By 1870, the printing plates for the Full Face Queens were very worn and needed replacing. A decision was made to design new stamps with a more contemporary portrait of Queen Victoria.

The 1d, 2d, 3d, 4d, 6d and 1/- stamps were designed by Messrs De La Rue & Co and featured a side on portrait with different frame shapes for each denomination.

Early papers used for printing this issue were manufactured with Potassium Prussiate to hamper cleaning off postmarks to reuse stamps and as a result some stamps show varying amounts of blueing - particularly noticeable in the 2d stamp.

In 1878, the issue was extended with the addition of 2 and 5 shilling stamps by W.R. Bock. The central portrait was copied from the original stamps and new frames and values added. The new values were intended for parcel post, but this service didn't eventuate during the life of this issue, and the stamps were mostly used fiscally. They are scarce - only around 47,000 of each were printed.