Monday, April 25, 2011

British Honduras

1892 Scott 47 1c on 1p green
Type of 1866 Queen Victoria surcharged
Quick History
British Honduras, with the Capital Belmopan, is on the Caribbean adjacent to Guatemala and Mexico in Central America. It was a colony under Jamaica in 1862; and in 1884 it became an independent colony. Population was about 50,000 in 1931.  In 1981, Belize became fully independent, the last continental colony in the  Americas to do so from Great Britain.
Historical fact: The major export was mahogany, which required labor intensive logging. This lead to an increase in the importation of slaves, mainly from the British Caribbean colonies. Slavery was finally abolished in 1838.
1922 Scott 90 4c dark gray
"Seal of the Colony & George V"
Big Blue Picture
Big Blue( 1997), on three pages covering 1888-1938, has 63 spaces for regular, postage due, and war tax stamps. The 2011 Scott Classic Specialized catalogue has 135 major descriptive numbers from 1866-1940. Coverage by Big Blue is 47%.
Big Blue's 63 stamp selection is reasonable with many <$1; and the most one would have to spend would be $5+.
I did find 10 additional British Honduras that could be had for $1+ to $10+ for a classic Scott 13 1884 1p blue. There are 7 more stamps (<$1-$2+) that can be picked up from the "choices" in the checklist.
Additionals....
1882-87
13($10+),14($10+),15($5+)
1888
31($10+)
1902-1910 Edward Vll
61($5+) and choices not picked up in Checklist.
74($5+)
1921 King George V
91 ($5+)
1921-33
100($5+)
1938
123($1+)
War Tax
1916-18
MR2($1+)
Click on the image above to get a fine view of the Scott 87 5c 'Moire" overprint : A thin network pattern overprinted to prevent counterfeiting.
Big Blue Checklist
1888 Queen Victoria (stamps of 1872-87 surcharged in black)
28,29, (<$1-$1+)
1891 (surcharged)
33,35,34,47 ($1+-$1)
1891-98
38,39,40,41,42,(<$1-$5+)
Two blank spaces: suggest 44 & 45 ($2+-$5+)
1899 (overprinted "Revenue")
48 or 48b ($2+-$10)
49,50, ($5+-$2+)
Blank space: suggest  48b($5+) or 52($2+-1900 issue) or 53($5+-1901 issue)
Note: "logical" next stamp for blank space is Scott 51 50c on 1sh gray for $230+!, hence alternative recommendations.
1902-10 King Edward Vll
62($1+)
59 or 63 (<$1)
72(<$1)
60 or 64 or 73(<$1)
Three blank spaces: suggest choices above or 58($1+) or 65($5+) or 67($5+)
Note: different series together in BB with wmk 2 or wmk 3.
1913-17 King George V
75 or 85 ($1+-$2+)
76,77,($1+-<$1)
78 or 87 ($1+-<$1)
Three blank spaces: suggest 79($2+), 80($1+), and 86(<$1)
1921
89,90,($1-$1+)
1921-33
92($5+)
93,94,($1+)
95,96,($2+-<$1)
97,98,(<$1)
Blank space: suggest 99($1+)
1935 silver jubilee
108,109,110,111,(<$1-$5+)
1937 coronation
112,113,114,(<$1)
1938
115,116,117,118,(<$1)
119,120,121,122,(<$1-$1+)
Postage due
1923 design
J1,J2,J3,($1-$1+)
War tax stamps
1916-18
MR1,MR3,MR4,MR5 (<$1)
1918 War Tax MR4 1c green & MR5 3c orange
Kinds of Blue
The 1969 and 1997 editions are identical. The '69 ( and '97) editions has a significant 12 stamp upgrade in the classical era compared to the '47 and '41 editions. Specifically the upgrade includes:
1891-98 Queen Victoria
Scott 42 6c ultramarine
Space: suggest Scott 44 12c violet & green
Space: suggest Scott 45 24c yellow & blue
1899 overprinted "Revenue"
Scott 49 10c lilac&green
Scott 50 25c red brown & green
Space: suggest Scott 52 5c gray black7 ultra or Scott 53 10c violet&green
1902-10 King Edward Vll
Space; suggest Scott 58 1c gray green& green
Space: suggest Scott 65 10c violet&green
Space: suggest Scott 67 25c violet&orange
1913-17 King George V
Space: suggest Scott 79 10c dull violet& olive green
Space: suggest Scott 80 25c black& gray green
Space: suggest Scott 86 2c carmine
1938 Scott 120 10c brown & yellow green
"Mahogany Logs In River"
Big Blue Bottom Line
Attractive British colonies, not an expensive selection to fill Big Blue's spaces; what's not to like? :-)
Links
British Honduras - Bud's Big Blue

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