Stamps of Ireland
Definitives of 1922 (PART 1)
The first postage stamps of Ireland were actually overprinted British postage stamps. The Anglo-Irish Treaty of December 6, 1921 provided for the establishment of the Irish Free State at the end of December 1922. Per the agreement, the new state would become a dominion of the British Commonwealth of Nations, but they would be fully autonomous.
Of course, postal services were required in the interim. The Irish Provisional Government created their first postage stamps by overprinting the contemporary British postage stamps, which featured the profile of King George V. These new overprinted stamps of Ireland were issued on February 17, 1922.
 WMK 033
|
 WMK 034
|
All of the British stamps overprinted between February and June 1922 used the two Great Britain watermarks shown above. All of the denominations from the 1/2 P. through the 1 S. have WMK 033, and all the denominations from the 2 S. 6 P. through the 10 S. (the so-called "Seahorses") have WMK 034.
The differences in these provisional stamps of Ireland are in the overprint types, and they will be explained in the following reviews of each group of stamps.
The eight provisional government stamps of Ireland shown above were issued on February 17, 1922. The overprint means "Irish Provisional Government".
This group of stamps was overprinted in black or gray black by Dollard, Ltd., and the overprint measures 15 x 17 mm.
The Scott catalog attributes are as follows:
- 00 1/2 P. (1922 - Sc. #1) - Green.
- 01 P. (1922 - Sc. #2) - Scarlet.
- 02 1/2 P. (1922 - Sc. #3) - Ultramarine.
- 03 P. (1922 - Sc. #4) - Violet.
- 04 P. (1922 - Sc. #5) - Slate Green.
- 05 P. (1922 - Sc. #6) - Yellow Brown.
- 09 P. (1922 - Sc. #7) - Black Brown.
- 10 P. (1922 - Sc. #8) - Light Blue.
The 1/2 P. and 1 P. denominations exist with inverted overprints.
The five provisional government stamps of Ireland shown above were issued on February 17, 1922.
This group of stamps was overprinted in red or carmine by Dollard, Ltd., and the overprint measures 15 x 17 mm.
The Scott catalog attributes are as follows:
- 02 1/2 P. (1922 - Red - Sc. #9) - Ultramarine.
- 04 P. (1922 - Red - Sc. #10) - Slate Green.
- 04 P. (1922 - Carmine - Sc. #10A) - Slate Green.
- 09 P. (1922 - Red - Sc. #11) - Black Brown.
- 09 P. (1922 - Carmine - Sc. #11A) - Black Brown.
The three provisional government stamps of Ireland shown above were issued on February 17, 1922.
This group of stamps was overprinted in black by Dollard, Ltd., and the overprint measures 15 x 17 mm. The "h" and "é" are 1 mm. apart.
The Scott catalog attributes are as follows:
- 02 S. 06 P. (1922 - Sc. #12) - Brown.
- 05 S. (1922 - Sc. #13) - Carmine Rose.
- 10 S. (1922 - Sc. #14) - Gray Blue.
The four provisional government stamps of Ireland shown above were issued on February 17, 1922.
This group of stamps was overprinted in black by Alex. Thom & Co., and the overprint measures 14 1/2 x 16 mm.
The Scott catalog attributes are as follows:
- 01 1/2 P. (1922 - Sc. #15) - Red Brown.
- 02 P. (1922 - Sc. #16) - Orange.
- 06 P. (1922 - Sc. #17) - Red Violet.
- 01 S. (1922 - Sc. #18) - Bister.
The 1 1/2 P. denomination exists with the "PENCF" error. The 2 P. denomination exists with an inverted overprint.
The four provisional government coil stamps shown above were issued in June 1922.
This group of stamps was overprinted in glossy black ink by Harrison & Sons, and the overprint measures 15 1/4 x 17 mm. These stamps were produced both in horizontal and vertical coil rolls. The perforations are often clipped.
In the Harrison & Sons overprints, the "i" of "Rialtas" extends below the base of the other letters.
The Scott catalog attributes are as follows:
- 00 1/2 P. (1922 - Sc. #19) - Green.
- 01 P. (1922 - Sc. #20) - Scarlet.
- 01 1/2 P. (1922 - Sc. #21) - Red Brown.
- 02 P. (1922 - Sc. #22) - Orange.
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Definitives of 1922 (PART 1)
