Canada 3c Carmine "Admiral Issue"

Canada · 1912 · 3 Cents

This definitive stamp, part of the long-running "Admiral Issue," features a portrait of King George V in the uniform of an Admiral of the Fleet. The design is framed by maple leaves, a national symbol of Canada, with the denomination at the bottom corners. Due to pigment shortages during World War I, this stamp exists in a wide variety of carmine and rose shades.

Issued from 1911 to 1925, the Admiral series was Canada's workhorse stamp set through the tumultuous period of World War I. The 3-cent value was initially for the Universal Postal Union international letter rate.