Page:British India Adhesive Stamps Surcharged for Native States.djvu/22

Rh Of these stamps, the 1 rupee grey ordinary is obsolete, while the 1 rupee grey service, the 2 annas, and the three highest values will not be reprinted. These, then, are the prizes for the philatelist in Chamba.

It will be observed that the anna value accounts for over 60 per cent of the total issues up to date, while the ½, 1, 2 and 4 annas together form over 90 per cent of the total.

We now come to a detailed enumeration of the stamps surcharged, their dates of issue, and the number supplied of each denomination on each occasion.

In December 1885, H. H. the Raja of Chamba sent in his first indent for overprinted stamps. In April 1886 proofs were received from the Superintendent of Stamps, surcharged in red. These were not approved, as the ink was apt to be either too oily or too dry, and the depth of colour uncertain. The Superintendent of Stamps was asked to overprint all such stamps in future with black ink. Proofs printed in black were approved in June 1886.

The following is a list of the various printings: —

SERVICE. 10,000 5,000 1,000 (2) September 1887. ORDINARY. SERVICE, anna 30,400 5,600 2,760 1,680 1,100 1,262 1,002 60,800 11,200 6,100 2,000 2,100 anna 2 annas 3 „ 4 „ 8 „ 1 rupee (grey) 2 annas 4 „