The first Elizabethan stamps were printed on Tudor Crown watermarked paper. Six of the nine values of the previous reign were issued. There was sufficient stock of 1d, 1½d, and 1s postage dues that they did not need to be reprinted before the watermark changed to St. Edward’s Crown.
Postage Dues continued to be printed in letterpress by Harrison & Sons on sheet-fed machines, giving the possibility of inverted watermarks.
Sideways
Sideways-inverted
Watermarks shown as seen from the front of the stamp.
| ½d | Bright Orange | 8 June 1955 |
| 2d | Agate | 28 July 1955 |
| 3d | Violet | 4 May 1955 |
| 4d | Blue | 14 July 1955 |
| 5d | Yellow-brown | 19 May 1955 |
| 2/6 | Purple/Yellow | Nov 1954 |
The ½d, 2d, and 2/6 are known sideways-inverted.
The 2/6 was first reported as a used pair (see GSM Nov 1988), several used copies are now known.
Varieties
Imperforate block of nine, watermark sideways.
A complete imperforate sheet was found at Ewell Post Office, Surrey.