All the Victorian surface-printed series are shown imperforate, including the 3d. with reticulated background; 3d., plate 3 ("dot"); 4d. in lake, watermarked "small garter"; 6d., plate 1 on safety paper and plate 3 with hair-lines; 9d., plate 3 with hair-lines and plate 5; 10d., plate 2; 1s., plate 1 on safety paper, plate 3 with hair-lines, 4 in an unissued colour, lilac; 2s., plate 3; 10s., £1, and £5 on blue paper.
In addition to the scarce items in the Victorian series of official stamps, the King possesses the extremely rare I.R. Official 5s., 10s. and £1, of the Edwardian issues, in mint corner pairs; also the almost unique Sixpence of the same set, in similar condition. Of this last stamp, no other unused copy is known, and only three which have been through the post.
Of the ordinary stamps of King Edward's reign, the Royal collection contains several essays and proofs of great interest. A photograph of a stamp made up from Herr Füchs's original sketch of King Edward's head, enclosed in the newly designed frame and border, deservedly comes first, and bears the late King's written approval: from this, temporary copper-plates were engraved, so that the effect might be noted, and three proofs therefrom are included.
Unfortunately, the final result did not come up to the anticipated standard, and there was some talk about having a fresh design prepared, after the style of the then new Transvaal stamps, but this fell through on the ground of expense; proofs of this also are in the collection, together with various colour-trials of the One Penny value, as adopted.
Of unissued stamps during the late reign, there are only three instances: the £5 value, which did not proceed so far as the completion of the plate; and a small printing of the Twopence Halfpenny, in the adopted design, but in mauve on blue paper, was destroyed, owing to a decision to print in blue on white paper. Both these stamps, the £5 and the Twopence Halfpenny mauve on blue, together with proofs of the lower value in shades and tones of blue, are in the King's collection.
The last of the unissued stamps is the Twopence "Tyrian-plum," which, owing to the lamented death of King Edward, the authorities decided not to issue; his present Majesty possesses an unused pair, and a unique used copy on the original envelope.
Beyond these, the collection contains proofs of the contractors' designs for three of the new stamps, the One Penny in four types of head and bust, in the old frame of the 1881 stamp, and the Twopence and Fivepence in frames similar to those of the 1887 issue; in all these King Edward is shown in military uniform, the best of these being, so far as the portrait is concerned, the Fivepence.
A PAGE OF THE ONE PENNY "POST PAID" STAMPS OF MAURITIUS.