Queen Victoria Surcharged

The postal rate to Britain was reduced from 4 1/2 anna to 2 1/2 anna in January 1891, and the 4 anna 6 pies stamps were no longer needed. Therefore, till the new designs arrived from England, the 4 anna 6 pies stamps were overprinted with a surcharge of 2 1/2 annas. The overprinting was done at Calcutta. The ink used was black, however, there are wide variations in the manner of the overprinting.