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A Simple Guide to Identifying the Pictorial Issues

Introduction

A number of people still seem to have considerable trouble identifying the basic issues
of this series of stamps which had a long life from 1926 - 54 and
which provides much of the interest for Union collectors

Judging by offers on ebay this confusion extends to a number of dealers
It is hoped that the guide below will make it relatively simple to identify the stamps correctly


By Tony Howgrave-Graham
 
1926 Typographed Pictorials
SG 30 - 32 or SACC 29 - 31
 
 
1927 - 30 London Pictorials
SG 34 - 39 or SACC 33 - 39
 
 
1930 - 45 Unhyphenated Rotos
SG 42 - 49 or SACC 42 - 50
 
 
1933 - 51 Hyphenated Rotos
SG 54 to 135 or SACC 55 to 134

1926 - 27 Typographed ½d, 1d and 6d - SG 30 - 32 or SACC 29 - 31

The ½d and 1d were issued on 1 January 1926 followed by the 6d value on 1st May _There is no hyphen between SUID and AFRIKA
The issue was initially printed by Waterlow & Sons in London and from 1927 by the Government Printing Works in Pretoria -
The stamps are perforated 14½ x
14 except in the 1927 Pretoria 2s 6d booklet (SB6) which is perforation 13½ x 14 and the ½d and 1d stamps are listed as SG 30e and 31d

This Issue can be differentiated from the later Rotogravure Printings by the curved shape of the
Leg of the R in AFRICA or AFRIKA - See illustration at left
The illustration at right depicts the shape of the R on a
Rotogravure Printing

The Pretoria printings can be differentiated by their poorer quality & duller colours - For instance the black is usually a shade of grey
Any used copy dated during 1926 has to be a London Printing
 

1927- 30 London Pictorials
The Recess printed 2d, 3d, 4d, 1/-, 2/6, 5/- & 10/- SG 34 - 9 or SACC 33 - 39

Printed by Bradbury & Wilkinson in London Six values were issued on 1 March 1927 followed with a 4d value on 23 March 1928 Again there is no hyphen between SUID and AFRIKA - Initially Perforation 14

With experience these are easily identifiable
at a glance. Printed by Bradbury & Wilkinson in London these are high quality engraved stamps with finely etched lines and a clean appearance free of the dots & blobs of the Rotogravure issues
Perforation Variations

Initially Perforation 14 - Later they were perforated 14 x 13½ with the perforator moving either upwards or downwards
The foregoing perforations are not exactly accurate and stamps are often offered Mis-described
Rather than using a perforation gauge there is a simple method that is thought to be infallible
It involves looking for a half perforation

Perforation 14

Perforation 14 x 13½ down
Perforation 14 x 13½ up

If there is no half perforation
It is perforation 14

A half perforaton at the bottom
It is perforation 14 x 13½ down
A half perforaton at the top
It is perforation 14 x 13½ up

Now go back to the set above and it will become obvious that all the pairs are perforation 14
The Stanley Gibbons Commonwealth catalogue does not differenciate whether it is perforation up or down
 
2d - SG 34, 34aw & 34b (SACC 33)

Identification is easy as the Delville Wood War Memorial, having not been built, does not appear in the design over the top left of the value tablet - It exists in all three perforation types 14, 14 x 13½ down and 14 x 13½ up and is an interesting stamp - The perforation 14 is also known with its watermark inverted and is rare

Anyone wishing to study this value ought to refer to a P.F.S.A. booklet entitled - The Union 2d. London Printing, The Final Chapter by Hagger & Tonking

 
3d - SG 35 & 35a (SACC 34)
It has finer lines and a cleaner appearance than the rotogravure equivalent and does not have a thick white bar in the top frame it exists perforation 14 and
14 x 13½ down

Perforation 14

Perforation 14
Perforation 14
 
4d - SG 35b, 35bw & 35c (SACC 35)
This is a little more difficult but has several minor
differences from later issues

The finer engraving shows particularly in the scrolls under POSTAGE or POSSEEL

It exists in all three perforation types

14, 14 x 13½ down
and 14 x 13½ up


The perforation 14
x 13½ up is
also known with its

watermark inverted
and is rare


4d - SG 35bw (SACC 35f)

Watermark Inverted

Perforation 14
x 13½ up

Peetoom Collection

 
1/- SG 36 & 36a (SACC 36)

There is shading to the right of the scroll under the S of SOUTH or SUID
It exists in all three perforation types 14, 14 x 13½ down and 14 x 13½ up

Perforation 14
Perforation 14
2/6 SG 37 & 37a (SACC 37)
This is a little more problematic though the shading under the country name is fine and regular It exists perforation 14 and 14 x 13½ down
Locating a fine used example of this value is a big ask - Peetoom comment

 
5/- SG 38 & 38a (SACC 38)

The leg of the R of AFRICA or AFRIKA is shaped in a similar fashion to the low values and quite different to the straight edged shape found on the Rotogravure issues. The general appearance is much finer than the rotogravure printings - It is at times confused with the last 1954 5/- SG 122a as it is superficially similar although the latter is yellower in colour. The obvious difference is a hyphen between SUID and AFRIKA and is of course screened rotogravure, whereas the Bradbury 5/- is recess printed - It exists in all three perforation types 14, 14 x 13½ up and 14 x 13½ down - the latter being the scarcest

Locating a fine used example of this value is another a big ask and a well centred copy difficult - Peetoom comment

Perforation 14
Perforation 14
 
10/- SG 39, 39a & 39b (SACC 39)
As it is the only Pictorial definitive depicting Table Mountain it cannot be confused with any other definitive - The frame design came from the same master dies as the 2d and the only differences are in the value circle - It exists perforation 14 and 14 x 13½ down _Although there was only one issue of the 10/-,
it is known with an Aniline blue centre listed as SACC 39c

The Inverted centre is SG 39a and an article on the variety appeared in The Springbok and later in The South African Philatelist
 
1930 - 45 Unhyphenated Rotos
SG 42 - 49 or SACC 42 - 50 Introduction
 

The lack of a hyphen between SUID and AFRIKA differentiates these issues from all later ones

The rotogravure process produced less high quality stamps. South Africa was one of the earliest countries to use rotary photogravure i.e. Producing continuous sheets by printing from cylinders
- It was done for economic reasons but there was a lot more that could go wrong

Cylinders got scratched or damaged and dots and blobs became commonplace, not to mention a range of other types of flaw which makes this such an interesting group to study

1930 ½d Springbok - SG 42 or SACC 42
The ½d, 1d and 6d are all easy to differentiate from their typo predecessors by looking at the leg of the R of Africa or Afrika where it is straight edged rather than shaped. Distinguished as above and produced from three combinations of cylinders it exists in various marked shades with the watermark either upright or inverted

1930 1d Ship Type I - SG 43 or SACC 43
  Also essentially distinguished by the shape of the leg of R - The first six issues of this stamp are in jet black & shades of rose carmine, carmine or maroon
The watermark is nearly always upright - except for a few later

They can also be found with no watermark or watermark Trefoil
These are from the Rotogravure Trials at Darmstadt
Two examples from these trials have the usual
watermark Springbok's head but can be differentiated by the different shades, especially one which has distinctly pinkish frames
In June 1931 new cylinders were used producing stamps usually in a lighter shade and invariably with the watermark inverted

Type I Narrow Spacing between lines of Shading - Type II Wider Spacing

Type I


Type II

From 1932 1d Ship Type II -SG 43d or SACC 43c
 

The frames are now redrawn with the spacing of the lines under the side spandrels being more widely spaced - The gap between POSSEEL and INKOMSTE has also increased - They are known with watermark upright and inverted
The colours are different as well - being black & rose with the last printing having the so called Steel blue centres

1d Type II

POSSEEL - INKOMSTE

Type I
Type II
 
1931 6d Orange Tree - SG 47 or SACC 48
 

Again differentiated from the typogravure printings by the leg of the R - It was produced in shades of green & orange, red orange or buff
The watermark is usually inverted with only one printing having it upright

 
The 2d Union Buildings - SG 44 or SACC 44
 This is easily differentiated from the Recess Printings by the presence of the Delville Wood War Memorial - It was built in 1928 and added to the 2d design over the top left of the value tablet - See illustrations below - It was produced from three sets of cylinders and has a very wide range of shades

 

The watermark exists upright or inverted in all three issues - despite the catalogue listings, the Upright Watermark is probably more common than the Inverted. The illustrations show typical examples from all three issues. Note the bluish centres from the third issue which sometimes get confused with SG 44e
With a Trial printing, Booklet and Roll (Coils) stamps to add to the above this is a superb stamp to study in depth

Bluish Vignette
SG 44e Blue (Indigo) & violet
The 2d Union Buildings - SG 44 & 44e or SACC 44 & 44a
The last printing from the Third Issue in March 1938 had a significant colour change to indigo and violet -Catalogues list this as blue & violet but the blue is dark, often Indigo. The only confusable stamp is the hyphenated issue and the hyphen is quite small - The colour of the centres is, however, always lighter in the latter
 
The 3d Groote Schuur - SG 45 or SACC 45

Under the Words
POSTAGE & POSSEEL and the
Bottom Frame
London printing - two lines
Pretoria printing - one line


London Printing


Pretoria Rotogravure

Produced in November 1931 this can be differentiated from the recess printings by the solid white bar in the top frame
It exists with the watermark upright or inverted - Stamps with upright watermark have a lighter shade of red

First Printing
With Control A
Watermark Inverted

Note the deep colours of the
Vignette & Frame


Second Printing Watermark Upright
Vignette much lighter

Frame lighter & brighter

 
The 3d Groote Schuur - SG 45c or SACC 45
 

This was produced in October 1933 in order to conform to the UPU colour regulations for stamps for overseas postage.
The colour was changed to blue and blue. The centre and frame shades can be quite different as in the example shown.
The watermark exists either upright or inverted.
In 1937 the vignette cylinder was changed so that the cylinder varieties of the earlier stamps disappeared whilst the frame varieties remained. - These stamps can usually be recognised by the lighter shading of the sky.

1933 Printing
Watermark Inverted - Common
Watermark up - Scarce

1937 Printing
Watermark up - Common
Watermark Inverted - Scarce

The 1933 Printing is usually much
deeper in colour and the lines of shading
above the trees are well etched
The 1937 Printing is much lighter and
the lines of shading above the trees are
faint & often appear to be omitted
 
The 4d Native Huts Type I - SG 46 or SACC 47
London
Recess

Roto
Type I

Roto
Type II
 

Issued in Novovember1932 this can be differentiated from its recess printed counterpart by the scrolls under the
ends of Postage or Posseel. In the recess printing there are thin lines of shading in these whereas in the rotogravure printing the shading is solid.

The majority of stamps have the watermark inverted.

Stamps with upright watermark exist but are scarce and usually in a duller brown shade.

SG 46 Type I

 

SG 46c Type II
The 4d Native Huts Type II (redrawn) - SG 46c or SACC 47a/b
 

Issued in 1936 these are most easily distinguished by a prominent extra white curl in the same scrolls mentioned above.
They had a long life until the hyphenated version appeared in 1952 and are consequently found in a large range of shades from red, orange or purple brown to chocolate.
Most stamps have the watermark upright but at least one issue had it inverted and these are usually in a characteristic light chestnut shade.

 
The 1/- Gnus - SG48 or SACC 49
  Issued in September 1932 these are easily distinguished from the recess printings by the lack of shading right of the scroll under the "S" of South or Suid and by the solid nature of the shading around the "CA" or "KA".

They first appeared in yellow-brown & blue with the watermark inverted. The colours then intensified & a printing exists in this shade with watermark upright in 1934 (see illustration which also shows the good "twisted horn" flaw).


In 1936 the centres changed to grey-brown with the watermark inverted again and the last printings had sepia-brown centres with the watermark upright.

 

In January 1938 new cylinders were used and the shade is usually a
reddish brown & ultramarine with the watermark upright.

The newly listed (by Gibbons) "dart in gnu's back" comes from this printing and is thus scarce.

 
The 2/6 Ox-Wagon - SG 49 & 49b or SACC 50, 50a & 50d
  Issued at the end of 1932 these can easily be differentiated from their recess printed predecessors by the coarser printing and solid shading between, and under, the "CA" or "KA".

Shades before 1939 are clearly green & brown though they vary a lot,and it is from this era that the stamps with inverted watermark exist - They are scarce.

RECESS


ROTO

Green & brown

Slate & brown

Blue & brown
  Shades from the printings of 1945-8 have clearly blue centres and the later show a lot of "plate" wear, especially of the frames. The stamps issued between 1939-45 are transitional shades. They are wartime issues and were small printings.

SACC states the slate & brown (illustrated) to be the scarcest but there is a turquoise green & deep chocolate shade that is scarcer still.
 
1933 - 51 The Hyphenated Pictorials
Between SG 54 to 135 or SACC 55 to 134

 

Introduction

The catalogues split these into unscreened and screened sets with a few other values scattered about the place.
This isn't entirely logical as some stamps are part screened and currently appear in either set.

The addition of a glass screen was introduced from 1936 when it was used for the 1½d gold mine frames.


In 1939 one was used for the 10/- centre and from 1949 their use became the norm except for the final printings of the
10/- frames.
To see the effect of a screen look at the 10/- centre with a magnifier and this should show the diamond patterned background.

Unfortunately things aren't quite as simple as this as screens varied and came in fine or coarse crosshatch, or could be irregular. Generally the effect was to unify the colour and to give things a slightly fuzzy look.
Lines that were etched in continuous fashion tend to be broken up.

½d Springbok - SG 54 or SACC 55
 
Issued in September 1935 this is a very easy to identify. There is a large gap between SUID and AFRIKA with the hyphen clearly visible. There are 40 thin lines of shading behind the buck's head. It is perforated 15 x 14 with the watermark upright or inverted.
It was also produced in roll form perforated 13½x14, again with upright or inverted watermark. The roll stamps were also issued in sheet form so horizontal pairs exist. Indeed they are more common thus than they are in vertical pairs, or strips, from coil machines.
½d Springbok - SG 75c & cd or SACC 55e, f & h

These were issued from 1937-47 and cover a large number of issues. The stamps were redrawn with only 28 thicker lines of shading behind the buck's head. They were all perforated 15 x 14 with the watermark universally upright. The size of the stamp was 18.5x22.5mm until August 1947. The shades vary a lot. Earlier ones tend to be in grey & green, later in grey & blue-green. In 1946 some appeared with brownish centres. In August 1947 the size was reduced to 18.25x22.25mm. This issue is characterised by a number of blobs or lines affecting the vignettes as in the example shown.


Grey & green


Grey & blue-green

Brownish centres

In November 1947 there was there was yet another reduction in size to 18x22mm. With these issues the top and bottom solid bars showed crosshatching (SACC 55h). They are similar to later issues but aren't screened.
Accurately measuring stamps is difficult but remember that the gutter between the stamps will show double the difference. If you're studying these issues it may be worthwhile finding a used single of each size, cutting all 4 corners off diagonally, and using it as a template.


August 1947


November 1947

Crosshatching

½d Springbok - SG 114 or SACC 113
 

Issued late in 1947 the frames are now screened
 
The centres remain unscreened. The size remains 22x18mm and the crosshatching of the top and bottom bars remains but the screen renders this less apparent.
Under magnification the solid lines in the design of the frame appear interrupted.

½d Springbok - SG 114c or SACC 113a
 
Charcoal Centre
From 1949 the stamp remains the same except that the whole design is now screened. The screens vary but the lines of shading behind the buck's head show small breaks and are fuzzier than previously.
The "charcoal" version (SACC 113a) isn't a reference to the shade but to the fact that the centres are unvarnished. If these stamps are held at an angle to light the centres are non-reflective and stand out as if they're a charcoal drawing. Untilted the shade is often quite pale.



Whole design Screened


1948 Economy issue
½d Springbok - SG 126 or SACC 125
 

This was a post war economy issue to use up old stocks of paper used for the typographed issues in 1948. The stamps are the same as the previous typographed ½ds except that they are in a very different pale grey & blue-green shade - Illustrated above.

The 1d Ship, SG 56, or SACC 56

Issued from 1934 these stamps are perforated 15x14 and sized 18.5x22.5mm. They appear in various shades of grey& carmine with the watermark upright or inverted. As with the ½d they were also issued perforated 13½x14 in sheets designed for roll stamps. The comments here are the same as for the ½d.
The 1d Ship. SG 56i or SACC 56b

In 1940 the size of the stamps was reduced to 18x22mm. Remember to look at the gutters between the stamps and you'll see they have increased by 1mm. The watermark is always upright. The shades vary a lot including the very dark shade shown which is known as the "sunset" issue - Illustrated top right.
The 1d Ship, SG 115 or SACC 114

Issued in 1950 the stamps are now entirely screened. This can be seen clearly by the lines in the sky appearing dotted rather than continuous. The frames have a fuzzy appearance.


SG 115


SG 135
The 1d Ship, SG 135 or SACC 134

The design was redrawn in 1951 and the appearance of the stamps is clearly different. The shading of the sea is darker, the horizon clearly defined and the sky much lighter. They are wholly screened. The size of the stamps has been reduced to 17.25x21.25mm.

The 1½d Gold Mine, SG 57 & 57e or SACC 57 & 57a


Bright gold centre


Dull gold or Yellow buff

This is a new design so there's no difficulty identifying it. Issued in 1936 it is the first of the pictorials to be partly screened. Here it is the frames. The first stamps have bright gold centres and exist with the watermark upright or inverted. Some of the first printing have the shading on the mine dump very faint or entirely missing. From 1940 the centres changed colour to dull gold or yellow buff and the watermark is upright only

The 1½d Gold Mine, medium format, SG 87 or SACC 86

This is a smaller version of the stamp issued from 1941. Again there is no difficulty in basic identification. One of the early issues had a very coarse screen used (known as the "waffle plate"), SACC 86c. There are several shades of the later issues.

The 1½d Gold Mine, bantam format, SG 124 or SACC 123

Again no help is required with identification. Issued in 1948 as part of the paper saving programme they are perforated 14 & Rouletted 6½ between vertical pairs.

2d Union Buildings, SG 58 or SACC 58


SG 58 Blue & violet


SG 58a Grey & purple

Issued in November 1938 in blue & violet they are similar to the last unhyphenated issue. The space between SUID and AFRIKA is quite small, as is the hyphen so the 2 stamps sometimes get confused. Looking for the hyphen and the lighter colours should make things straightforward.
2d Union Buildings, SG 58a or SACC 58a

In 1941 the colour was changed to grey & purple. They are produced from the same cylinders as the previous issue so are identical in all other respects. Again confusion can occur between these and the earlier unhyphenated but the shade is unlike them and the hyphen, albeit small, is there

2d Union Buildings, SG 107 a & b or SACC 106/a


Darkish shade of slate & violet


Slate & lilac

There were many different printings of these stamps where the centre is, for the first time, screened. They are quite easy to identify as a group being quite unlike any others.
The first issue is identified by the "2" in the value tablet touching the surrounding circle. These are in a darkish shade of slate & violet. The next issues are in slate & lilac and the "2" is now clear of the circle. The later issues are the same but appear in a slate and vivid violet shade.

2d Union Buildings, SG 116 or SACC 115

Issued in March 1950 the whole stamp is now screened. The slate blue & plum shades are characteristic of the issue, especially the frame. The new feature of the screened frame is quite apparent under magnification where all the lines appear fuzzy.


SG 116


SG 134

2d Union Buildings, SG 134 or SACC 133

The reduced size of these stamps makes identification easy. They appeared in a number of shades.

 
The 3d Groote Schuur, SG 59 or SACC 59

Issued in February 1940 this was printed from 2 cylinders. The interior cylinder has a cross-hatch screen easy to see in the sky. The frame is unscreened. The centring is often inexact either leaving a pale line over the top of the trees or doubling of the frame in the same area if centred high. The shades vary from blue to ultramarine. The strength of the inscription also varies.

The 3d Groote Schuur, SG 117 or SACC 116

Issued in April 1949 it was again printed from 2 cylinders so the same comments regarding the centring apply. The frames are now screened and look quite different (HG37). The lines of shading appear more even and have a fuzzy appearance. The shade is a dull ultramarine.

The 3d Groote Schuur, SG 117a or SACC 116a


SACC 116b Blackish Blue

Issued in March 1951 the whole stamp is again screened but this time they were produced from a single cylinder so that the centring is always exact and the comments above regarding poor centring can't occur. The colour is deep blue and this is probably the easiest way of differentiating this stamp from its predecessor. The shades are often a very dark blue.
One printing in 1954 with large perforation holes (SACC 116b) appeared in a characteristic blackish blue. Because of the difficulty of identifying it for certain Gibbons no longer list it separately. Other printings also have the large perforation holes so it should only be bought with a certificate.

 
The 4d Native Huts, SG118 or SACC 117

Issued in August 1952 this is easy to identify as it is the only 4d of this design with a clear hyphen between SUID & AFRIKA. It was produced from a single screened cylinder and the shading of the sky appears as a series of dots.

 
The 6d Orange Tree Type I, SG 61 or SACC 60

Issued in October 1937 this is easily differentiated from its predecessors by the presence of the hyphen between SUID & AFRIKA .
This inscription measures 16.25mm leaving a bit of a gap between the "S" and 2nd "A" and the side frames (HG41). The easiest way of quickly identifying this stamp is by noting the faint background shading behind the tree.

The 6d Orange Tree Type II, SG 61c or SACC 60a

Issued 8 months later in June 1938 the frame has been redrawn and "SUID-ARIKA" measures 17mm so that the gaps between the lettering and the side frames is reduced (HG43). The background shading behind the tree is noticeably darker. Shades vary from green & orange to vermilion or red-orange.

The 6d Orange Tree Type III, SG 61d or SACC 60b

Issued in November 1946 the design has again been redrawn. The size of the stamps has been reduced from 18.5x22.5 to 18x22mm. The most noticeable difference with previous issues is that the scrolls under the "S" & "A" of the inscription are simplified and closed. The shade is generally green & reddish orange. (HG45)

The 6d Orange Tree, SG 119 & 119a or SACC 118 & 118a

Issued in January 1950 the design remains the same but the whole stamp is now screened (HG47). This is most apparent in the shading behind the tree where, under magnification, the lines appear as zigzags or a series of dots rather than continuous lines. The catalogues differentiate the shades into red- or brown-orange. There are, in fact, a number of shades but most fall easily in to one category or the other.

 
The 1/- Gnus, SG 62 or SACC 61

Issued in February 1939 this is easily distinguished from previous issues by the presence of the hyphen between SUID & AFRIKA. English singles can also be identified by the restoration of the shading to the right of the scroll under the "S" of South. The catalogues describe the shade as brown & chalky blue which is reasonably accurate for the early issues which appear in sepia brown and grey-blue, then pale violet-blue. After the war, however, there were several smallish printings in much more strident colours, including one in 1947 with aniline centres.

The stamps were also issued in January 1948 from new cylinders characterised by a mark in the hills in front of the leading gnu's head. This stamp also had the distinction of being the only rotogravure issue to have its marginal arrows printed in the colour of the centres of the stamps (Illustrated at left). It is worth mentioning because, although unscreened, its appearance is quite similar to the later issues.

The 1/- Gnus, SG 120 & 120a or SACC 119 & 119a

Issued from 1950 these stamps are similar to the final issue above but the stamps are now completely screened. This manifests itself most clearly in the shading of the sky which appears as a series of dots rather than continuous lines. There are a number of shades though they generally fall into the brown & blue or black & ultramarine shades of the catalogues. Great care should be exercised, however, if purchasing the blackish shade with Official overprint (SGO47a). There is a relatively common deep sepia shade which looks "blackish" when compared to the browner shades and is quite often confused for the scarce
SG O47a. The frames of the scarce stamp are definitely ultramarine rather than blue.

 
The 2/6 Ox-wagon, SG 121 or SACC 120, 120a & 120b

Issued from 1949 these stamps are easily differentiated from their predecessors by the presence of the hyphen. They are also all completely screened causing the lines in the sky and frames to appear as dots or zigzags. There were 3 issues of this stamp. They are all clumped together by SG but separated by SACC. The first was in green & brown, the 2nd (1952) was in a brighter green & cinnamon brown and the 3rd (1954) had larger perforation holes and a coarser screen giving a streaky appearance to the hills described as a "heatwave" effect.

 
The 5/- Ox-wagon, SG 64 & 64b or SACC 62 & 62a

Issued in October 1933 this is the first stamp to appear with a hyphen between SUID & AFRIKA. There is, in fact, no unhyphenated rotogravure issue of this stamp. The first issue was in a grey-black & myrtle green shade with the watermark upright or inverted. In fact, in this shade the watermark inverted is a little more common than the upright. All later issues have the watermark upright. The catalogues divide the stamps into frames which are either "green" or "blue-green". This is rather misleading. The first shade is relatively scarce and there is a typical blue-green frame which was issued in 1945 which is more common. There are, however, a number of other shades which are also relatively common but aren't blue-green. A jet-black & intense green shade appeared in 1940 and again towards the end of the decade. A black & grey-green shade was issued in 1947 and the stamp was "re-issued" in 1950 (after the first screened issue) in jet-black & blackish-green. Which shade grouping you wish to place these stamps in is up to you.

The 5/- Ox-wagon, SG 122 & 122a or SACC 121 & 121a

Issued in 1949 and 1952 these are differentiated from the previous 5/-s by the fact that the whole stamp is screened. Again this causes the lines of the sky, and the frames, to be formed by a series of dots. There is no difficulty in distinguishing the 2 stamps of this group as they're in completely different colours. The first is in grey-black & dull blue-green whilst the second is in pale grey and deep yellow green.

 
The 10/- Groot Constantia, SG 64c & ca or SACC 63, 63a & 63b

There is no trouble identifying the basic stamp as it is the only one of this design. The centres are from screened cylinders whilst the frames are unscreened. Issued from 1939 it had a long life and it appears in many shades. The centres vary from blue to "electric" blue to violet blue or ultramarine. The frames come in light or dark sepia, sepia black, dull black or deep charcoal.

 
Postscript

I hope you've found this guide useful. If you have found any section difficult please let us know and we'll try and improve it.

 

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