Regional Postage Stamps of Great Britain - 1958 Issues

1958 Issues

Special committees were established to choose the heraldic emblems or symbols for the each country or island. These are discussed in the sections below. The first value (3d deep lilac) of the regional issues were introduced on 18 August 1958 in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The design consisted of the Dorothy Wilding's portrait of the Queen surrounded by appropriate regional symbols. Other values were introduced at later dates. Some of the issue dates are unclear, as the stamps were first issued at the Philatelic Bureau in Edinburgh, others first at the Philatelic Counter in London, yet others first in the region.

The colours used were consistent across the various regions, and stayed constant with the exception of the 4d value, which was issued in three different colours – initially ultramarine, then olive-sepia and finally vermilion. The 4d's initial colour change was made to bring it into line with that used by the newly issued pre-decimal Machin series (from 5 June 1967 onwards). The Machin 4d's colour was then changed because of complaints that the date of postmarks (critical for football pool entries) could not be read on so dark a colour. All the regional 4d's were then changed again to the new Machin colour of vermilion.