Stamps: the Hidden Back Story

Most people think stamp collecting is all about the front – the portraits, the postmarks, the perforations. But turn them over, and there’s a hidden world waiting.

In an early bid to fight forgery – much like today’s banknotes – postal authorities introduced watermarks. They’ve been quietly tucked into stamp paper from the start, and spotting them can be half the fun.

Take the four Edwardian 6d Nigerian stamps shown here: a crisp crown and monogram watermark sits clearly behind King Edward’s portrait. On the 1910 South African 2½d stamp, the watermark is more elusive – look just right of centre and you might glimpse a faint rose. And the Indian issues? They feature a star outline, but it takes a keen eye (and good light) to catch it.

Early South African stamps even used the head of a springbok – a fitting nod to their local wildlife – in watermark form. And that’s just scratching the surface. Hundreds of historic watermarks are out there, quietly revealing another layer of the story.