Issue date: 17 June 2014

A century ago, Australia’s stamp designs were “hot” political topics. Labor PostmasterGeneral, Charles Frazer developed the Kangaroo and Map design, but a few months later, his successor, the Liberal’s Agar Wynne, made plans to scrap it in favour of stamps featuring the monarch, King George V.

Together with the King’s profile, the new stamp design also featured a kangaroo, emu, sprig of wattle and the crown. Following earlier advice received from the British government about the depiction of the king on stamps, the Australian stamp would feature the same royal profile as depicted on Great Britain’s stamps.

The George V stamp was a 1d denomination for basic letter postage within Australia and to British Empire countries. With a view to making the stamp look impressive it was decided to use intaglio with an initial print quantity of only 1.2 million, when the stamp was first issued on 9 December 1913. A further supply of 1.1 million 1d stamps was released in March 1914.

The first release of the 1d letterpress George V stamp occurred at the general post offices of Sydney and Melbourne on 17 July 1914. Production of the 1d Kangaroo and Map stamp now ceased. Agar Wynne had issued a King’s head stamp for 1d basic letter postage.