Jay Smith & Associates: Danish West Indies: Cancellations: British C51 Cancellations on British Stamps

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Danish West Indies: Cancellations: British C51 Cancellations on British Stamps

DWI postmarks have been most recently cataloged and valued in the DAKA Dansk Vestindien Handbog 1997, of which I sometimes have used copies available (please inquire).

Scott numbers have been used unless otherwise indicated. These items and much more of all types of DWI cancellations are available for viewing on approval; please request approvals.

As were all overseas British Post Offices in the 1860s-1870s, the office at DWI was assigned a letter-numerals barred-oval postmark device (canceler or obliterator) for canceling British stamps used at DWI. For DWI the letter-numerals were "C51". There are three basic styles of letter-numerals cancellations used at DWI: horizontal oval (1865-1870, 2 sub-types), standalone vertical oval (1869-1877, 2 sub-types), and a duplex vertical oval. The duplex version has a circular date stamp (CDS, "ST. THOMAS / PAID") attached at the left; The CDS exits with a code letter "A" (1872-1877, 2 sub-types) and with a code letter "B" (1873-1876, "rare"). The sub-types can be difficult to sort out depending upon the clarity and completeness of the cancellation strike; they are described in DWI Mails (Engstrom) Volume 3 and one is illustrated in DAKA Dansk Vestindien Handbog 1997. There are some differences between the standalone vertical oval and the vertical oval that is part of the duplex cancellation; they described and illustrated in DWI Mails Volume 3.

Additionally, at least five CDS-only devices were in use during the British-stamp period, however because they were intended to be struck on the envelope and not the stamps, they are much scarcer than the generic catalog values suggest when found on stamps if it can be proven that the CDS was not part of a duplex device. Engstrom (DWI Mails) states that these CDS-only devices were supposed to be struck on envelopes in red. Engstrom states that CDS-only strikes in black were made "in error" -- they are thus "rare" on stamps -- and most such are probably not provable (do not have adequate empty space to their right or are not the correct size/layout) as not being part of a duplex device. There two basic formats of the CDS-only devices used in the stamp period, all of which are listed as being either 20 or 19 mm in diameter (which is a couple mm smaller than the duplex-portion CDS): "ST. THOMAS" (without code letter "rare" even not on stamp; code letter "A", code letter "B"); and "ST. THOMAS / PAID" (without code letter -- Engstrom indicates doubtful, with code letter "A", and with code letter "B", rare).

For the duplex devices, the "C51" portion was normally struck on the stamp and the attached CDS portion was on the envelope paper, however one can find (uncommon) the "C51" struck on the stamp in such a way that it initially appears that the "C51" is not part of a duplex device. A "C51" standalone device did exist. If a stamp only shows the "C51" vertical oval portion (very typical), it may be difficult to determine if it is from a standalone "C51" device or if it is part of a duplex "C51"device. A standalone "C51" device strike can only be identified by either having excess empty space to the left of the "C51" or by small details of the device shape and form.

Similarly, as noted above, it is possible to find (scarce) a CDS struck on a stamp in such a way that it appears that it was struck by a CDS-only device. The CDS-only size is smaller (20 or 19 mm circle) and must have excess empty space to the right of it. If the strike is such that it is difficult to measure the diameter and/or the spacing to the right is not visible, then one must resort to using image overlays or such to detect small differences in the layout of the device and the curvature of the circle. This type of comparison must be done from actual known items (preferably on covers); the hand-drawn images in the literature are usually not accurate enough to be relied upon for such comparisons.

British C51 Cancellations on British Stamps

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Item #

Quality & Description

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Postally
Used

US$

248577

Great Britain Scott #43a 4d Dull Vermillion, on very thin paper, Plate 7 (1865 issue) VF stamp (one short perf) with nicely centered and VF HORIZONTAL BARRED OVAL "C51" cancellation used at St. Thomas (Scott Classic #A13 + plate 7). Plate #7 is a somewhat scarcer plate, with a Scott 2024 catalog value of $100 just for the basic stamp used in Great Britain. Excellent color for this plate and unusually well-centered, though inverted, cancellation strike. The paper is so thin and the watermark is so distinct that the watermark can be seen from the front of the stamp! This is only the second example, without a major defect, that I have recorded having (in 50 years) a C51 cancel on a Plate 7 of this stamp -- and the only undamaged example on Plate 7 with the horizontal barred oval version of the cancellation.

ACTUAL item.

119.00

249203

Great Britain Scott #43 4d Vermillion, Plate 9 (1865 issue) F-VF centered stamp (with one short perf) with nearly full and VF HORIZONTAL BARRED OVAL "C51" cancellation used at St. Thomas (Scott Classic #A13 + plate 9). Plate #9 is a slightly scarcer plate, with a Scott 2024 catalog value of $72.50 just for the basic stamp used in Great Britain. Excellent color for this plate. This is the Type B with the C51 slanting (especially the "vertical" line). This horizontal-format cancellation example was struck sideways, thus allowing the full "C51" to be visible (which is not usually the case). This is first example, without a major defect, that I have recorded (I may have failed to record one back in the 1970s-1980s) having in 50 years, of a C51 cancel on a Plate 9 of this stamp.

ACTUAL item.

59.00

249204

Great Britain Scott #43 4d Vermillion, Plate 10 (1865 issue) Fine centered stamp (with one pulled perf) with nearly full and VF (but inverted) HORIZONTAL BARRED OVAL "C51" cancellation used at St. Thomas (Scott Classic #A13 + plate 10). Also with slight show-through of an ink mark on reverse which is actually a transfer from the ink of the address. Plate #10 is a much scarcer plate, with a Scott 2024 catalog value of $150.00 just for the basic stamp used in Great Britain. Excellent color for this plate. This is the Type B with the C51 slanting (especially the "vertical" line). This is first example that I have recorded (I may have failed to record one back in the 1970s-1980s) having in 50 years, of a C51 cancel on a Plate 10 of this stamp.

ACTUAL item.

79.00

249205

Great Britain Scott #43 4d Vermillion, Plate 13 (1865 issue) Fine centered stamp (with rounded upper right corner perforation tooth) with bold and VF VERTICAL BARRED OVAL "C51" DUPLEX cancellation used at St. Thomas (Scott Classic #A13 + plate 13). Plate #13 is the least costly plate Scott 2024 catalog value of $47.50 just for the basic stamp used in Great Britain. Excellent color for this plate. This was very obviously struck by a duplex device. While only the "C5..." shows, the CDS portion shows "...AS" confirming the St. Thomas DWI use, but the code letter area in the CDS is not visible on this example. A handsome example.

ACTUAL item.

39.00

249211

Great Britain Scott #52 10d Plate 1 (1867 issue) VF centered, wing margin on right side, with a couple blunted perforations on the wing side, but otherwise without any of the usual defects. With a very crisp and attractive VERTICAL OVAL "C51" that appears to be from a standalone device (though it is hard to measure since it is only a partial strike, the height of the C51 appears to be only 7.5 mm) (Scott Classic #A27 + plate 1). Plate 1 is the only plate of this stamp recorded as used at DWI. The Scott 2024 catalog value is $475 just for the basic stamp used in Great Britain!! This stamp (and denomination generally) is "extremely scarce" used at St. Thomas -- and this example has particularly attractive appearance, both the stamp and the cancellation. This is the only example of #52, or any 10d stamp, used at DWI, that I have recorded having in 50 years -- and the basic stamp is "very scarce" normally used in GB! A handsome item of exceptional rarity.

ACTUAL item.

549.00

246181

Great Britain Scott #55a (SG #120) [1867 2s PALE BLUE Plate 1] F-VF stamp with VF vertical barred-oval "C51" cancellation used abroad at St. Thomas (Danish West Indies), on small piece. The postmark is bold and virtually complete. The stamp has wonderful color, excellent perforations, and normal centering for this issue. The Scott Classic listing for this cancellation only shows the cancel on #55 (blue instead of this pale blue). The 2 shilling is very scarce used at St. Thomas; this is the first 2 shilling I have recorded having in 48 years -- and it is even scarcer with the pale blue color. The Scott Classic 2022 pricing has an error because the Used Abroad at St. Thomas price (in the DWI listings) of #55 used at DWI is $150 whereas the basic Used price for this stamp in the GB listings is $200 for #55 blue (and $240 for this #55a pale blue). [I have reported this problem and similar problems to Scott; they need to have a better procedure to keep these Used Abroad prices in sync with the normal stamp prices.] A more appropriate Scott value for a regular #55 blue with C51 cancellation would be $260 and the much scarcer #55a pale blue at $300. Note that Scott specifically states that their values for these stamps are for F-VF centering. Provenance: From the J.A. Farrington collection.

ACTUAL item.

Reference
For reference only. NOT for sale.

246543

Great Britain Scott #61 3d rose Plate 16 (1873 issue) VF centered stamp (light crease) with July 28 1875 VF+ circular "ST. THOMAS / A / PAID" cancellation (from the duplex with C51), used at St. Thomas (Scott Classic #A11 + plate 16). This stamp is hard to find Used even with a normal Great Britain cancel. Scott Classic 2023 value for normal GB use is $92.50 PLUS a 40% premium for having only a clear GB circular date stamp cancellation! Though the value of the 3d stamp with St. Thomas cancellation is not much more than the common 4d stamp, any 3d used at St. Thomas is much, much scarcer than the 4d. A tiny minority of the GB stamps used at St. Thomas received only the cds portion of the duplex cancellation -- this is scarce!

ACTUAL item.

Reference
For reference only. NOT for sale.

249207

Great Britain Scott #70 4d Pale Olive "Sage" Green, Plate 15 (1877 issue) Used Fine with typical centering, but with rounded upper right corner and a couple other defects seen from the reverse. Superbly struck VERTICAL BARRED OVAL "C51" cancellation used at St. Thomas (Scott Classic #A15 + plate 15). Plate #15 is a slightly scarcer plate Scott 2024 catalog value of $375 just for the basic stamp used in Great Britain. This was struck by a DUPLEX device; this can be determined by the 9 mm height of the C51 (Engstrom, DWI Mails). A nice looking example, despite the defects. This is only the second example that I have recorded (I may have failed to record one back in the 1970s-1980s) having in 50 years, of a C51 cancel on a Plate 15 of Scott #70 (and it also had defects). This stamp is remarkably scarce used at DWI because this stamp was issued in 1877 and the use of British stamps at DWI stopped as of 31 August 1877.

ACTUAL item.

189.00

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