Playful Philatelic Puzzlers

 

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3. thrice a queen

These three stamps bearing the likeness of England’s reigning queen were issued for use in different regions of the United Kingdom. Can you identify which of the following regions is NOT represented?

a) Wales
b) Ulster
c) Scotland
d) Isle of Man


Under pressure from various constituencies in the UK, the British Post Office presented its first “Regionals” in 1958. These bore the monarch’s likeness and the emblem of the region in which they were to be used:
 

  • Wales, the dragon

  • Scotland, the Lion,  and

  • Isle of Man, the triskelion or “Three Legs”

Not shown here is the Ulster regional (b), whose symbol is an upraised hand.

The Channel Islands were also included in the 1958 regionals. After 1967, these distinctive designs were gradually supplanted by the familiar “Machin head” definitives, although the emblem was retained as can be seen on the Scottish regional above.

The Manx and Welsh regionals shown here were issued in the the predecimalization period. England decimalized its currency system in 1971.

Under Great Britain, Regionals, the Scott listings for these are Wales 8; Isle of Man 3; Scotland 20.

 

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