Queen Elizabeth II stamps year 1955 – Castles Used
🇬🇧 Overview: 1955 Castle High-Value Definitive Stamps
In September 1955, the United Kingdom issued a set of high-value definitive postage stamps known as the Castle series during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. These were part of the Wilding definitive series, which featured the Queen’s portrait photographed by Dorothy Wilding.
These stamps are not commemorative issues but definitive high-value stamps — meaning they were intended for regular postal use, especially on heavier mail or parcels.
🏰 The Four Castles & Designs
Each stamp in the set highlights a famous historic castle, representing one of the nations of the United Kingdom. The designs were created by Lynton Lamb and show the Queen’s portrait alongside detailed illustrations of the castles.
The 1955 Castle issue includes four denominations:
| Face Value | Castle Depicted | Country | Stamp Catalog Numbers (Stanley Gibbons SG) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2s 6d | Carrickfergus Castle | Northern Ireland | SG 536 |
| 5s 0d | Caernarfon Castle | Wales | SG 537 |
| 10s 0d | Edinburgh Castle | Scotland | SG 538 |
| £1 | Windsor Castle | England | SG 539 |
These stamps were issued in September 1955 — the 2s 6d and 5s values were released on 1 September, and the 10s and £1 values on 23 September.
🏛️ Design & Printing
- The stamps combine the Queen’s Wilding portrait with architectural vignettes of castles framed by a decorative border.
- They were intaglio (recess) printed, giving fine detail to the castles and the Queen’s head.
- Early printings (1955–1957) were by Waterlow & Sons with the St. Edward’s Crown watermark. Later reprints were made by De La Rue and other printers, with variations in watermark and printing details.
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