Tips on Stamp Collecting

Children's stamps 1931

Series of stamps

The first Children's stamps in The Netherlands with an extra fee for children benefaction was issued in 1924. Since then every year a series of stamps was issued. At first these issues consisted of three stamps, but in 1926 this was changed to four. In the years prior to the issue of 1931 the sales went down. Perhaps no wonder. Many people were unemployed in those years. The chosen subjects were considered to have caused the decrease in sales too.

Stamp design

In the beginning of 1931 the Centrale Propaganda Commissie voor de Weldadigheidszegels (Central Propaganda Committee for Charity stamps) wrote PTT about the design of the stamps. They were convinced that the public did not appreciate last years stamps and that this was the reason for the low yields of those issues.
The committee indicated that stamps with important buildings would be preferred.
Van Royen, who was head of PTT's Esthetical Department, choose Gerrit Kiljan as the photographer of the proposed buildings. The committee agreed with assignment of Kiljan and proposed to photograph nursing homes for underprivileged children.
After Kiljan finished photographing the great misunderstanding came out. Kiljan had not photographed the buildings but the children in those homes. Instead of architecture disabled children were pictured.
Van Royen told the committee that this mistake was caused by a misinterpretation by the committee. He claimed to have said that buildings OR children's care were meant.
In an internal memorandum PTT explained this issue on 18 November 1931. According the PTT the designer used simple means to create images which would be understandable for everyone.
The Nederlandsche Bond tot Kinderbescherming (Dutch Union for Children's care) was not happy with this issue. In her opinion it was immodest to portray and to publish the defects of some distinguishable children.

Surcharge

The proceeds, after reduction of incurred costs, of this issue amounted to 135.820 guilders. Two percent of these proceedings were added to the PTT Children's fund and the remainder went to the Nederlandsche Bond tot Kinderbescherming (Dutch Union for Children's care).

1,5 + 1,5 cent Deaf child

Date of issue: 10 December 1931.
Last day of validity: 31 December 1936.
Colours: Red and ultramarine.
Size: 20,5 x 25 mm.
Watermark: Circles.
Sheet: 10 x 10 stamps and coil.
Gum: Arabic.
Print: Photogravure.
Perforation: Comb 12,5 : 12,5 (sheet) and special coil two sided perforation (coil).
Quantity issued: 1.722.000.

5 + 3 cent Backward child

Date of issue: 10 December 1931.
Last day of validity: 31 December 1936.
Colours: Bluish green and violet.
Size: 20,5 x 25 mm.
Watermark: Circles.
Sheet: 10 x 10 stamps and coil.
Gum: Arabic.
Print: Photogravure.
Perforation: Comb 12,5 : 12,5 (sheet) and special coil two sided perforation (coil).
Quantity issued: 1.018.000.

6 + 4 cent Blind girl

Date of issue: 10 December 1931.
Last day of validity: 31 December 1936.
Colours: Purple and bluish green.
Size: 20,5 x 25 mm.
Watermark: Circles.
Sheet: 10 x 10 stamps and coil.
Gum: Arabic.
Print: Photogravure.
Perforation: Comb 12,5 : 12,5 (sheet) and special coil two sided perforation (coil).
Quantity issued: 1.722.000.

12,5 + 3,5 cent Neglected child

Date of issue: 10 December 1931.
Last day of validity: 31 December 1936.
Colours: Ultramarine and red.
Size: 20,5 x 25 mm.
Watermark: Circles.
Sheet: 10 x 10 stamps and coil.
Gum: Arabic.
Print: Photogravure.
Perforation: Comb 12,5 : 12,5 (sheet) and special coil two sided perforation (coil).
Quantity issued: 424.000.