This Indian official stamp, issued in 1926, features a definitive portrait of King George V wearing the Imperial State Crown. It is overprinted with "SERVICE" in bold black letters, designating its official government use, and includes the denomination "ONE ANNA" in the same style. The underlying design is printed in a chocolate brown hue with ornate engraving typical of the De La Rue & Co. style. The original face value and denomination have been barred out with black horizontal bars, an uncommon feature in Indian philately of the period. The stamp is printed typographically on watermarked paper bearing the upright star watermark of British India. This issue falls within the King George V Official series from 1912–26 and is listed under Scott O74, Michel IN D73F, Stanley Gibbons O107a, and Yvert IN-GB 75a. Used examples such as this one, especially with legible postmarks and visible watermark, are valued by collectors of British Commonwealth and Indian administrative postal history.
Estimate "$200 – 350"