Fish Definitives: 1979-1983
 

1979 FishThe very attractive fish definitives were place on sale in Tuvalu on January 24, 1979. The original set consisted of 18 values. A surcharge and an additional value followed later. There were several reprints, and subsequently six values exist with two distinct border types. In 1981, all values were overprinted OFFICIAL, for use on government mail. Two types of overprints were used, and these, in combination with the border types, produced many very interesting collectable varieties. The overall printing quality of the stamps was quite poor, and therefore many constant flyspeck varieties exist. There are so many, that it is possible to "plate" complete sheets of most values from single stamps.

Images:
| 1c | 2c | 4c | 5c | 6c | 8c | 10c | 15c | 20c | 25c | 30c | 35c | 40c | 45c | 50c | 70c | $1 | $2 | $5 |

| 45 on 50c |

Sheet Format:  See illustrations and details
  • Printed in sheets of 38 with horizontal and vertical gutters and 2 labels
  • Booklet panes of 4 from above sheets
  • Different values paired together during printing
Border Types:  See illustrations and details
  • Fine Screen: (Original set)
    1c, 2c, 4c, 5c, 6c, 8c, 10c, 20c, 25c, 30c, 40c, 70c, $1, $2, $5
  • Coarse Screen: (Original set)
    15c, 25c, 35c, 50c
  • Coarse Screen: (Reprints)
    1c, 5c, 8c, 10c, 30c, 40c
Surcharge Types:  See illustrations and details
  • Typographed 45c on 50c
  • Lithographed 45c on 50c
Official Types:  See illustrations and details
  • Typograph Overprint
  • Lithograph Overprint
Constant Varieties: See illustrations and details
  • 1c: Broken Q: (fine screen only)
  • 50c: Plate Scratch
  • 10c, 25c, 40c: Broken Frame Line (coarse screen only)
  • $5: Spur on 5:

The following table lists the known types of all stamps, basic and officials:

Value Basic Stamps   Official Overprints
Fine Coarse Fine Coarse
Typo Litho Typo Litho
1c H  
2c H        
4c H        
5c H        
6c H      
8c H    
10c H    
15c H          
20c H        
25c H      
30c H    
35c H          
40c H      
45c/50c H          
45c H        
50c H        
70c V      
$1 V      
$2 V      
$5 V      
Totals: 14 9 12 5 7 6
 
Technical Details
Date of Issue: 1979-01-24; 1981-06-16 (45c D03-14)
Designer: Gordon Drumond
Printer: Format Security Printers
Perforation: 14 x 14
Process: 4 or 5 Colour Lithography
Paper: Unwatermarked
Format: Sheets of 38 with horizontal and vertical gutters
Size: 43.5mm x 28.5mm (H), 28.5 x 43.5 (V)
***
Specimen overprints exist for all basic values except the 45c surcharge and the Official overprints.

BASIC SET
BRC# Value Description Scott S.G. Qty Spec
D03-1 1c Squirrelfish, Fine Screen 96 105  
  a) Coarse Screen       No
D03-2 2c Yellow-Band Goatfish, Fine Screen 97 106  
D03-3 4c Imperial Angelfish, Fine Screen 98 107  
D03-4 5c Rainbow Butterfly, Fine Screen 99 108  
D03-5 6c Blue Angelfish, Fine Screen 100 109  
D03-6 8c Blue-striped Snapper, Fine Screen 101 110  
  a) Coarse Screen       No
D03-7 10c Orange Clownfish, Fine Screen 102 111  
  a) Coarse Screen       No
D03-8 15c Chevron Coralfish, Coarse Screen 103 112  
D03-9 20c Fairy Cod, Fine Screen 104 113  
D03-10 25c Clown Triggerfish, Coarse Screen 105 114  
D03-11 30c Long-nosed Butterfly, Fine Screen 106 115  
  a) Coarse Screen       No
D03-12 35c Yellowfin Tuna, Coarse Screen 107 116  
D03-13 40c Spotted Eagle Ray, Fine Screen 108 117  
  a) Coarse Screen       No
D03-14 45c Black-tip Rock Cod,
Coarse Screen Type C2		 108A 117b  
  a) Coarse Screen Type C3      
  b) Coarse Screen Type C5      
D03-15 50c Hammerhead Shark, Coarse Screen 109 118  
D03-16 70c Lionfish, Fine Screen 110 119  
D03-17 $1 Barred Triggerfish, Fine Screen 111 120  
D03-18 $2 Beaked Coralfish, Fine Screen 112 121  
D03-19 $5 Tiger Shark, Fine Screen 113 122  


SURCHARGE
Date of Issue: 1981-01-19

BRC# Value Description Scott S.G. Qty
D03-20 45c 45c on 50c Hammerhead
Coarse Screen, Typographed Overprint		 -- 157a 14,000
  a) Lithographed Overprint 150 157 56,000

BOOKLETS

The booklets consist of left marginal blocks of 4 torn from the regular sheets.
Single stamps or panes are therefore indistinguishable as separate varieties.

Date of Issue: 1980-02-20
4 x 8c, 4 x 20c, 4 x 30c, 4 x 40c

Date of Issue: 1981-06-16
4 x 10c, 4 x 25c, 4 x 35c, 4 x 45c
OFFICIAL STAMPS
Date of Issue: 1981-07-02

BRC# Value Description Scott S.G. Qty
O1-1 1c Fine Screen, Typo overprint O1   56,000
  a) Coarse Screen, Typo overprint     Incl.
  b) Coarse Screen, Litho overprint      
O3-2 2c Fine Screen, Typo overprint O2   55,000
O3-3 4c Fine Screen, Typo overprint     55,000
O3-4 5c Coarse Screen, Typo overprint     55,000
O3-5 6c Fine Screen, Typo overprint     38,000
  a) Fine Screen, Litho overprint      
O3-6 8c Fine Screen, Typo overprint     76,000
  a) Coarse Screen, Typo overprint     Incl.
O3-7 10c Fine Screen, Typo overprint     59,000
  a) Coarse Screen, Litho overprint      
O3-8 15c Coarse Screen, Typo overprint     55,000
O3-9 20c Fine Screen, Typo overprint     76,000
O3-10 25c Coarse Screen, Litho overprint      
  a) Coarse Screen, Typo overprint     5,000
O3-11 30c Fine Screen, Typo overprint     57,000
  a) Coarse Screen, Typo overprint     Incl.
O3-12 35c Coarse Screen, Litho overprint      
O3-13 40c Coarse Screen, Typo overprint     60,000
O3-14 45c Coarse Screen Type C2, Litho overprint      
  a) Coarse Screen Type C3, Litho overprint      
  b) Coarse Screen Type C5, Litho overprint      
O3-15 50c Coarse Screen, Litho overprint      
O3-16 70c Fine Screen, Typo overprint     47,000
  a) Fine Screen, Litho overprint      
O3-17 $1 Fine Screen, Typo overprint     51,000
  a) Fine Screen, Litho overprint      
O3-18 $2 Fine Screen, Typo overprint     45,000
  a) Fine Screen, Litho overprint      
O3-19 $5 Fine Screen, Typo overprint     55,000
  a) Fine Screen, Litho overprint      

Notes:
  • The 5c coarse screen is not known to exist without the OFFICIAL overprint
  • See information on quantities printed.
1979 Fish | Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |  

Top

Stamps

  Comments? Suggestions?
Send e-mail to brian@tuvaluislands.com 

TOL logo