A Short Introduction To The Philately Of Palestine

Jordanian Occupation: Definitives 1948

During the transitional period between the start of the war and the incorporation of the West Bank into (Trans-) Jordan, two series of postage stamps and one series each of postage dues and obligatory tax stamps were issued. They were on sales between December (OTs: June) 1948 and April 1950. On 25.04.1950 Jordanian stamps were issued, but the overprints could be used up even beyond December 1950. Usage on the West Bank from then onward is discernable only by looking at the post mark.

qal_1 (23K) qal_3 (18K)

SG no. P7 (together with obligatory tax stamp SG no. PT38) on pieces.
Note the substantially varying quality of the overprint.

For the definitives issued on 2.12.1948 regular Transjordanian stamps of various series in a number of different perforations (design types 28 and 29, issued since 1930) were overprinted in design type P1. The overprint is in colours black, green and red. The different imprints show varying shades of these colours.

JType_P1 (8K) J_P007_inv (33K) J_P009_double (37K)

Overprint design type P1

SG no. P7 with inverted overprint.
Image from Ebay.

SG no. P9 with double overprint; on piece cancelled at Hebron.
Image from Ebay.

The base stamps:

  • Issue 1930: design type 29 in perforation 14. Printed in recess by Perkins & Bacon. Watermark Crown Agents type W9.
    One value of 200m.
  • Issue 1939: design type 28 in perforation 13.5:13. Recess (Perkins & Bacon) with watermark W9.
    One value of 2m.
  • Issue 1942: design type 34 in perforation 13.5. Produced in lithography by Survey Department, Cairo. No watermark.
    One value of 2m.
  • Issue 1943: design type 28 in perforation 12. Printed in recess by Bradbury & Wilkinson. Watermark W9.
    Values of 1, 2, 3, and 5m.
  • Issue 1944: design type 29 in perforation 12. Produced in recess by Bradbury & Wilkinson. Watermark W9.
    Values of 50, 90, 100, 200, 500m, and 1 Pound.
  • Issue 1947: design type 28 in perforation 12. Printed by Bradbury & Wilkinson in recess printing. Watermark W9.
    Values of 3, 4, 10, 12, 15, and 20m.

Jcov_521108 (35K) Jcard_500803 (45K)

Registered airmail cover to Australia featuring a mixed franking of Transjordan definitives 5 Fils (SG no. 364) and 50 Mils (SG no. 238) in addition to a 90 Mils overprint stamp (SG no. P12).
Cancellation: BETHLEHEM / 8 NO / 52 (Wallach B.1.4). On reverse transit marks JERUSALEM / [...] / 8 NO 52 (Wallach J.1.5) and BEYROUTH 2 / CHARGEMENTS / 10 XI 52 as well as stamps from Sydney and Canberra.

Picture postcard of Jerusalem used for airmail to Switzerland. Definitive stamp of 20 Mils (SG no. P10) and obligatory tax stamp of 10 Mils (SG no. PT39).
Postmark: JERUSALEM / C / 3 AU 50 (Wallach J.1.5).

J_P001 (15K) J_P002 (14K) J_P002a (15K) J_P002b (14K)
J_P003 (14K) J_P004 (14K) J_P005 (14K) J_P006 (14K)
J_P007 (14K) J_P008 (14K)
J_P009 (14K) J_P010 (15K)
J_P011 (17K) J_P012 (16K) J_P013 (17K) J_P014 (17K)
J_P014a (17K) J_P015 (17K) J_P016 (17K)

Image (SG no. P3) courtesy Thomas Schubert.

SG Michel Value Issue Colour Design Waterm. Perf. Overpr. Colour Base Base
1 1 1m 2.12.1948 red-brown 28 W9 K12 P1 S 230 155 C
2 2a C 2m 2.12.1948 bluish green 28 W9 K12 P1 R 231 156a C
2a 2b D 2m 2.12.1948 green 28 W9 K13.5:13 P1 R 195 a 156b D
2b A 2 2m 2.12.1948 green 34 W9 K13.5 P1 R 223 186
3 4 3m 2.12.1948 green 28 W9 K12 P1 R 233 158 C
4 3 3m 2.12.1948 carmine-pink 28 W9 K12 P1 S 258 157 C
5 5 4m 2.12.1948 green 28 W9 K12 P1 R 259 159 C
6 6 5m 2.12.1948 orange 28 W9 K12 P1 Gr 236 161 C
7 7 10m 2.12.1948 bright violet 28 W9 K12 P1 S 260 202
8 8 12m 2.12.1948 scarlet 28 W9 K12 P1 S 261 203
9 9 15m 2.12.1948 olivegreen 28 W9 K12 P1 R 262 204
10 10 20m 2.12.1948 blue 28 W9 K12 P1 R 263 205
11 11 50m 2.12.1948 purple 29 W9 K12 P1 Gr 238 165 C
12 12 90m 2.12.1948 bistre 29 W9 K12 P1 Gr 239 166 C
13 13 100m 2.12.1948 blue 29 W9 K12 P1 R 240 167 C
14 14 C 200m 2.12.1948 violet 29 W9 K12 P1 R 241 168 C
14a 14 A 2.12.1948 K14 205 168 A
15 15 500m 2.12.1948 brown 29 W9 K12 P1 S 242 169 C
16 16 1 LP. 2.12.1948 slate grey 29 W9 K12 P1 R 243 170 C

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[Created 8.06.2004, last revised 28.04.2006]
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