ILLEGAL IN BRITAIN

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31001, 5 March 1966, Page 5

ILLEGAL IN BRITAIN

TTNTIL the last few months it would have seemed incredible that a stamp showing the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II and the coat-of-arms of a colonial territory should be declared illegal by the British Government. But this is the outcome of recent events in Rhodesia. It all began when lan Smith's white Rhodesian government made its unilateral declaration of independence in November, 1965. Such unconstitutional action was promptly condemned by Britain. This was followed within a few weeks by the appearance in Rhodesia of a special 2s 6d stamp to commemorate independence. As the first stamp ever printed in Rhodesia —all pre-

vious Rhodesian Issues had been printed in Britain—it was quite an ambitious production in four colours. But, the perforations are often extremely rough. When the new issue was announced, the British Government stated that the stamp was illegal and would not be accepted by the British Post Office. Letters bearing the stamp, said the PostmasterGeneral, would be liable to a surcharge in Britain at the same rate as if they were unstamped. In practice, many of Britain’s postal workers either forgot about this instruction or found it difficult to distinguish the offending stamp from all the others in the overseas mails. This is hardly surprising for at a quick glance it is not dissimilar from countless modern issues from various territories of the British Commonwealth. Some cases have indeed

occurred where postage due has been charged to the addressee, but many other letters bearing the stamp have been delivered without surcharge. In these circumstances Rhodesia’s independence stamp caused intense interest among collectors throughout the world. Difficulties in obtaining initial supplies led to the price going up at once in the stamp shops to double the face-value. Then it became known that no fewer than 750,000 copies had been printed—a huge number for such a high facevalue stamp. While a stamp of such unusual political significance is sure to be in lasting demand, it seems there will be ample to go round. It is certainly not a stamp that is going to make anyone’s fortune for many years to come!