The Queen Victoria Malta half penny yellow postage stamp

Abstract

In 1859 the Council of Government after a prolonged debate, decided that the Free Internal Post, which had been inaugurated on the 10th June 1853, would be withdrawn on a date to be announced later, and a half penny stamp would be issued for internal use in Malta and Gozo. On the 12th March 1859, it was resolved in the Committee of Supply that: "it is the opinion of this Committee that a sum not exceeding £110 chargeable upon the revenue of the year 1859, be applied under the head of Miscellaneous Services for cost of a die and other articles for making stamps for a half penny postage for the transmission of letters by the inland post" Following this resolution the Clerk of the Council of Government, on the 30th April1859, informed the Crown Agents for the Colonies, who in turn commissioned Messrs De La Rue & Co to go ahead with the engraving of a die, which was executed by J. F. Joubert de la Ferte.