New South Wales stamp 1871 6d pale lilac

New South Wales stamp 1871 6d pale lilac MH stamp

The New South Wales (NSW) stamp you are asking about is a classic issue featuring a portrait of Queen Victoria.

Here are the details for the New South Wales 1871 6 pence (6d) pale lilac stamp:

Stamp Details

• Colony/State: New South Wales (one of the Australian colonies before Federation).
• Year of Issue: 1871 (part of a long-running definitive series).
• Denomination: 6 pence (6d).
• Color: Pale Lilac (often listed in catalogues with various shade descriptions like dull lilac, purple-lilac, etc., due to printing variations).
• Design: Queen Victoria Diadem/Chalon-style Portrait. The design is a standard, head-in-oval portrait of a young Queen Victoria wearing a diadem (a crown-like ornament). It’s one of the numerous stamps from the long-running “Diadem” or “Laureate” series, though later issues like this one are more stylized.
• Watermark: The stamps of this period typically bear the Crown over NSW watermark.
• Perforation: They are generally perforated, with common gauges being around Perf 10 or Perf 12. Different perforation variations exist across the extended period of this design’s use.
• Catalogue Number (Simplified): This stamp generally falls into the Scott Catalogue’s range for the 1871-1884 issue (Watermark: Crown/NSW, Perf 13), which includes Scott Nos. 55 to 60 for the lower values, and extended numbers for shades and perforations. The British Stanley Gibbons (SG) catalogue numbers are often used by Commonwealth collectors, and this specific stamp and its variations would fall into the corresponding SG range.

A Potential Telegraph Stamp Variation

It is also important to note that New South Wales issued a rare set of Telegraph Stamps in 1871. The 6d denomination in this telegraph issue is listed as Indian Red and Black or Dull Red, not typically pale lilac. However, as the color pale lilac is closely associated with various shades of purple/mauve, it is conceivable the description could be referencing one of the high-value revenue/duty stamps that were overprinted for postal use, or a different shade of a long-running postage definitive.

Conclusion for a Collector:

Your 1871 6d pale lilac is most likely a Postage Stamp from the Queen Victoria definitive series. The key to accurate identification and value is to confirm the specific watermark and perforation of your stamp, as shades like “pale lilac” are common across many different printings and issues. You would need to consult a detailed catalogue (like the Stanley Gibbons Commonwealth & British Empire Stamps 1840-1970) to pinpoint the exact variety.