South Australia 1876 year 2 Shillings postage stamps

South Australia 1876 year 2 Sh stamp block

The South Australia 1876 2 Shillings stamp is a high-value stamp from the colony’s definitive issue featuring a side-profile of Queen Victoria.

While the 2 Shillings value itself was not new in 1876, the year falls within the period of the long-running “Second Sideface” issue, which saw several printings, perforations, and watermark changes.

Here are the key characteristics of the 2 Shillings stamps issued around that time:

👑 Key Stamp Details (1876-1900 Printings)

🔍 Crucial Differentiating Factors

The main factors that distinguish the printings of the 2 Shillings stamp in this period (and determine its exact catalog value) are the Watermark and Perforation.

1. Watermark:
   • The 2 Shillings stamps from the 1876-1880 period are often found with the Star Watermark (specifically, the “Broad Star” watermark).
   • Later printings would use other watermarks, such as the Crown and S. A. (South Australia) pattern.
2. Color Varieties:
   • Although the primary color is Carmine, collectors differentiate between various shades, such as Deep Carmine, Bright Carmine, or sometimes an Orange-Red shade, depending on the specific printing batch.

A listing specifically referencing the 1876-1900 QV 2 Shillings stamp in a block of four with the “Broad Star” watermark confirms that this is the defining characteristic for stamps of this type from that era.

To precisely identify your 1876 2 Shillings stamp, you would need to inspect its watermark and measure its perforations.