Colonial Heritage: Empire - 2010 AUSTRALIA

Prior to Federation and the release of Australia's first national stamp issue in 1913 the six former colonies issued their own stamps. This stamp issue is the first in a series of four commemorating that early philatelic history. This $5 stamp reinterprets the original "Chalon head" designs of Van diemen's Land / Tasmania and Queensland (in circulation from 1855 to 1892 and 1860 to 1913 respectively). The portrait of Queen Victoria is based on Alfred Chalon's 1837 painting of the young queen in her coronation robes. Chalon's painting, now in Belgium's Royal Collection, is reproduced on the miniature sheet.