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uncommonpre-1900
India Queen Victoria Official Stamp, 'On H.M.S.' Overprint
India · 1866 · 1/2 Anna
This stamp features the diademed profile of Queen Victoria, originally from the 1855 East India issue. It has been overprinted with the words 'On H.M.S.' (On Her Majesty's Service) in black ink, officially repurposing it for government use.
Issued under British rule, these were among the first official stamps of India, created by overprinting regular postage stamps to handle the mail of government departments.
Printing Method
Typography
Catalog Numbers
sgO1
scottO1
michelD1
Estimated Values by Condition
Superb(S)
$150Perfectly centered, fresh, no faults
Extremely Fine(XF)
$100Well centered, fresh colors
Very Fine(VF)
$60Nicely centered, minor flaws
Fine(F)
$30Average centering, acceptable
Good(G)
$10Off-center or visible wear
Prices are approximate market estimates for educational purposes. Actual values depend on specific factors including cancel type, margins, and provenance.
