King Rama V - Series 2 Definitive Stamps - 4 Atts on 24 Atts
Issue of October 1892
Stamps No.34 & No.35 In 1891 Thailand entered an arrangement with several other Postal Union countries for the interchange of money orders, and this led to a considerable increase in foreign business. The stock of 4 atts stamps had been very nearly used up, and as the stamp was in constant demand the overprinting process was repeated to reduce high values to the lower one of 4 atts in 1892-3. The 24 atts, of which there was a good quantity on hand, was the first to be thus overprinted. In October 1892, the price of 4 atts was stamped in black on the original stamp price 24 atts using hand stamps with wood molds (Akson Printing Office, Bangkok) and metal molds (Post and Telegraph Department, Bangkok). These two stamps were overprinted in Thai only. These postage stamps could be used for domestic postal delivery only because there were no English letters showing the price. No.34: This is the Akson wooden seal version. Although 80,040 were overprinted, but only 8,040 were sold before the balance was also surcharged in English in accordance with the rules of the Universal Postal Union. Description of Handstamp Varieties:
No.34: Printed by wooden handstamp by the Post and Telegraph Department. Similarly, 120,000 were overprinted, but only 8,400 were sold before the balance was also surcharged in English. 4 varieties of stamp. The ones re-surcharged in English before issuance became No.36, No.37, No.38, and No.39.
No.35: Description of Wooden Handstamp Varieties:
An additional handstamp variety similar to handstamp A, except space between fourth and fifth characters is just under 1.0 mm. is known only with additional English surcharge. Issue of November 1892
Stamps No.36, No.37, No.39 and No.39 The original stamps printed in Thai in October, were additionally printed with “4 atts” in English by the Siam Mercantile Printing Press, Bangkok using four different typeset surcharges. These stamps were over printed in sheets of 120 stamps. 188,000 stamps were prepared. Issue of October 3rd, 1899 Stamp No.71 1887 Issue 24 atts purple and blue surcharged "4 Atts" in English and Thai by the Rachathiptai Printing Press, Bangkok. Printed from a single setting and that from general setting B. All but two positions have a roman "s" as shown in the illustration. The antique "s" is therefore listed as the variety. A total of 120,000 stamps were surcharged. |