386 Timehri. 
The delivery of letters in Georgetown was discontinued shortly 
after the service was initiated, which no doubt accounts, in some ~ 
measure, for its great rarity. Possibly the small stock of these stamps 
on hand at the Post Office were used to prepay the higher rates of postage 
as pairs are known, also a copy postmarked as late as October, 1851. 
The stamps of this issue were initialled by one of the Post Office 
officials in black, blue, violet, or red inks and occasionally in black 
pencil, before being issued to the public, obviously as a safeguard 
against frauds. Copies are also known without initials, due to an over- 
sight on the part of the postal official who issued them. 
The initials found on these stamps are :—— 
E. T. E. D. the initials of E. T. E Dalton, Colonial Postmaster. 
BD W: 4s E. D. Wight, clerk in P. O, 
J. B.S. #3 J. B. Smith. do. 
ERAS AK: - H. A. Killikelly, Postmaster of 
Georgetown. 
W. Ay L. of W. H. Lorimer, clerk in P.O. 
The stamps of the 1850 issue, which were in use up to the end of 
1851, have always attracted collectors on account of their scarcity, 
especially in fine condition cut square. Up to the year 1877 they were 
little known in England and less so on the Continent, only some twelve 
copies being then in existence. 
Large finds were made by Mr. G. Wyatt and Mr. Daly 
in Georgetown during the years 1877 and 1878, chiefly the 
values 8c. and 12c. These stamps were sold in England, when most, if 
not all, of them were examined by Judge (then Mr.) Philbrick. Writing 
on this issue, he refers to having examined upwards of 100. . . . of all 
values of this issue, critically, besides many others more or less imperfect 
and refers to them as coming over “ in number.” 
The only one priced in 8. Gibbons & Co. and Pemberton, Wilson 
& Co.’s catalogues for 1882 is the twelve cents blue, used, at 40 
shillings. The values affixed by S. Gibbons, Ltd., catalogue, 23rd Ed. 
for 1912-15 are: 
oO e) 
used used 
4c., orange ees £30 
4c., lemon yellow ie 5a 
8e., green £70 £30 
12c., blue £30 £15 
12c., indigo £40 £15 
The 2c. stamp and 4c. on pelure not being priced. 
The great rarity of this issue,—the 2c. printed in black on rose 
coloured paper, is one of the world’s rarest stamps, under a dozen copies 
being known. A history of the rise in value of this rarity is interesting. 
