Preview of Stamps Catalogue: VOLUME 1

MALTA Stamps of Great Britain used in Malta and cancels on the first issues

Note: on my website many of the pictures can not be seen! They are of course present in the catalogue;
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From 1st of March 1858 onwards, stamps became obligatory on a outgoing mail from Malta. Stamps from Great Britain were used for this purpose. This practise was continued until the stamps of 1885 were issued (the 1/2 p previously issued was only intended to serve for inland mail).

Stamps of Great Britain, used in Malta:

I would like to thank Emmanuel Cesare for putting the following information at my disposal.

1) Double ring, 'MALTA' on top (rings broken up to make space for this word), diameter 27 mm, used before 1857

This cancel is known to be used on 
a) the 1841 imperforate 'penny brown' 
b) and the 6 p violet embossed stamp.

Sorry, no picture available, if anybody posesses a picture, please contact me!

2) Wavy line cancel (military mail) used from 1855 to 1858

This cancel was used on the following stamps of Great Britain: 
a) 1 p perforated penny brown 
     watermark small crown, perforation 14 
     watermark small crown, perforation 16
     watermark large crown perforation 16 
b) 2 p perforated penny blue (watermark large crown, perforation 14)
c) 6 p violet embossed stamp
d) 1 Sh green embossed stamp

Sorry, no picture available, if anybody posesses a picture, please contact me!

3) The cancel 'M' was used in Malta from 1857 to 1860

'M' cancel

There seem to be three different 'M' cancels, slightly varying in size; The first type of the ‘M' canceller consists of the letter 'M' which (6.5 mm wide and 9.7mm high), surrounded by twelve horizontal lines, all broken except the two above and the two below the 'M'. In the second type the 'M' measures 7.0 mm by 9.2 mm. Finally, the third type measures 7.5 mm by 9.2 mm. In 1860 this 'M' cancel was no longer used (some exceptions exist however).

This cancel was used on the following stamps of Great Britain: 
a) 1 p perforated and imperforate penny brown 
b) 2 p perforated and imperforate penny blue 
c) 4 p red (1855 type)
d) 6 p violet embossed stamp
e) 6 p violet (1855 type)
d) 1 Sh green (1855 type)

4) Cancel 'A25' used from 1859 to 1884

The 'A25' exists as a single cancel but also as a 'duplex' cancel; next to the 'A25' which is intended to cancel the stamp, a circular part with inscription 'MALTA' and the date is included in this cancel (see the image of the 6 p stamp below). I've seen them with a straight '5' in 'A25' and with a slanting '5'.

('A25' Malta cancels)

(Letter with 'A25' duplex cancel)

Most stamps of Great Britain of the period 1859 to 1884 can be found with this cancel.

The 'A25' cancel also exists in a 'vertical oval' size (introduced in 1880). It exists as a duplex cancel, but also as a single cancel. Here a picture of this cancel on a postcard of Malta:

5) Other rarer cancels, such as Valetta cancels, 'MALTA' with bars, Malta in a circle etc.

('MALTA' in circle with date)

I don't posess pictures of the Malta bar cancels. If anybody posesses a picture, please contact me!

King George V stamp with Valetta cancel, image obtained thanks to Emmanuel Cesare

King George V stamp of Great Britain and Malta stamps, both with Royal Cypher cancel, first image obtained thanks to Emmanuel Cesare

Stamps of other countries cancelled in Malta

I have seen Malta cancels on French stamps, (probably from letters mailed at sea), examples:

According to Emmanuel Cesare stamps of Italy, Tunesia and the Netherlands can also be found with 'A25 ' cancels (though I have never seen them myself). I've also seen a postcard of Italy (10 c around 1909) with a Malta cancel (single circle).