A study of Hong Kong Queen Elizabeth II Third Definitive Issue

By Henry Chung

1

� Basic information

Hong Kong third definitive issue was firstly adopted by Queen Elizabeth Machin Portrait's design.

The Portrait was designed by Arnold Machin and the adhesives’ design was adopted from Auther

Hacker. Harrison & Sons Ltd., from United Kingdom is the printer for this issue. It was using

photogravure printing process. There were four series issued during the period and the details are

as follows:

1st series 2nd series 3rd series 4th series

12 June 1973 1975 - 1978 1976-1977 1981-1982

Block CA

watermark

Spiral CA

watermark

No watermark Spiral CA

watermark

Glazed paper Glazed paper Glazed paper Uncoated

paper

10 cents Bright orange � � � COIL

15 cents Yellow olive � �

20 cents Reddish violet � � � �

25 cents Lake brown � �

30 cents Ultramarine � � � �

40 cents Turquoise-blue � � �

50 cents Light orange

vermilion

� �

60 cents Lavender � (4/5/1977) �

65 cents Greenish bistre � �

70 cents Yellow � (4/5/1977) �

80 cents Magenta � (4/5/1977) �

90 cents Blackish olive � (1/10/1981)

$1 Blackish green � � �

$1.3 Pale yellow &

reddish violet

� �

$2 Reddish brown

and emerald

� � � �

$5 Pink & deep

blackish olive

� � � �

$10 Pink & deep

blackish olive

� � � �

$20 Pink & brownish

black

� � � �

A study of Hong Kong Queen Elizabeth II Third Definitive Issue

By Henry Chung

2

� Study in requisition numbers

There are four types of margin perforation are identified:

Type I: Both Vertical and Horizontal Perforation Across margin;

Type II: Vertical Perforation Not Through Margin and Horizontal Perforation across margin;

Type III: Vertical Perforation Across Margin and Horizontal Perforation Not Through margin;

Type IV: Both Vertical and Horizontal Perforation Not Through margin

1st series – Block CA Watermark (Glazed paper)

10c 15c 20c 25c 30c 40c 50c 65c $1 $1.3 $2 $5 $10 $20

L � � � � � � � � � � � � � �

Z � � � � � � � � � � �

V � � � �

F �

U �

2nd series – Spiral CA Watermark (Glazed paper)

10c 15c 20c 25c 30c 40c 50c 60c 65c 70c 80c $1 $1.3 $2 $5 $10 $20

E � � � � � �

F � � � � � � � � � � �

V � � � � � � �

J � � � �

M � �

N � � � �

E

in red

colour

�

- Requisition number in imperforation varieties: 10c: F372120 ; $10: E06106

- Record in Requisition E in red colour (Total 9 records): E072, E073, E074, E083 (Complete sheet of

100), E085, E086, E087, E088 and E090

A study of Hong Kong Queen Elizabeth II Third Definitive Issue

By Henry Chung

3

3rd series – No Watermark (Glazed paper)

10c 20c 30c $2 $5 $10 $20

M COIL STAMP � � � �

R � �

- Only 4 known records in Requisition number for $20: R004542 (the largest block recorded – Block of

six), R009231, 013542 (Cutting requisition “R”), 017531 (Cutting requisition “R”)

4th series - Spiral CA Watermark (Uncoated paper)

20c 30c 40c 60c 70c 80c 90c $1 $2 $5 $10 $20

A � � � � � � � �

J �

N � � � � � �

U � � � � � � � �

Z �

E

in red

colour

�

- Requisition number in imperforation varieties: $10: E06106, $20: N02880 and N09567

1976/77 No watermark series - Including one of four known requisition Block of $20

A study of Hong Kong Queen Elizabeth II Third Definitive Issue

By Henry Chung

4

1975 -1978 Spiral CA Watermark (Glazed paper) series - $1 Requisition E083 in red colour (Completed sheet of 100)

A study of Hong Kong Queen Elizabeth II Third Definitive Issue

By Henry Chung

5

� Study in Plate numbers (Information reference: 1981 Yang’s HK postage stamps catalogue)

1st series – Block CA

Watermark

10c: 1A; 1B; 1C; 1D; 2A; 2B; 2C; 2D

15c to $1: 1A; 1B; 1C; 1D

$1.3 to $20 (except $10): 1A 1A; 1B 1B

$10: 1A 1A; 1B 1B; 2A 1A; 2B 1B

2nd series – Spiral CA

Watermark

10c: 1A; 1B; 1C; 1D; 2A; 2B; 2C; 2D

15c, 20c to $1: 1A; 1B; 1C; 1D

25c: 2A; 2B; 2D

30c: 3A; 3B; 3C; 3D

$1.3, $2 & $20: 1A 1A; 1B 1B; 1C 1C; 1D 1D

$5: 3A 1A; 3B 1B

$10: 2A 1A; 2B 1A

3rd series – No Watermark 20c: 1A; 1B; 1C; 1D

30c: 2A; 2B; 2C; 2D; 3A; 3B; 3C; 3D

$2, $10 & $20: 1A 1A; 1B 1B

$5: 3A 1A; 3B 1B

� Study in Coil stamps

Coil stamps issued during the period are summarized as follows:

1st series 2nd series 3rd series 4th series

Block CA

watermark

Spiral CA

watermark

No

watermark

Spiral CA

watermark

10 cents � � �

50 cents � �

$1 � �

A study of Hong Kong Queen Elizabeth II Third Definitive Issue

By Henry Chung

6

� Study in stamp booklet

$2 - Grey Brown Cover Block CA Watermark 20 cents x 10 adhesives

$2 – Lemon Yellow Cover Block CA Watermark 10 cents x 20 adhesives

$5 – Blue Green Cover Block CA Watermark 10 cents x 10; 15 cents x 4; 20 cents x 8 and

50 cents x 4

$2 - Grey Brown Cover Spiral CA Watermark 20 cents x 10 adhesives

$2 – Red Cover Spiral CA Watermark 10 cents x 4 adhesives and 20 cents x 8 adhesives

$5 – Blue Green Cover Spiral CA Watermark 10 cents x 8; 15 cents x 4; 20 cents x 8; 50 cents x 4

$5 – Blue Green Cover Spiral CA Watermark 10 cents x 8; 15 cents (Block CA Watermark); 20

cents x 8; 50 cents x 4

- Varieties and errors found:

1. $2 - Grey Brown Cover (Block CA Watermark): Black colour double printing on the cover

2. $2 – Lemon Yellow Cover (Block CA Watermark): Omitted black colour on the cover

$2 Lemon Yellow Cover Booklet

� Study in Varieties and Errors

1st series – Block CA Watermark (Glazed paper)

10c 15c 20c 25c 30c 40c 50c 65c $1 $1.3 $2 $5 $10 $20

Perforation shifted � � � � � � � � � �

Imperforation � �

Double strike of perforation

comb

� �

Dry pint � � � � �

Colour missing �

Double colour printing � �

Print on gummed side �

Vertical doctor blade line � �

Inverted watermark � � �

Embossing shifted � �

Embossing omitted � �

A study of Hong Kong Queen Elizabeth II Third Definitive Issue

By Henry Chung

7

2nd series – Spiral CA Watermark (Glazed paper)

10c 15c 20c 25c 30c 40c 50c 60c 65c 70c 80c $1 $1.3 $2 $5 $10 $20

Perforation

shifted

� � � � � � � �

Imperforation � � �

Offset on

gummed side

�

Double strike

of

perforation

comb

�

Vertical

doctor blade

line

�

Paper fold �

Dry pint � � � � � �

Perforation

shifted &

Inverted

watermark

�

Inverted

watermark

� � � �

Embossing

shifted

� �

Embossing

omitted

� �

Embossing

omitted &

Inverted

watermark

�

A study of Hong Kong Queen Elizabeth II Third Definitive Issue

By Henry Chung

8

3rd series – No Watermark (Glazed paper)

10c 20c 30c $2 $5 $10 $20

Perforation shifted � �

Imperforation � � �

Colour missing � �

Dry print � � �

Constant plate flaw on flower �

Embossing shifted � �

Embossing omitted � �

4th series - Spiral CA Watermark (Uncoated paper)

20c 30c 40c 60c 70c 80c 90c $1 $2 $5 $10 $20

Perforation shifted � � � � � � �

Imperforation �

Plate flaw on Queen’s head �

Dry print � � � �

Wet print � �

Offset on gummed side �

Inverted watermark � � � � � � � � � � � �

Perforation shifted & Inverted

watermark

�

Embossing shifted � �

Embossing omitted � �

Embossing omitted & Inverted

watermark

�

1976/77 No watermark series – 30 cents Perforation shifted varieties

A study of Hong Kong Queen Elizabeth II Third Definitive Issue

By Henry Chung

9

1975-1978 Spiral CA Watermark (Glazed paper) series – 30 cents Imperforation Varieties

1973 Block CA Watermark (Glazed paper) Series – 1975-1978 Spiral CA Watermark (Glazed paper) series –

$5 Imperforation Varieties $10 Imperforation Varieties

A study of Hong Kong Queen Elizabeth II Third Definitive Issue

By Henry Chung

10

1981/82 Spiral CA Watermark (Uncoated paper) Series - $20 Imperforation Varieties

Reference

� Hong Kong Post Stamps Catalogue (2001 Edition) - Publisher: Postmaster General, Hong Kong

� 1981 Yang’s Postage stamp & postage History Catalogue of Hong Kong (7th

Edition)

� 2009 Yang’s Postage stamp & postage History Catalogue of Hong Kong (23rd

Edition)

� John Bull Stamp Auction – The 2011 Winter Sales Catalogue (316th

Auction)

� John Bull Stamp Auction – The 2013 Autumn Sales Catalogue (320th

Auction)

� Cavendish Philatelic Auction Catalogue – The Richard C.K. Chan Collection of Hong Kong and Treaty

Ports (2004)

� Requisition numbers of QEII definitives 1954-1997 by Ng Kwai-Lung – The Hong Kong Philatelic

Society Journal No. 12 (2008)

� Hong Kong QE II Third Issue – The Machin Definitive Sets from Lincoln Chow’s exhibit - China

Philatelic Association Website: http://cpa-hk.net

� Wikipedia website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machin_series