author/editor of Labbe's Specialized Guide to Lundy Island Stamps

(published in The Poster Volume 37/Number 3 May-June 2008)

The first 6 puffin stamp of Lundy Island is mauve in color, it was printed in 1929-1930. This is #3 in the Lundy Island guide. Of the #3 there were printed as many as 500,00 by some estimates. The actual number without overprints (as the issues have been extensively overprinted) is truly unknown. They were printed on sheets of 100.

There is a much rarer color variation the 6 puffin blue. It is designated as #3b. There is some debate over whether #3b exists at all or is simple a color fade due to exposure to the sun. Some researchers contend all of #3 were printed originally in blue and then later altered to mauve, others contend all were originally printed in mauve and the so called blue color variation is simple due to exposure to the sun and still others say all sheets were printed in blue and some sheets indeed escaped recoloring. There also is the school of thought that there were two printings with some sheets were printed in blue and the vast majority printed in mauve.

According to F. W. Gade, in his Postal History of Lundy , Bradbury Wilkinson & Company admitted that a few sheets were actually printed in blue, but Gade goes on to say none were ever delivered to the island for usage and that he, as Postmaster, never actually saw a blue copy. He goes onto say that he saw some blue stamps that had faded from Mauve due to being left in strong sunlight.

F.W. Downing states that the first printing of the 6 Puffin value was in blue and then changed to Mauve and that blue full sheets exist.

Irregardless of the controversy , the blue variation has become the rarest Lundy stamp.

The blue 6 puffin has also been seen in the various overprinted issues as well, these are even rarer.