Postage Stamps and Postal History of Malta - 1922 To 1964

1922 To 1964

1922 saw the George V definitives overprinted with Self Government, but this ruined the design and it didn't last long. In April of that year a new set of stamps designed by Maltese artists featuring an allegorical depiction of Melita on the Pound and pence values and a depiction of Melita leaning on Britannia on the shilling values, was a welcome enhancement. However in 1926 it was decided that separate revenue stamps should be issued and the set was defaced with the word "POSTAGE" on all values up to 10/-. To make it more complicated a new set of definitives appeared later in 1926, this time a very beautiful set showing George V and a shield on the values to 6d and a series of engraved scenes on the higher values to 10/- (No more pound stamps until 1957). But again the set was defaced with an overprint "Postage and Revenue" in 1928, when it was decided that revenue stamps were no longer needed. A 6d stamp was overprinted AIRMAIL in 1928 and was Malta's first airmail stamp value, being in addition to the sea postage rate. 1930 saw this beautiful set reissued with "Postage and Revenue" in the legend. Malta had used a total of 7 sets of definitives between 1920 and 1930.

1935 saw the Silver Jubilee omnibus set and 1937 the Coronation set of 3 by Crown Agents for the Colonies. In 1938 a new set of pictorial definitives came out with George VI inside a cartouche with a rich scene around him. The farthing value was reissued like the 1901 version except with a modernised view of the harbour. The set went up to 10/- and many of the top values reused scenes from the 1926 set, except larger and brighter.

During World War II Malta was heavily bombed and the island was awarded the George Cross by the King, because it had resisted the Nazi and Italian bombardment. In 1943 postage rates increased and 6 low values from the 1938 were reissued in new colours to show rate changes. Malta issued the usual omnibus issues right up to Independence including Peace, Wedding (a one pound value) and UPU. Late 1948 saw the 1938 pictorials reissued with a "SELF-GOVERNMENT 1947" overprint, Malta had lost it originally in 1936 when infighting led to the British reasserting control. A further reissue of these stamps occurred in 1953 when standard postage rose to 1½d and 6 values were again reissued in new colours, still overprinted. In 1948 Elizabeth II moved to Malta to live with the Duke of Edinburgh at the naval base and a set was issued in 1950 commemorating her visit. Thee were also sets in the 50s commemorating Catholic anniversaries, the royal visit and coronation.

1957 saw the first George Cross set designed by Emvin Cremona, Malta's greatest ever stamp designer. He used an abstract post cubist style that would dominate most stamps of the 1960s and 1970s including two definitive sets.

The QEII definitives were issued in steps between January 1956 and 1959, and featured beautifully engraved designs up to one pound. This set was used up to 1965 and seen as the finest definitives issued for Malta, they are scarce in the higher values now.