Although the stamps of both Antigua and Leeward Islands were valid for use in Barbuda, an Order in Council on 22nd June 1922 approved a separate issue. This was a retrospective act since the stamps had already been printed. The stamps of the current Leeward Islands design were used, overprinted by De La Rue in large sans serif capitals with BARBUDA, and were probably produced to generate revenue from philatelic sales. Although regarded as a somewhat dubious issue when released, the passage of time has lent it subsequent respectability. The printings were made entirely separately from those of Leeward Islands.
The 6d value represented the first use of the new Leewards Islands duty plate for this value, made in 1921. It featured double marginal rules on the printed sheet.
| Barbuda 6 pence stamp (SG5) marginal horizontal pair with plate number 10 |
Whilst the small printings of the three highest values make these amongst the scarcer high values of the Imperium issues, nearly half the total was sold to dealers in London. For each of these three values no more than 66 plate number copies can exist.
The 1d and 2d value exist with watermark reversed, the 21/2d with watermark inverted (all from the 1922 printing).
The twenty nine sheets of the 3d printing of February 1923 was made on the old Multiple Crown CA paper, after the introduction of the new Multiple Script CA watermark paper. This was probably done to use up the small remaining quantity of the Multiple Crown CA paper.
Each of the three values of the February 1923 printing differs significantly in shade from that of the 1922 issue.
List of Issues
| SG | Value | Colour/Shade | Plate |
| 1 | 1/2d | Deep green | 10 |
| Dull green (1923) | 10 | ||
| 2 | 1d | Bright scarlet | 10 |
| 3 | 2d | Slate-grey | 10 |
| 4 | 21/2d | Bright blue | 10 |
| Pale dull blue (1923) | 10 | ||
| 5 | 6d | Dull and bright purple | 10 |
| 6 | 2/- | Purple and blue/ blue | 10 |
| 7 | 3/- | Bright green and violet | 10 |
| 8 | 4-/ | Black and red | 10 |
| 9 | 3d | Pale and deep purple/ pale yellow | 10 |
| Dull purple on yellow/ pale yellow (1923) | 10 | ||
| 10 | 1/- | Black on emerald/ emerald (Red Opt.) | 10 |
| 11 | 5/- | Green and red/ pale yellow | 10 |
Varieties
| Barbuda 3d., the right hand stamp showing damaged ''d'' in ''3d'' [right pane, R. 3/2], SG. 9 var., Oliver B5a. Sold at Grosvenor Auction in 2007 for ?180 plus buyer's premium |
| Five shillings, upper right corner marginal block of four, [R. 1/6] showing retouch to top line of value tablet. SG 11, var. Sold at Grosvenor Auction in 2007 for ?180 plus buyer's premium |
Specimen stamps
| Barbuda 5/- specimen stamp, Samuel Type D12 |
Die Proofs
| Barbuda 5/- imperforate plate proof in issued colour on paper watermarked Mult. Crown CA |
Bibliography:
- King George V Key Plates of the Imperium Postage & Revenue Design, Peter Fernbank, 1997.
- Encyclopaedia of British Empire Stamps - Part 6 Leeward Islands; Christie's Robson Lowe; 1991
- The Leeward Islands Part VII KG V - the Issued Stamps', M.N.Oliver; British Caribbean Philatelic Journal Vol.32 No. 1, W/N 162 pi8; March 1992
