KGVI Coil Issues
Large & Small Perforations		Coil Join Pair

Coil stamps have been issued by various Colonies for a good portion of the Twentieth Century. Used with various types of stamp dispensing machines, coil were arranged in a single row in order to be dispensed upon demand.

Some of the King George VI coil issues were specifically printed as coil stamps, like the Australia 2d on the left with large and small perforations for easy separation. Other coils were created by separating a sheet of stamps into strips which were glued together one on top of the other. This is called a "coil join pair" and is illustrated with similar Australian stamps on the right. You should be able to see the join between the two stamps where they do not line up. The reverse side has the overlap from the gluing process. You may also note that the perforations are the same on the coil join pair since it was produced from a perforated sheet of stamps rather than from one with a special perforation used for coils. Many coil join stamps were issued in rolls. One example from the Leeward Islands was a roll of 480 with a printed wrapper that was offered in the January 31, 1997 Victoria Stamp Company auction. This roll of coils would require 4 complete sheets of stamps. The Leeward Islands small keyplate issues were printed in 2 panes of 60 stamps per pane using a 6 x 10 format.

There are three purposes for this study. One is to inform collectors about the various issues which have been identified by the author and other sources noted below. The other is to invite collaboration as additional information surfaces on these issues - you will be mentioned as a contributor. Finally, an opportunistic plea for the sale or trade of any of the coil stamps that are marked with a "yes" in the Needed Column. These items are missing from my collection. I would like to find them.

Key to the Chart:

Issues that are specifically mentioned in the Commonwealth (CW), Stanley Gibbons (SG), or Scott (ST) Catalogs are indicated with their actual catalog number. Color descriptions are with permission from the Commonwealth Catalogue. (If you would like to order a Commonwealth Catalogue, see the link below.) Because many coil issues are not listed in any of the major catalogs; those with no assigned catalog number are listed by catalog number followed by a CP to indicate "coil pair".

Sources of information:

Commonwealth Catalogue 1997 edition

MacDonnell Whyte Stamps of Ireland 1991 edition

Scott Catalog 1997 edition

The Stamps of Barbados by Edmund A. Bayley
Stanley Gibbons Catalogue 1997 edition
Personal collections of Gary Clark, Charles Freeland,

Sir Richard Lockyer, Charles McLaughlin and Barry Moerke

Special thanks to Anthony Cole for his help in obtaining the "twins"

Important

The information contained in this report is undoubtedly missing information, and could be inaccurate. It is published in the hopes that other collectors can add to the details shown. As new information is provided. This page will be updated to show these details.

If you have any additional information, comments, or coil pairs to sell or trade;

please use the email link below.

* Per Sir Richard Lockyer - I have obtained a partial coil of the GB 6d (SG470). There are four coil joins occuring on every 20th stamp.
My guess is that there were a few dispensers available offering them, probably at airports or at major rail stations in London, just prior to WW2.
I seem to recollect that an airmail rate was 6d. at the time. I also have most of a coil of the 3d (SG490) with coil joins every 12th stamp.

Questions?  Please feel free to write: EMAIL

Commonwealth K.G.VI Catalogue

Links to other British Colonial Stamp Sites