THE PERFIN FOREIGN BILL STAMPS OF GREAT BRITAIN THE PERFIN FOREIGN BILL STAMPS OF GREAT BRITAIN By Jeff Turnbull THE PERFIN FOREIGN BILL STAMPS OF GREAT BRITAIN PART ONE FOREIGN BILL STAMPS © COPYRIGHT 2021 THE PERFIN FOREIGN BILL STAMPS OF GREAT BRITAIN DEDICATION This opening page is dedicated to the Late Mr. Kevin Parkhill of Rochdale, a keen Perfin Society member, who initiated this study of the perfined revenue stamps of Great Britain. I would not have been able to produce this catalogue without Kevin's notes, papers and correspondence from perfin collectors around the world. You all know who you are, so many thanks indeed for your information which has culminated in this first specialised edition of a GB Foreign Bill Perfin Revenue Catalogue. THE PERFIN FOREIGN BILL STAMPS INTRODUCTIONOF GREAT BRITAIN The following pages have been put together with the intention of helping the collector of perfinned revenue stamps, it is by no means complete, hopefully collectors who have additional information will let me know the details, and more pages will be made up as and when. As there is no present perfinned Revenue cataloguing system I am adopting a new system, using the letter followed by two numbers and two decimal places. A single letter "M" after the catalogue number indicates a Multi headed die. I.E. A 23.01. Where the perfin is already catalogued in the New Gault Illustrated perfin catalogue on postage stamps, then this catalogue number will also be alongside. At this moment in time only different Reigns will be used, with an accompanying list of stamps on which the perfin has been seen. A Typical entry will be as follows. In use: Date range based on known dates. Dates: Earliest and latest known dates from Documents or Cancellations. Issues: Only different Reigns will be used QVic, EDVII, GV, GVI, QEII, Ident: Company Name & address identified by Document or Cachet Cancellation. Suspected Ident: Ø This symbol indicates a suspected Identity. W D Where the perfin is indicated by Typed letters, the letters have been reported, but the die remains unknown. Information is & Co welcome on any of these dies. Where possible the illustration for each die has been taken from stamps and other catalogues. However a number of previously unknown dies have had to be scanned. Edited and Produced by Jeff Turnbull. THE PERFIN FOREIGN BILL STAMPS OF GREAT BRITAIN INTRODUCTION For the benefit of those who are not familiar with Foreign Bill stamps, I will give the following short introduction. Perfinned Foreign Bill Stamps. Foreign Bills were essentially bank drafts for transfer of money to a foreign country. Although the stamps were introduced in 1854, Permission to perfin them was only obtained on the 27th June 1870, NOTE: - QVic perfinned Foreign Bill stamps have been seen with earlier cancels, but only with perfin dies which have been used to perfin earlier postage stamps of the same Company. Permission to perfin postage stamps was issued earlier on 13-3-1868. The stamps were used as a Tax on the dispatch of money overseas, hence the description Revenues. The Company perfin if on used stamps is usually cancelled by a manuscript cancel (manu) in Catalogue) or by a private rubber cancel (Cachet) most often in green, red, violet, or blue). Combination pieces do exist, where you will find Foreign Bill stamps of Great Britain and Foreign Bill stamps of the country of destination, these are most common from India. For the overprint collector there are also overprints of various Banks and Company’s. (All known overprints to date are listed in Part Two of this catalogue). NOTE: - Ref: - Stamp Duty act 1891. Perfin QVic 1d, EDVII 1d, GV 1d & 2d, GVI 2d, & QEII 2d Postage stamps are also recorded used as Duty on the transfer of Money Overseas, QVic, EDVII & GV £5 to £100. & GVI £5 to £300. & QEII £5 to £1500 (All reported postage stamps used as stamp duty in this catalogue have been seen used either on overseas money transfers (Cheques) or on Foreign Bills). THE PERFIN FOREIGN BILL STAMPS OF GREAT BRITAIN “SPG” TYPES. The term “SPG” Type originates from the first discovery (1994) of these clamped together dies, which was made by our Catalogue Editor Roy Gault when looking at numerous Perfins with the letters “SPG”, each showing many variations. These would eventually become Cat No S5900.01v and S5900.02v. The suffix “v” in the Catalogue Number alerts the collector that variations can be expected, in size, shape, and pin count. A short explanation is that the “SPG” Types are single letters which are clamped together to produce the required initials as one die. The three letter type almost always reads down the stamp (with the Monarch’s head upright). There are two basic types, with a change over date of approx 1906. The earlier type (1890-1906) are mostly 5 pins high, whereas the later type (1906-1930) are mostly 4 pins high. Both earlier and later types may be found with one, two, or three letters, with one known of the earlier type with four letters. There are now 411 different G.B. Perfin dies recognised as “SPG” Types, but only one has so far been reported on Foreign Bill Stamps. 1 Later NOTE: - More details by Roy Gault are to be found on the Society website http://www.angelfire.com/pr/perfinsoc/surveys/000203.pdf THE PERFIN FOREIGN BILL STAMPS OF GREAT BRITAIN Issues: - Queen Victoria (Longs). To the editors knowledge the earliest perfins have only been found on the 1857 issue of the (Longs) colours of Lilac & Carmine, Wmk VR perf 14. It is presumed that they can be found on all values. This issue (perfinned) should only be found used after 27th June1870 when the first permission was granted to perfin Foreign Bill stamps, however earlier cancels are known on the perfin dies which were also granted for the relevant Company’s postage stamps. (Pre 1870). (See Introduction). Issues: - Queen Victoria. For the issue collector, perfins are likely to be found on all issues of QVic 1871, seventeen values from 1d to £5, Wmk VR perf 14. Colour Lilac, except (£1 to £5 green) And on all issues of 1872 same design (colour change) Colour (Lilac 1d to 9d) (green 1/- to 15/-), and (Lilac £1 to £5), Wmk VR perf 14. All Issues of QVic1881, seventeen values from 1d to £5 Colour (Lilac 1d to 9d) (green 1/- to 15/-) £1 to £5 as 1872 but different Wmk. Wmk Script VR perf 14. THE PERFIN FOREIGN BILL STAMPS OF GREAT BRITAIN Issues: - King Edward VII. Issues of EDVII 1902, Seventeen issues from 1d to £5 Perf 14, Wmk Orb (1d to 9d) Lilac & Lilac, Wmk IR (1/- to 15/-), green & green, Wmk 2 Orbs (£1 to £5) Lilac & Lilac, Issues of EDVII 1907, same design, colour change on (1d to 9d purple & brown), (1/- to 15/-, green & brown), (£1 to £5 purple & maroon), Wmk IR, Perf 14, Issues of EDVII 1915-1916, same design, colour change on (1/- to 15/-, olive-green & brown) (£1 to £5 claret & brown) Wmk IR & Multi Orb IR, Perf 14, Issues: - King George V. Issues GV 1917 & 1921 same design 16 issues 2d to £5. Colour on 2d to 9d & £1 to £5 (purple & purple brown). Colour on 1/- to 15/-. (green & purple brown). Wmk Mult Orb IR, various perfs 13¾ to 15, Two different sizes of A 1917 Type setting exist for GV Stamps. B 1921 THE PERFIN FOREIGN BILL STAMPS OF GREAT BRITAIN Issues: - King George VI. Issues GVI 1948 same design seventeen issues 1d to £5 Colours Claret & purple brown, except for values 1/- to 15/- green & purple brown. Wmk Mult Orb IR, various perfs 13¾ to 15. Various shades of green are recorded. (apple green) Issues: - Queen Elizabeth II. Issues QEII 1959, same design, sixteen issues 2d to £5 Colours Claret & purple brown, except for values 1/- to 15/- green & purple brown. (various shades of green). Wmk Mult Orb IR, various perfs 13¾ to 15. NOTE: - For a fuller description of the different watermarks, see final pages of this Catalogue. NOTE: - The Tax on Foreign Bills was repealed by the Finance Act of 1970, no further stamps being issued. THE PERFIN FOREIGN BILL STAMPS OF GREAT BRITAIN Inland Revenue Authorising letter to Joseph Sloper 1870. THE PERFIN FOREIGN BILL STAMPS OF GREAT BRITAIN Transcript of the letter. The letter of 27th June 1870 from the Inland Revenue to Joseph Sloper, authorising the use of perfins on revenue stamps: INLAND REVENUE SOMERSET HOUSE, LONDON W.C. 27th June 1870 Sir,- The Board of Inland Revenue have had before them your letter of the 23rd instant, inquiring on behalf of Messrs. Huth & Co. relative to the plan sanctioned by the Postmaster General for the perforation of postage stamps with the names and initials of Firms, etc., and in reply, I am directed to state that the Board will not object to the plan in question being extended to the perforation of Foreign Bill Stamps and also to the one penny Inland Revenue stamps in the manner pointed out in your letter. It is to be distinctly understood, however, that the Queen's Head in the stamp is to be left untouched by the operation. I am, Sir, Your obedient servant, W. Lomas. Marginal Note in pencil: This has since been allowed inasmuch as it was considered more effectual & beneficial to the Government -- NOTE: - It is apparent that over time the rule regarding the perfin die skirting Queen Victoria's head was ignored. THE PERFIN FOREIGN BILL STAMPS OF GREAT BRITAIN LETTER “A” In use: 1895-1920.