The Gold Coast KGVI original set of stamps was printed from 1938 until 1947 when it was replaced with a newer set. The stamps were printed by Bradbury, Wilkinson who also produced the stamps of the Falkland Islands, Gambia, St. Vincent, and other colonies.

The goal of this page is to help you sort your stamps based on the information presented by W. J. W. Potter & Lt. Col. R. C. M. Shelton in their "The Printings of King George VI Colonial Stamps" which was published by Stamp Collecting Ltd. in December, 1952. The publication listed tables for each of the countries' issues that were included. That listing is the starting point for this web site. The goal is to accurately convey the information as presented and then to add updated catalog numbers, and interpretations of what was observed as the stamps were sorted. The stamps were accumulated over about 40 years. There were between 20 - 40 stamps of each value, so they should represent a reasonable sample of the range of issues produced.

The listing below shows the information transcribed from the original published table. The catalog numbers added are subject to interpretation since they were not all part of the original tables. Although it is possible that there are additional listings, it is only our goal to help you sort your stamps based on this starting point. So please feel free to add any missing information by emailing using the link below. (Note - there are two additional printings that are included in the addenda at the bottom of this page.)

The catalog numbers are from the 2008 Commonwealth Catalogue (CW), the 2011 Stanley Gibbons Stamp Catalogue (SG) and the 2011 Scott catalog (ST). The two coil listings were added to the listing based on notes from the Commonwealth Catalogue.

The images were saved in a larger size and at a higher resolution so you can more easily see the details used in sorting them. Please be patient if it takes a few minutes for this page to load.
 
Potter & Shelton Gold Coast 1938 Set Listings.
Value Date Paper Perf Color CW # SG # ST #
1/2d 1938 Cream 12 - Line Blue-Green 1 120 115
1/2d 1939 Cream 12 x 11.75 - Comb Blue-Green 12 120a 115
1/2d 1940-1941 Cream 12 x 11.75 - Comb Blue-Green 12 120a 115
1/2d - Coil 1940-1941 Cream 12 x 11.75 - Comb Blue-Green 12 120a 115
1/2d 8/1942 Medium White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Pale Yellow-Green 12 120a 115
1/2d 2/1944 Medium White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Green 12 120a 115
1/2d 7/1947 Thinner White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Deeper Green 12a 120a 115
               
1d 1938 Cream 12 - Line Red-Brown 2 121 116
1d 1939 Cream 12 x 11.75 - Comb Red-Brown 13 121a 116
1d - Coil 1939 Cream 12 x 11.75 - Comb Red-Brown 13 121a 116
1d 1940-1941 Cream 12 x 11.75 - Comb Red-Brown 13 121a 116
1d 2/1944 Medium White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Red-Brown 13 121a 116
1d 4/1945 Medium White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Purple-Brown 13 121a 116
1d 1/1946 Thinner White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Purple-Brown 13 121a 116
1d 2/1947 Thinner White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Deeper Purple-Brown 13 121a 116
1d 7/1947 Thinner White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Deep Red-Brown 13 121a 116
               
1-1/2d 1938 Cream 12 - Line Scarlet 3 122 117
1-1/2d 1939 Cream 12 x 11.75 - Comb Scarlet 14 122a 117
1-1/2d 1940-1941 Cream 12 x 11.75 - Comb Scarlet 14 122a 117
1-1/2d 2/1944 Medium White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Bright Scarlet 14 122a 117
1-1/2d 1/1946 Medium White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Carmine-Red 14a 122a 117
1-1/2d 10/1946 Thinner White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Deep Scarlet 14a 122a 117
1-1/2d 7/1947 Thinner White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Deep Scarlet 14a 122a 117
               
2d 1938 Cream 12 - Line Slate 4 123 118
2d 1940-1941 Cream 12 x 11.75 - Comb Slate 15 123a 118
2d 8/1942 Medium White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Slate 15 123a 118
2d 2/1944 Medium White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Deeper Grey 15a 123a 118
2d 4/1945 Medium White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Deeper Grey 15a 123a 118
2d 1/1946 Medium White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Deeper Grey 15a 123a 118
               
3d 1938 Cream 12 - Line Blue 5 124 119
3d 1939 Cream 12 x 11.75 - Comb Blue 16 124a 119
3d 1940-1941 Cream 12 x 11.75 - Comb Blue 16 124a 119
3d 8/1942 Medium White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Blue 16 124a 119
3d 2/1944 Medium White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Deeper Blue 16 124a 119
3d 10/1946 Thinner White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Bright Blue 16 124a 119
3d 2/1947 Thinner White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Bright Blue 16 124a 119
3d 7/1947 Thinner White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Bright Blue 16 124a 119
               
4d 1938 Cream 12 - Line Deep Magenta 6 125 120
4d 8/1942 Medium White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Deep Magenta 17 125a 120
4d 2/1944 Medium White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Deep Magenta 17 125a 120
4d 4/1945 Medium White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Deep Magenta 17 125a 120
4d 1/1946 Medium White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Red-Magenta 17 125a 120
4d 7/1947 Thinner White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Red-Magenta 17a 125a 120
               
6d 1938 Cream 12 - Line Deep Purple 7 126 121
6d 1939 Cream 12 x 11.75 - Comb Deep Purple 18 126a 121
6d 1940-1941 Cream 12 x 11.75 - Comb Deep Purple 18 126a 121
6d 2/1944 Medium White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Deep Purple 18 126a 121
6d 4/1945 Medium White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Deep Purple 18 126a 121
6d 1/1946 Medium White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Deep Purple 18 126a 121
6d 7/1947 Thinner White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Deep Purple 18 126a 121
               
9d 1938 Cream 12 - Line Orange 8 127 122
9d 2/1944 Medium White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Orange 19 127a 122
9d 4/1945 Medium White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Red-Orange 19a 127a 122
9d 10/1946 Thinner White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Deep Red-Orange 19a 127a 122
9d 2/1947 Thinner White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Paler Red-Orange 19a 127a 122
9d 7/1947 Thinner White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Paler Red-Orange 19a 127a 122
               
1/ 1938 Cream 12 - Line Black & Olive-Green 9 128 123
1/ 1940-1941 Cream 12 x 11.75 - Comb Black & Olive-Green 20 128a 123
1/ 2/1944 Medium White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Black & Olive-Green 20 128a 123
1/ 4/1945 Medium White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Black & Olive-Green 20 128a 123
1/ 1/1946 Medium White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Black & Dull Olive 20a 128a 123
1/ 2/1947 Thinner White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Black & Dull Olive 20a 128a 123
1/ 7/1947 Thinner White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Black & Dull Olive 20a 128a 123
               
1/3 1940-1941 Cream 12 x 11.75 - Comb Chestnut & Turquoise 21 129 125
1/3 2/1944 Medium White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Chocolate & Dull Turquoise 21a 129 125
1/3 4/1945 Medium White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Chocolate & Deep Turquoise 21a 129 125
1/3 2/1947 Thinner White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Chocolate & Deep Turquoise 21a 129 125
1/3 7/1947 Thinner White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Chocolate & Brighter Turquoise 21a 129 125
               
2/ 1938 Cream 12 - Line Blue & Violet 10 130 125
2/ 1940-1941 Cream 12 x 11.75 - Comb Dull Blue & Red-Violet 22 130a 125
2/ 8/1942 Medium White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Dull Blue & Red-Violet 22 130a 125
2/ 2/1944 Medium White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Dull Greenish-Blue & Purple-Violet 22a 130a 125
2/ 2/1947 Thinner White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Dull Greenish-Blue & Purple-Violet 22a 130a 125
2/ 7/1947 Thinner White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Deeper Blue & Purple-Violet 22a 130a 125
               
5/ 1938 Cream 12 - Line Brown-Olive & Carmine 11 131 126
5/ 1940-1941 Cream 12 x 11.75 - Comb Paler Brown-Olive & Carmine 23 131a 126
5/ 2/1944 Medium White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Brown-Olive & Deep Carmine 23a 131a 126
               
10/ 1940-1941 Cream 12 x 11.75 - Comb Black & Violet 24 132 127
10/ 2/1944 Medium White 12 x 11.75 - Comb Black & Deep Violet 24a 132 127
 
Steps in Sorting your Stamps

The Potter & Shelton tables can be pretty daunting at first, but there is a lot of information that can be used to identify your stamps. These steps will help you as you compare your stamps to the listing:

Perforation - Line Perf 12, or Comb Perf 12 x 11.75

Paper & Gum Characteristics - Cream Paper, Medium White Paper, and Thinner White Paper

Color - Various shades were used in some printings that can help identify the stamps when viewed in relation to the other components like the paper and gum.

Here is an overview of how to compare your stamps using these traits. If you do them in the order presented, it is a lot easier.
 
Perforation

Before you start comparing your stamps, sort them first by comparing the perforation. You will need a good gauge like the Stanley Gibbons Instanta Gauge, and an understanding of how perforations are cut into stamps. The image below from our StampID section will show you the difference between Comb and Line Perf's. The thing you need to realize about the Gold Coast Perf 12 Line Perfs is that they were all from the first printing, and that they measure Perf 12 rather than Perf 12 x 11.75.
 
Here are scans of the Gold Coast 1/ Line and Comb Perf Examples. Notice how the corners of the Line Perf stamps appear almost rounded while the Comb Perf stamps have a much more squared off appearance. You should still check the perforations, but this has helped me find a number of Gold Coast line perf stamps over the years.
 
If you are still not sure about it, the 1/3 and 10/ stamps were only perforated with a Comb Perf. So they are a good reference item to use with your other stamps if you don't have a proper gauge.
 
Paper and Gum Characteristics
One important thing to remember when sorting these and other King George VI stamps is that there were multiple printings and they were printed using paper and gum that was available during the time they were produced. Today, we have computer matching of color and other components, but in the 1930's thru the 1950's when the King George VI stamps were produced it was all done differently. Combine that with the shortages of materials due to the war, and you have a lot of reasons why there are paper and gum characteristics that can be used to assign your stamps to a time period. If you collect any of the other Bradbury, Wilkinson countries, you will notice similarities between the printings of those countries and the ones from the Gold Coast.
Potter and Shelton help us with this determination by providing a description of the paper and gum in their listings. As you look over the listing, you will see three options: cream, medium white, and thinner white. Below are scans of the line perf and the three comb perf options. The line perf is described as cream, but it appears differently from the comb perf version of the cream paper which is a little darker.
This paper is easily found by using a good
perf gauge. When you find a line perf example, notice how the gum has a crackly appearance. This is typical of 1938 issues.		 The easiest way to find an example is to compare the 10/ stamps. There were only two printings. Most have the Cream Paper.
Look at the 1/3 issues to isolate this paper.
Most of them will have this type of appearance.		 This one is easy to spot if you have it. It is a brighter white than the medium paper and the watermark is more visible. CW 12a (1/2d Deeper Green) is on this paper.
   
It is a lot easier comparing these if you have a number of copies. Put your stamps face down on black paper under a strong light and look at what seems similar and what seems different. These scans do not show a few things that you might see. The line perf stamps will appear to have crackly gum compared the relatively flatter appearing gum from the comb perf cream paper stamps. Also, the thinner white paper stamps will tend to have a much more visible watermark than the medium paper stamps.
 
Color
Compare the colors after you have isolated the line perf stamps from the comb perfs, and have sorted the various papers. It is a lot easier this way. Notice that other than the low value stamps, if you have them sorted by paper, there are only a few options. Use the images below to make relative comparisons. They will probably not match your stamps exactly. They should be used to determine which color is lighter, or darker than the other after you determine the paper.
Although it would be great if I could tell you how to find every possible stamp in this group, I do not have all those answers. It gets very complex as you get into the lower values because there is only one color and many of them maintain the same relative shade. So I will only show you the values over 1/ and let you make your own decisions about the rest of them. What follows are each of the 1/3, 2/, 5/ and 10/ listings and how to identify them.
 
Gold Coast 1/3 Printings
Sort by paper and then compare the colors of the paper options to make your choice.
1940-41 Printing - Comb Perf
Cream Paper
1/3 Chestnut & Turquoise
 
2/1944 Printing - Comb Perf
Medium White Paper & Gum
1/3 Chocolate & Dull Turquoise		 4/1945 Printing - Comb Perf
Medium White Paper & Gum
1/3 Chocolate & Deep Turquoise
   
2/1947 Printing - Comb Perf
Thinner White Paper & Gum
1/3 Chocolate & Deep Turquoise		 7/1947 Printing - Comb Perf
Thinner White Paper & Gum
1/3 Chocolate & Brighter Turquoise
 
Gold Coast 2/ Printings
Sort by perforation, then paper and finally compare the colors of the paper options to make your choice. Some of the color variations are pretty subtle, especially the 1947 printings.
1938 Printing - Line Perf
Cream Paper
2/ Blue & Violet		 1940-41 Printing - Comb Perf
Cream Paper
2/ Dull Blue & Red-Violet
8/1942 Printing - Comb Perf
Medium White Paper
2/ Dull Blue & Red-Violet		 2/1944 Printing - Comb Perf
Medium White Paper
2/ Dull Greenish Blue & Purple-Violet
2/1947 Printing - Comb Perf
Thinner White Paper
2/ Dull Greenish Blue & Purple-Violet		 7/1947 Printing - Comb Perf
Thinner White Paper
2/ Deeper Blue & Purple-Violet
 
Gold Coast 5/ Printings
Sort by perforation, and then by paper to make your choice.
1938 Printing - Line Perf
Cream Paper
5/ Brown-Olive & Carmine
1940-41 Printing - Comb Perf
Cream Paper
5/ Paler Brown-Olive & Carmine		 2/1944 Printing - Comb Perf
Medium White Paper
5/ Brown-Olive & Deep Carmine
 
Gold Coast 10/ Printings
Sort by paper to make your choice. The 1944 printing is a lot more scarce,
so don't be surprised to find a lot of 1940-41 printings if you have a number of these issues.
1940-41 Printing - Comb Perf
Cream Paper
10/ Black & Violet		 2/1944 Printing - Comb Perf
Medium White Paper
10/ Black & Deep Violet
 
The Gold Coast set is one of the few KGVI sets of stamps that can be purchased in quantity and for a low cost. It is a great way to learn about identifying KGVI stamps.
 
Addenda: Richard Lockyer was kind enough to send me the supplement to Gold Coast that was put out by the King George VI Collectors' Society. Originally written by Frank Saunders, this document adds two printings to the list. There is an additional 6d dated 2/1947 that is described as Dark Purple, and an additional 1/3 dated 1946 listed as Reddish-Brown & Greenish Turquoise. These will have similar gum and paper to the 1945 issues.
 

This article was written to help you identify your stamps.
Please feel free to ask a question, or include a correction.
       
Comments or Questions feel free to write
       
Gold Coast Stamps for sale based on the identification from this article.
       
Index to KGVI Stamps Web Sites
       
Links to other British Colonial Stamp Sites