6/7 FEBRUARY 1953
Notice with a black frame from the British Residency announcing the death of King George VI.
Official cachet type Holland ob3. Handstamped signed by Hubert Flaxman, who in 1949 became the British Judge on the Joint Court in the New Hebrides
and from 1950 to 1955 was Resident Commissioners of the New Hebrides.
(I reduced the paper size a bit so more of the writing can be seen)
6/7 February 1953
(new 7/2024)
Announcing the death of KG VI. ("SeSi" coll.)
These "normal" covers mostly are actually FDCs too. It seems to be rather difficult to find covers with dates other than 2 June 1953. The stamp was
supposedly not much used in the mostly Francophonic New Hebrides. It can be found today unused like sand on a beach.
2 June 1953
A normal use "First Day Cover" of the Coronation issue. (Klinger coll.)
2 June 1953
Registered letter as first day use from the Catholic Mission in Port Vila to Torin, Italy. PCH type 16 cancel and registration label PCH type R12. (Merot coll.)
2 June 1953
A normal use "First Day Cover" of the Coronation issue from Monsignore Halbert, Port Vila. (Klinger coll.)
2 June 1953
reverse
2 June 1953
And here is one from Burns Philp (the imprint is on the reverse) to Apia, Western Samoa.
2 June 1953
A normal use "First Day Cover" of the Coronation issue to New Caledonia. Backstamped Noumea 4.6.53. (ex Millet coll.)
xx xx 1953
(new 3/2020)
Air mail cover from Santo to England. Cancelled PM20. Colonioal letter rate was 10cg an air surcharge to Enland was 45cg per 5g. So I'd say it is
overpaid with 2,10Fg. (Klinger coll.)
2 June 1953
(new 3/2022)
Plate number block of 4 - local cover. (ex Alain Millet)
Here are a couple of covers with coronation stamps on cover NOT cancelled on June 2, 1953.
All thanks to "SeSi", Clemes Albert & "RHM".
2 July 1953
(new 31 Dec 2018)
Surface mail from Vila to MODESTO CALIFORNIA. Correct 20gc rate to USA with 2 QEII stamps tied by G.K type PM18 20JY53.("SeSi" coll.)
2 September 1953
(new 3/2019)
2 September 1953 to Rhodesia. I think that the colonial letter rate was 10cg and it should not have been taxed - the cover does not
look like having been very heavy. And the contributor to this site "RHM" drew my attention to the fact, that this tax stamp is scarce
and most likely not properly used on this possibly "fabricated" cover. Cancelled PM18A.
15 September 1953
(new 7/2024)
Registered air mail letter from the Service des Postes to Kogarah N.S.W. Exceptional franking with 10 QEII stamps tied by PM18A VILA 15SE53.
Correct 1 Fg for a registered (20 cg), air mail 26/30g (60 cg) letter up to 50g (20 cg)
to Australia. Scarce use for the QEII stamp on a non FDC commercial cover. ("SeSi" coll.)
l. ("SeSi" coll.)
22 September 1953
(new 2/2019)
Registered air mail cover from Vila to Long Island City USA. Total franking 1 Fg 55 cg for a non colonial Registered 11-15g first class air mail.
The stamps tied by GK type PM18A , registration label NR20A.
Backstamped Vila 22 SE 53, Sydney air 24 SE 53 and Long Island City SEP 28 1953 on arrival. ("SeSi" coll.)
22 September 1953
(new 2/2019)
Part of the Reverse
27 October 1953
Registered air mail cover from department of posts and telecommunications
to Cleveland Ohio USA. The British 1953 stamps 5c (x2), 10c, 15c, 25c and 30c with the 10c
QEII stamp cancelled with PCH type 16. Registration label PCH type R12.
Total franking 1 gold Franc 20c. Backstamped Vila 27OC53, Sydney 30OC53, Cleveland
registry NOV 2 1953 and Cleveland NOV 3 1953 on arrival.
27 October 1953
Part of the Reverse
27 October 1953
Registered air mail cover from Department of Posts and Telecommunications to Brooklyn New York.
Correct 1gF20gc franking : letter 20gc, reg. 30gc, 6-10g air fee 70gc.
Registration label NR20A, cachets PORT-VILA PM19A and VILA PM18A.
Scarce use for the QEII stamp on a non-FDC commercial cover.
On back SYDNEY AIR7 30OC53 in transit, BROOKLYN N.Y NOV 2 1953 in arrival. ("SeSi" coll.)
27 October 1953
Reverse
21 November 1953
(new 11/23)
Letter from department of posts to USA. Non colonial surface postal rate 20gc with a 10gc definitive stamp series 1953
and 10gc Queen Elisabeth II tied by PM18A. Uncommon use of the QEII stamp on a commercial cover.("SeSi" coll.)
1 December 1953
A QEII stamp on a cover to Australia cancelled with PM18A. (Clemens Albert coll.)
10 January 1954
Another very scarce SANTO used QEII cover! Printed Matter rate to U.S.A.
xx February 1954
Another very scarce SANTO used QEII cover! Printed Matter rate to U.S.A.
23 February 1954
Three QEII stamps on a cover to U.S.A. Non-colonial letter rate for a cover between 20g and 40g. (seen in an internet auction)
1953/54
Poor Santo PM21 on a 30 gc letter by air mail to Rockford Illinois USA
with the scarce cachet NOT ELIGIBLE FOR AERIAL MAIL FEE DEFICIENT
Vila No.1 (NH) in violet . Non-colonial letter rate 20 gc , air surcharge to USA 35 gc per 5 g. ("SeSi" coll.)
1953/54 cachet
Only seen three times so far
13 May 1954
Registered letter from Port Vila to Jenkintown PA. USA .The 5 ERII stamps tied by PCH type 17.
Registration label R12. Backstamped Port-Vila 13 V 54, GPO Sydney 129 -9JE54 in transit and
Jenkintown JUL 27 1954 on arrival.
Donald M Steele was born about 1900 and in 1950 he was the Chairman of the National Philatelic Museum Exhibition Committee of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
13 May 1954
Part of the Reverse
14 June 1954
(new 8/2022)
13 December 1954
2 QEII stamps on a cover to Australia cancelled with PM18A. One of the few commercially used but must have been a 50g letter. (Clemens Albert coll.)
28 April 1956
(new 2/2019)
Registered air mail cover from Vila to Los Angeles USA.
Total franking 90 gc for a non colonial Registered 20g second class air mail.
Mixed French and British stamps tied with GK type PM18A, registration label type NR20A .
Backstamped Vila 28 AP 56, Sydney air 7 -6MY56, Los Angeles MAY 11 1956 and Los Angeles Wilshire La Brea Sta. MAY 12 1956 on arrival. ("SeSi" coll.)
28 April 1956
(new 2/2019)
Reverse
First day letters from Santo on which the queen's face is not covered by a dumb cancel are very rare! The English stamp
is cancelled with the French postmark!
It is interesting that on the Baldwin letter the small line in the date precedes the 2 and on Richard's and "SeSi"'s letters it is the other way around.
2 June 1953 SANTO
QE II First Day Cover sent from Santo - arrived in Sydney on 26 February 1954. (RHM collection)
A second cover with the registration number 1228 exists too.
2 June 1953 SANTO
QE II First Day Cover sent from Santo - arrived in Sydney on 26 February 1954. (RHM collection)
Article
Our friend, the late Bill Holland wrote an article about this cover in the July 2009 PACIFCA, the quarterly of the Pacific Islands Study Circle PISC.
Please see the PISC website here
Santo (new 9/21)
Homemade Santo FDC unaddressed. Image thanks to Richard Monteiro.
2 June 1953
A very scarce SANTO used QEII cover! ("SeSi" coll.)
Some Coronation Issue FDCs
Vila
First Day Cover of the Coronation issue to a Canadian address, postmarked Vila, Date: -2JE53, Hals/Collas Postmark: #19. (Klinger coll.)
Vila
First Day Cover of the Coronation issue to a British address, postmarked Vila, Date: -2JE53, Hals/Collas Postmark: #19. (Klinger coll.)
Vila
One of the simple FDCs seen already with the regular issues. (Klinger coll.)
Vila
First Day Cover of the Coronation issue, issued in New Zealand by the committee of the NZ International Stamp Exhibition 1955. (Klinger coll.)
Vila
First Day Cover of the Coronation issue, issued in Great Britain By The British Philatelic Association. (Klinger coll.)
Vila
First Day Cover of the Coronation issue, issued in New Zealand by the committee of the NZ International Stamp Exhibition 1955. (Klinger coll.)
Vila
First Day Cover of the Coronation issue, issued in New Zealand by the committee of the NZ International Stamp Exhibition 1955. (Klinger coll.)
Vila
First Day Cover of the Coronation issue, issued in New Zealand by the committee of the NZ International Stamp Exhibition 1955. (Klinger coll.)
Vila
First Day Cover of the simpler category of Coronation issue. (Klinger coll.)
Vila
First Day Cover of the Coronation issue. (Klinger coll.)
Vila
Even the stickers from the regular issue FDCs were used.
Vila
One of the thousands of Coronation covers which were the result of the public relations exercise launched by QANTAS (Queensland And Northern Territory Aerial Service). (Klinger coll.)
Vila
Reverse
Vila
....and another one.....
Vila
Reverse
Vila
FDC with a post office cover.
Vila
FDC to England.
Vila (new 9/21)
Homemade FDC unaddressed. Image thanks to Richard Monteiro.
Vila (new 9/21)
Homemade FDC unaddressed. Image thanks to Richard Monteiro.
Vila (new 11/21)
FDC cover to Houston Texas USA .
Correct 20gc non colonial rate for a cover up to 20g to USA .
A stamp with 1A plate number in margin - cachet PM18A. ("SeSi" coll.)
And here a series of First Day Covers my friend Michel Blanc from Nouméa sent me:
2 June 1953
Michel Blanc collection
2 June 1953
Michel Blanc collection
2 June 1953
Michel Blanc collection
2 June 1953
Michel Blanc collection
2 June 1953
Michel Blanc collection
2 June 1953
Michel Blanc collection
2 June 1953
Michel Blanc collection
2 June 1953
Michel Blanc collection
2 June 1953
Michel Blanc collection
2 June 1953
Michel Blanc collection
2 June 1953
Michel Blanc collection
2 June 1953 Vila
(new 3/2019)
2 June 1953 Vila
(new 3/2019)
