Page 62 - The Sideways Experimenatal Duplex 1852-1858

MAIDSTONE TYPE II

TYPE B ORIGINAL black ink
This was the second of the hand stamps to be issued to this office. It was issued on the 10th October 1855.
This stamp was recut three times and has a scarcity rating of' A' common.

Here you can see an example of this hand stamp dated 22nd November 1856 and it is showing the code letter 'B'.
TYPE B ORIGINAL green ink
The use of green ink to cancel stamps was against the P.O. regulations and is rarely seen. Scarcity rating is 'G' v.rare.

Above is an example of this hand stamp used as a receiving mark in green. The use of coloured ink as a back stamp is
more understandable but still very rare. The duplex hand stamps are not often seen used as receiving marks. This one
is dated 19th December 1856 and has the code letter 'A'. It was posted in Canterbury and cancelled with a sideways
duplex. For the stamp to have a code 'A' it must have been received early in the morning.