C.L. Griffiths who published the Fiji Times Express, needed a postal service to distribute his newspaper the Samoa Times that first appeared October 6, 1877.
Rates to various countries were published along with the necessary information to use the service.
All of the Express stamps from 1879 on were lithographed in various printings.
Each year for the first three years a new set of stones was prepared
Each of these groups of printings has been called a “State”.
Three states of the normal values were prepared.
A fourth state was introduced for a new value, the 9d, which was used for postage about a year before the post office closed.
Each year for the first three years a new set of stones was prepared
Each of these groups of printings has been called a “State”.
Three states of the normal values were prepared.
A fourth state was introduced for a new value, the 9d, which was used for postage about a year before the post office closed.
As most of the population was not literate and likewise had little contact off the island, few stamps were required or used. Covers are quite rare.
The Express post office closed on August 31 , 1881.
Postal history on these stamps is difficult to piece together as many of the great collections were lost by war, fire and earthquake (San Francisco 1906)
The Express post office closed on August 31 , 1881.
Postal history on these stamps is difficult to piece together as many of the great collections were lost by war, fire and earthquake (San Francisco 1906)
Is it Perfed or Not ?
There is misinformation about any all perfed stamps being reprints - this is true for many but definitely not all.
Between the excellent book by Odenweller and obtaining diagrams of all the full sheets with the Royal Philatelic, I have a full understanding of the original printings
State I stamps all were issued in 5X4 sheets so 6 have perfs all around
State II all are in sheets 5X2 so all have none with all perfs
State III 1d is 5X4 so 6 have perfs all around, the 3d, 6d, 2/ & 5/ are 5X2 so all have none with all perfs
State IV the only genuine stamp issued is the 9d WHICH HAS the dot under the M like the reprints.
Sheet 5X2, so the 9d has none with all perfs
State IV REMAINDERS were sold to Whitfield King & Co. of Ipswich, England, by G.L. Griffiths, former proprietor of the Samoa Times, in 1882
These were not large quantities so remainders are not that common.
1d, 2d & 6d in sheets 7X3 so 5 have all perfs
3d, 9d & 5/ in sheets 4X3 so only 2 have all perfs. The 1/ is assumed to be a 3X4 also
State IV REPRINTS/FORGERIES - In 1884, Whitfield entered into an agreement with G.L. Griffiths to purchase the rights to have the stamps made by S.T. Leigh, the printers
These are very common and account for most stamps found.
3 different printings made between 1885 & 1892. One had "REPRINT" on the reverse side
Sheets are large 8X5, so 18 stamps have perfs all around.
The colors tend to be brighter than the originals and perfs are very clean. Given the volume of these "reprints", this is probably how the error that any with 4 sides perfed are not
genuine.
The States
State I
Three values, the 1d, 3d, and 6d, were issued in sheets of twenty, four rows of five stamps.
The outer edges are not perforated, so 6 stamps per sheet have perforations all around as shown below. This is important as some authors have incorrectly noted that stamps with perfs all around are not genuine.
The State I are perf. 12.5 and cut rough.
It appears the original die was the 6d and the others were transfers from this die with new values.
Used State I often have pen cancels on them which were used up From October 1877 to March 1878 followed by an Apia circular date stamp.
Three values, the 1d, 3d, and 6d, were issued in sheets of twenty, four rows of five stamps.
The outer edges are not perforated, so 6 stamps per sheet have perforations all around as shown below. This is important as some authors have incorrectly noted that stamps with perfs all around are not genuine.
The State I are perf. 12.5 and cut rough.
It appears the original die was the 6d and the others were transfers from this die with new values.
Used State I often have pen cancels on them which were used up From October 1877 to March 1878 followed by an Apia circular date stamp.
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| State 1 3d Full Sheet |
1. Fairly even sized and spaced dots
2. Top right of the M has a short straight appendage
3. Note the shape and thickness of the arabesque
4. The top of the A points between 2 dots
5. 16 top dots with the left one split by the frame
6. The frame is undamaged
7. End fold barely visible on this side
8. 14 bottom dots with the top right one partially cut by the frame
2. Top right of the M has a short straight appendage
3. Note the shape and thickness of the arabesque
4. The top of the A points between 2 dots
5. 16 top dots with the left one split by the frame
6. The frame is undamaged
7. End fold barely visible on this side
8. 14 bottom dots with the top right one partially cut by the frame
State 1 plated examples
State II
This is probably the rarest.
It appeared in mid 1878 with the 1d, 3d, 6d and introduced three new denominations, the 1/-, 2/-, and 5/- .
All were in sheets of ten, or two rows of five, so all have imperforate margins either at top or bottom, and the end positions will have right or left margins imperforate as well.
These are perf 12.5 and cut from clean to rough.
It appeared in mid 1878 with the 1d, 3d, 6d and introduced three new denominations, the 1/-, 2/-, and 5/- .
All were in sheets of ten, or two rows of five, so all have imperforate margins either at top or bottom, and the end positions will have right or left margins imperforate as well.
These are perf 12.5 and cut from clean to rough.
 |
| State II 2/ Full Sheet |
State II Features
The line above the X shows a break
State II plated examples
3d Row-1-Pos.-3
1/ Row-2-Pos.-2
State III
 |
| State II Row 2 Pos. 3 |
State III
This state appeared in early 1879. The color in the line above the “X” in the master die had been noticed and correcting it appears to have made it much worse.
The 1d was in the original sheet format of 20, with four rows of five , but all others were in sheets of 10.
These are perf. 12.5 and cut clean an
d rough. A later printing appeared perfed 11.8 and is more scarce.
The theory on the rough cuts is that attempts were made to perforate several sheets at once.
The 1/- appears as a State II with perf 12.5 and possibly later in perf 11.8
Full sheets are available so plating is not an issue.
 |
| Sate III 6d Full Sheet |
Genuine State III Features
The top right of the M has am appendage that curves downwards
The line above the X has been very poorly repaired
State III plated examples
3d Row-1-Pos.-1
6d Row-1-Pos.-3
5/ Row-2-Pos.-1
Sample sheet of reprints
Samples of reprints
Examples of reprints with fake postmarks
Fournier Features
Compared to the original on the left
1. Large wide foot
2. The lower loop is smaller
3. The holes are larger
4. This hole cuts the line
5. The S has a flat bottom
6. The skirt is wider
"Fournier" examples
State IV
The only stamp issued as State IV was the 9d, in a sheet of 10 , with two rows of five stamps. None have perfs all around
A primary characteristic of State IV stamps is a point of ink that appears just below the center of the “M” of “Samoa.”
Any stamps of denominations other than the 9d that show State IV characteristics are either remainders or reprints.
The 9d is perforated a rough cut 11.8. Remainders and reprints have other perforations.
Like the state III it has the curved appendage at the top right of the M
Some dots are out of alignment
The most tell-tale characteristic of the State IV and the remainders is the small dot below the center of the M
Remainders
Any stamps that show the above characteristics apart from the 9d are either remainders or reprints and along with specific forgeries they account most probably for 99.9% of all Express stamps on auctions and online sales.
Any stamps that show the above characteristics apart from the 9d are either remainders or reprints and along with specific forgeries they account most probably for 99.9% of all Express stamps on auctions and online sales.
 |
| Full Sheet 1d Remainders |
Remainder Plated Examples
 |
| 1d Row-3-Pos.-5 |
 |
| 2d Row-2-Pos.-6 |
 |
| 5 Row-2-Pos.-1 |
"Reprints"
In 1884, Whitfield King entered into an agreement with G.L. Griffiths (Express owner) to purchase the rights to have the 8 denominations reprinted.
They were printed in sheets of 40 from the settings of the remainders with 11.8 perfs on all sides.
The colors are much more vivid than the originals.
A second reprint was made in 1892 and a very large number of this printing was made with both 11.8 and 12.5 perfs with margins imperforate. They have a “T. H. Saunders” 1/2 watermark on them and apparently some have reprint stamped on the back.
Main features of reprints
Sample sheet of reprints
 |
| 6d Remainders Full Sheet |
Samples of reprints
Reprint Row 4 Pos. 5
Reprint Row 4 Pos. 7 The 2d was unissued
Reprint Row 4 Pos. 3
Reprint Row 4 Pos. 8
Reprint Row 4 Pos. 3
Reprint Row 4 Pos. 4
Reprint Row 2 Pos. 4
Fake Postmarks on Reprints
These are very common and probably an effort to validate then and increase their value.
These are very common and probably an effort to validate then and increase their value.
Examples of reprints with fake postmarks
Forgeries
There are some 6 known forgeries but I have not seen any “dangerous” ones
Two of them are VERY plentiful and commonly found online.
There are some 6 known forgeries but I have not seen any “dangerous” ones
Two of them are VERY plentiful and commonly found online.
Fournier Forgeries
These were sold by Fournier and not made by him.
The main traits are the thick large serif foot of the “M” and the offset dot
between the “M & O”
The Fournier forgery is a little narrower at 19.75 mm white paper and perf 11
This forgery is very plentiful.
The main traits are the thick large serif foot of the “M” and the offset dot
between the “M & O”
The Fournier forgery is a little narrower at 19.75 mm white paper and perf 11
This forgery is very plentiful.
Fournier Features
1. Large wide foot
2. The lower loop is smaller
3. The holes are larger
4. This hole cuts the line
5. The S has a flat bottom
6. The skirt is wider
Fournier fake postmarks
Fournier probably applied these to sheet to increase their value
The forgeries can be found with a small and a large value
Imperato Forgeries
I have seen these attributed to Spiro but the postmarks don’t match his common
ones.
These are also very common and the main features are the slanted “Club Foot” leg
of the “M” and the tall “A
I have seen these attributed to Spiro but the postmarks don’t match his common
ones.
These are also very common and the main features are the slanted “Club Foot” leg
of the “M” and the tall “A
Imperato features
Comparison with the original on the left
1. The arabesques are thicker
2. The A is very tall
3. The foot of the M is slanted
4. The side of the A is not thick and slanted
5. The first S has a small lower section
6. The S is oddly shaped
Imperato forgery examples
Other Forgeries
These tend to be more scarce than the "Fournier" or Imperato
A very prolific forger and catalog illustrator. Many forgeries attributed to Moens, Spiro and others are in reality his creations. The left one has a strange S and is wrongly attributed to Taylor. The right one also has an unusual S and very small dots in the top arch.
Unknown forger
unique.
The key is 18 dots in the top and 15 in the bottom instead of 16 and 14
Overall the printing is rough with many artefacts mainly besides the top
O
The SS is square in shape.
All the copies appear in only the 1d
The key is 18 dots in the top and 15 in the bottom instead of 16 and 14
Overall the printing is rough with many artefacts mainly besides the top
O
The SS is square in shape.
All the copies appear in only the 1d
Unknown Forger
References
Forgery & reprint guide, 5-6. Samoa express – Barefoot, J.
Plating Samoa Express Facsimiles – JR Hughes
Samoa Forgeries – Evert Klaseboer
The Samoa Express Postage Stamps – R.B.Yardley
The Stamps & Postal History of 19th Century Samoa – Odenweller
Vade Mecum – Seranne
Various websites and forum members
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