1902-1905.--Watermarked Crown C.A. Perf. 14.
½d. green and green. 1d. carmine and carmine. 2d. orange and mauve. 2½d. ultramarine and ultramarine. 3d. magenta and ultramarine. 4d. brown and ultramarine. 6d. sage-green and carmine. 1s. violet and green. 1s. 6d. green and carmine on yellow paper. 2s. deep slate and orange. 2s. 6d. purple and brown on yellow paper. 3s. carmine and green on yellow paper.
1904-1905.--Watermarked Multiple Crown C.A. Perf. 14.
½d. green and green. 1d. carmine and carmine. 2d. orange and mauve. 2½d. ultramarine and ultramarine. 3d. magenta and ultramarine. 4d. brown and ultramarine. 5d. grey and black. 6d. sage-green and carmine. 7½d. green and carmine. 10d. olive-brown and carmine. 1s. violet and green. 2s. deep slate and orange.
1906 (April 10).--Provisional Issue. Overprinted in black.
HALF PENNY on 2s. 6d. purple and brown on yellow paper. 5mm. between letters and bars. 4mm. " " Depressed Y in PENNY. ONE PENNY on 3s. carmine and green on yellow paper. Double overprint. Depressed Y in PENNY. " E "
The first Gambia stamps appeared early in 1869, and postmarks of that year are usually composed of a circle with "Gambia" across the centre in a straight line, and the date in two lines below and a control letter above.
This postmark is usually in red, but is also found in black. It was apparently only in use for a short time, being superseded by a circular postmark of the same size, but with "Gambia" at top and "Paid" at bottom, both following the line of the circle.
The day and month are in a straight line across the centre of the circle, with the year (last two figures only) below and a control letter above. This, in the early dated specimens, is A, followed by B and then C. The postmark is always in red down to the early part of 1887.
On the early imperforate stamps we find a similar postmark in black, but lettered "Gambia" above and "Unpaid" below. This was probably intended for use on letters posted without a stamp. The control letter is A.
From 1887 to 1892 the Gambia-Paid postmark appears in black. The control letters are B or C.
In 1892 this was superseded by a fresh cancellation with "Bathurst" above and "Gambia" below, both following the line of the circle, the date across the centre as before, and the control letter being C.