British Nova Scotia year 1860 8½c green MH stamp
Here are the details for the Nova Scotia 8 $1/2$ Cent Green stamp of 1860:
🍁 Nova Scotia 8 $1/2$ Cent Green (1860)
This stamp belongs to the second and final definitive set issued by Nova Scotia, which occurred after the province switched from using the Sterling system (pence and shillings) to a decimal currency (cents) in 1860.
👑 Design and Denomination
- Denomination: 8 $1/2$ Cents
- Color: Green (often described as Deep Green)
- Catalogue Number:
- Scott #11
- Stanley Gibbons (SG) #14
- Portrait: Features the famous “Chalon Head” portrait of Queen Victoria—a distinctive, nearly full-face or three-quarter view of the young Queen. This portrait style was used on the higher values of the 1860 set (8 $1/2$c, 10c, 12 $1/2$c), while the lower values used a profile portrait.
- Printer: Engraved and printed by the American Bank Note Company of New York.
- Perforation: Perforated 12.
📜 Historical Context
- Currency Shift: The stamp’s denomination of 8 $1/2$ cents reflected the new postal rates set under the decimal system, which replaced the previous pence issue of 1851.
- Purpose: This value likely covered the domestic letter rate or a special rate for mail to specific destinations outside of Nova Scotia.
- Final Issue: This series was the last definitive issue for Nova Scotia as an independent colony. It remained in use until the colony joined the Canadian Confederation on July 1, 1867, after which the stamps of the new Dominion of Canada were introduced.
These stamps are a foundational part of British North American (BNA) philately and are highly sought after by collectors specializing in the Canadian Provinces.
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