British Empire Exhibition postage stamps facts for kids
The British Empire Exhibition was a huge event held in Wembley Park, Wembley, in 1924 and 1925. To celebrate this special exhibition, two unique postage stamps were created. These stamps helped people remember the big event and its importance.
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Stamps for the British Empire Exhibition
Celebrating a Big Event
The British Empire Exhibition was like a giant world's fair. It showed off different parts of the British Empire. To mark this important occasion, special stamps were made.
Two different stamps were first released in 1924. One was a red stamp with a value of one penny. The other was a brown stamp worth one and a half pennies. These different values are called "denominations."
The next year, in 1925, the stamps were released again. The only change was that "1925" replaced "1924" on the design.
How the Stamps Were Made
The stamps were printed in large sheets. Each sheet had 120 stamps in total. This was made up of two smaller sections, called "panes," each with 60 stamps. Each pane had 10 rows of 6 stamps.
Before the stamps went to post offices, these panes were separated. This made them easier for the post office to handle and sell.
The Holes Around the Stamps
Have you ever noticed the tiny holes around a stamp? These holes are called "perforations." They make it easy to tear stamps apart from a sheet.
For these exhibition stamps, two different machines were used to make the perforations. Both machines made holes that were a "gauge 14." This means the holes were a standard size and spacing.
Different Perforation Styles
One type of machine used a "comb head." This machine made all the holes at once around a stamp. This created a very neat and even line of holes on all sides.
The other machine used a "line type" perforator. This machine made holes in one direction first. Then, the sheet was turned, and holes were made in the other direction. You can often spot stamps made with this machine. The holes in the corners might not line up perfectly.
