #156) - Dark Violet.
  
• 4 P.  (1928 - Scott #157) - Orange Red and Black.
• 4 1/2 P.  (1928 - Scott #158) - Yellow and Violet.
  
• 6 P.  (1928 - Scott #159) - Red and Violet.
  
  
• 1 S.  (1928 - Scott #160) - Valletta Harbor.
• 1 1/2 S.  (1928 - Scott #161) - St. Publius.
• 2 S.  (1928 - Scott #162) - Notabile (Mdina).
• 2 1/2 S.  (1928 - Scott #163) - Gozo Island Fishing Boat.
• 3 S.  (1928 - Scott #164) - Statue of Neptune.
• 5 S.  (1928 - Scott #165) - Ruins at Mnaidra.
• 10 S.  (1928 - Scott #166) - St. Paul.
  
  
  

On October 20, 1930, the 1927 definitive Malta stamps were again re-issued.  These new Malta stamps have "POSTAGE AND REVENUE" or "POSTAGE / REVENUE" inscribed on them.

• 1/4 P.  (1930 - Scott #167) - Brown.
• 1/2 P.  (1930 - Scott #168) - Green.
  
• 1 P.  (1930 - Scott #169) - Yellow Brown.
• 1 1/2 P.  (1930 - Scott #170) - Red
  
• 2 P.  (1930 - Scott #171) - Gray.
• 2 1/2 P.  (1930 - Scott #172) - Blue.
• 3 P.  (1930 - Scott #173) - Dark Violet.
  
• 4 P.  (1930 - Scott #174) - Orange Red and Black.
• 4 1/2 P.  (1930 - Scott #175) - Yellow and Violet.
  
• 6 P.  (1930 - Scott #176) - Red and Violet.
  
  
• 1 S.  (1930 - Scott #177) - Valletta Harbor.
• 1 1/2 S.  (1930 - Scott #178) - St. Publius.
• 2 S.  (1930 - Scott #179) - Notabile (Mdina).
• 2 1/2 S.  (1930 - Scott #180) - Gozo Island Fishing Boat.
• 3 S.  (1930 - Scott #181) - Statue of Neptune.
• 5 S.  (1930 - Scott #182) - Ruins at Mnaidra.
• 10 S.  (1930 - Scott #183) - St. Paul.
  
  
  

The first commemorative stamps of Malta were issued on May 6, 1935 to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Reign of King George V.  These Malta stamps are all engraved, perforated 11 x 12, and they are printed on paper with WMK 4 - the Multiple Crown and Script CA watermark.

Each of the common designs features a view of Windsor Castle and a left-facing profile of King George V, with various types of coronation regalia integrated elsewhere in the design.

Return to Malta Stamps from
Issues of 1926-1935

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