Introduction and Acknowledgments..............................................................ii Notes and Abbreviations ............................................................................ iii
Blocks, Strips & Pairs .......................................................................... 1 Decorative Gutters ............................................................................. 39 Image ................................................................................................... 43 Imperforate.......................................................................................... 61 Minisheets ........................................................................................... 73 Overprints ........................................................................................... 81 Paper ................................................................................................... 85 Perforation .......................................................................................... 89 Prestige Booklet Pages ..................................................................... 97 Self-adhesive .................................................................................... 119 Sheetlets ........................................................................................... 135 Size .................................................................................................... 149 Tabs ................................................................................................... 153 Specials ............................................................................................. 163 Glossary ............................................................................................... 169 Image Copyright ..................................................................................... 177 Variations Statistics ................................................................................ 179 Š David Mallen 2016 Reproduction by any means or electronic storage of any part of this catalogue is strictly forbidden unless written permission is granted by the author
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th
This catalogue lists the 14 main Australian decimal mint stamp variations that have been issued by Australia Post in the 45 years from 14 st February 1966 to the 31 December 2010. This information is only partially available on the Australia Post stamps website or in their Stamp Bulletin. Many variations are sold above face value hence do not appear in some stamp catalogues. Some of the variations listed may be “varieties” that were produced in error, particularly in the Perforation and Image sections, but without reference to the production records it is difficult to prove an error occurred. If it is an obvious variety it is mentioned in the Notes column. Some stamps appear in more than one section when they have more than one variation. Other variations of a philatelic nature and other Australia Post paraphernalia that are not included in this catalogue are listed on the next page. Images of some of my favourite variations from these 45 years are shown at the beginning of each section. They are indicated in the listings with this symbol,. The “Date” shown in each section is the First Day of Issue or the On-sale Date, if this is different from the FDI. (See the Glossary for a definition of these terms.) Cover images: The block of five 4c red Queen with tab was one of the first decimal variations. There were 6 different tabs. One or two edges of the stamps were imperforate so this booklet pane is listed in the Blocks, Strips & Pairs, Imperforate and Tabs sections. The sheetlet of four semi-imperforate gold-foiled 60c Melbourne Cup stamps with large tabs on the left was one of the last variations to be th th issued in 2010. It was released on 20 December in a special 150 Melbourne Cup presentation folder. The tabs are separated from the stamps with a small elliptical hole! Perhaps the tab and stamp could be considered as one large stamp. This sheetlet is listed in the Image, Imperforate, Sheetlet and Tabs sections.
This catalogue would not have existed if it had not been for Stephen Yu. Stephen was a fellow member of the Waverley Philatelic Society in Melbourne, Australia. He originally suggested we list all the perforation variations as they were so hard to find in some catalogues. We soon realised that many of the other variations were not mentioned either, so we began listing them, and in 2004, Issue No.1 of this catalogue was born. Stephen was co-author of the first two issues. He died in June 2010 aged 35. Thanks also to the many philatelists and Stamp News readers who have provided feedback and have suggested improvements, corrections and additions. This catalogue would not be as accurate without your input. I welcome comments, corrections and additions to improve the accuracy of this catalogue. Please visit my ASV website for more information. If you know of any other variations not listed, please let me know. Thank you for the feedback. It has resulted in this 2016 updated edition. I have made corrections and additions to over 50 pages. I have also separated the Minisheets and Prestige Booklet Pages (as suggested) and updated the Specials section. Some definitions in the Glossary have also been refined.
David Mallen Author Melbourne, Australia david@asv.net.au www.asv.net.au issuu.com/asvcat V9 : November 2016
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1. Single gummed sheet stamps that do not contain any variation are not listed in this catalogue. 2. Prices or market values are not shown. 3. Some stamps appear in more than one section when they have more than one variation. 4. Metal foil stamps and unpostmarked stamps that were issued affixed to envelopes are included in the Specials section. 5. Cancelled or postmarked stamps are only listed if a mint version of the stamp was not released. 6.
Stamp varieties (printing errors and mistakes) are not included in this catalogue.
7. Variations in the following products are not included in this catalogue: Booklets, Collector Cards, Counter-printed labels, First day covers, Framas, Fun Packs, Gum, Gutter Pairs, Gutters (with no text and/or design in gutter), Helecon, Ink dye, Lettercards, Lettercard stamps, Maximum cards, Newspaper wrapper stamps, Overprinted booklets, Overprinted gutters, Overprinted minisheets, Overprinted sheetlets, Perfins, Perforation errors, Perforation shape and hole size, Perforations within the selvedge, Phosphor, Postage Paid labels, Postcards, Pre-stamped envelopes, Pre-stamped envelope stamps, Prestige Booklets, Printed postmarks, Printing errors and flaws, Printing methods, Reprints (unless they are different from the original issue), Selvedge text and symbols, Sheets, Rolls, Souvenir Stamp Sheets, Special Event Sheets, Special Occasion Prestige Booklets, Stamp ingots, Stamp Replica Cards, Sunlight faded stamps, UV light (i.e. appearance under ultra-violet light), Varieties, Watermarks, Year Code font. Some of these may be listed when the stamps were significantly different from the original gummed sheet stamp or when they contained variations issued at the same time or soon after the original stamps. 8. At the World Expo in Brisbane in 1988, Australia Post sold packets of stamps from the “Living Together” set. These stamps had been cut from sheets and many were imperforate. They are not listed in the Imperforate section because the original stamps were perforated. 9. Stamps issued in products that are unrelated to the original issue are not included in this catalogue, unless they contain variations issued for the first time. Such products include Souvenir Stamp Sheets, Special Occasion Prestige Booklets and special minisheets containing “generic base stock” stamps. th
10. Pre-decimal Australian and Colony collectable stamps re-released after 14 February 1966 are found in the Specials section.
Refer to the Glossary for an explanation of some of these terms. ASV CDC CPL CS CTO FDC FDI IDC IMP Imperf
Australian Stamp Variations Continuous Die Cut Coated Papers Limited Collectable Stamp Cancelled To Order First Day Cover First Day of Issue Interrupted Die Cut Imperforate Imperforate
M MNG OSD P PD Perf PS P-stamp SA SES SSS
Miniature sheet or Minisheet Mint No Gum On-sale Date Prestige Booklet page Pre-decimal Perforation Personalised Stamp Personalised Stamp Self-adhesive Special Event Sheet Souvenir Stamp Sheet
= Image of the variation on the front cover or at the beginning of the Section.
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This section contains blocks, strips and pairs issued in the sheet of perforated gummed stamps, minisheets, booklets, sheetlets and special sheets. Some blocks, strips and pairs from minisheets are in ‘staggered’ layout. ‘Obvious’ se-tenant pairs from some blocks and strips are included. Booklet panes of gummed stamps are included where they are different from the normal sheet layout. Gutter pairs are not listed. (See the Decorative Gutters section.) Self-adhesive stamps are not included in this section.
1970 1985 1967
2006
2009
2006
2005 1
2007
2006
BLOCKS, STRIPS & PAIRS Date
Issue
Stamps
Variation
Notes
1966
5 x 4c red
6 different blocks of 5 semi-imperforate stamps + tab on top left
5 x 5c overprint on 4c red
6 different blocks of 5 semi-imperforate stamps + tab on top left
14 Feb Queen Elizabeth IMP
Booklet pane. Stamps imperf on left, bottom and right edges of pane. 6 different slogans on top left tab of booklet pane. (See Tabs section for slogan text.)
1967
29 Sep Queen Elizabeth IMP
5 x 5c blue
1 block of 5 semiimperforate stamps + tab on top left
Booklet pane. Stamps imperf on left, bottom and right edges of pane. 5c on 4c red: 6 different slogans on top left tab of booklet pane. 5c blue: 1 slogan only. (See Tabs section for slogan text.)
1968 6 Nov Famous Australians
4 x 5c
IMP
4 different blocks of 5 semi-imperforate stamps + name and dates tab on top left
Booklet pane. Stamps imperf on left, bottom and right edges of pane.
1969 Prime Ministers
4 x 5c
50th Anniversary of First Flight, England to Australia
3 x 5c
4 different blocks of 5 semi-imperforate stamps + name and dates tab on top left Se-tenant strip of 3
9 x 5c
Se-tenant block of 9
5 x 5c
Se-tenant strip of 5
5 x 5c
Se-tenant imperforate strip of 5
Cut from minisheet
4 x 6c
4 different blocks of 5 semi-imperforate stamps + name and dates tab on top left
Booklet pane. Stamps imperf on left, bottom and right edges of pane.
7 x 7c 7 x 7c
Se-tenant block of 7 Se-tenant block of 7
25 x 7c
Se-tenant block of 25
25 x 7c
Se-tenant block of 25
22 Oct IMP 12 Nov
Booklet pane. Stamps imperf on left, bottom and right edges of pane.
1970 20 Apr 20 Apr IMP CS 16 Nov IMP
Captain Cook Bicentenary
Famous Australians
1971
13 Oct
Christmas
White paper. Cream paper. White paper. The block of 25 stamps from a quarter sheet had the stamps with a green background in the form of a cross. Cream paper. The block of 25 stamps from a quarter sheet had the stamps with a green background in the form of a cross.
2
This section contains separate minisheets. Also included are minisheets that have been cut from larger minisheets, Prestige Booklet pages and sheetlets.
1999 1985 1970
2007 2006
2008
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2008
2009
2010
MINISHEETS Date 1970 20 Apr IMP
Issue
Stamps
Notes
Cook
5 x 5c, 30c
5c imperforate strip of 5 + 30c imperforate
National Stamp Week
4 x 18c
Blamire Young
Australian Aviators
4 x 18c
National Stamp Week
4 x 20c
2 Kingsford Smith and 2 Ulm imperforate stamps 3d Kookaburra
National Stamp Week
3 x 22c
Blue background
12th Commonwealth Games, Brisbane
3 x 27c
3 stamps offset
1984 22 Aug
Ausipex '84
7 x 30c
6 Colonies stamps + 1 Australian stamp
1985 10 Apr
Terra Australis: Navigators
3 x 33c, 90c
1986 3 Nov
Christmas
5 x 30c
1976 27 Sep 1978 19 Apr IMP 25 Sep 1980 29 Sep 1982 22 Sep
1990 1 May 13 Jun 1991 22 Sep
150th Anniversary of First Postage Stamp: Colonial Stamps of Australia Scientific Co-operation in Antarctica
Exploration of Albany, WA
6 x 41c 41c, $1.10
$1.05
1992 15 Jan 19 Mar 1993 1 Oct 1994 16 Aug 28 Sep
500th Anniversary of Christopher Columbus International Space Year
2 x 45c, $1.05, $1.20 45c, $1.05, $1.20
Dinosaurs
4 x 45c, 75c, $1.05
Koalas & Kangaroos Zoos - Endangered Species
6 x 45c 4 x 45c, $1
PhilaKorea 1994
1995 1 Sep
Australia & China Joint issue
3 Oct
World Downunder
45c Koala 45c Panda 6 x 45c
Cuscuses Koalas & Kangaroos Pets
2 x 45c 3 x 45c Kangaroos 6 x 45c
1996 22 Mar 18 May 1 Oct
Luminescent ink
China '96
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This section lists the pages in Prestige Booklets that contained stamps. All pages are the standard Prestige Booklet size (~157 x 105mm) unless otherwise shown. Some pages feature copies of minisheets that were released separately. The size of the minisheet on the booklet page is shown in the Notes column as it is often different from the original. Prestige Booklets from the ‘Impressions’ range of limited edition products that are released in October – December every year (since 2005) are also included. Booklets that are re-released in conjunction with Stamp Shows are included if the pages are different from an ‘original’ booklet. If the Prestige Booklets were released well after the original stamp issue, the stamps on the pages are considered to be reprints and therefore may differ from the originals. (This is particularly true if the pages contain pre-decimal reprints.) Likewise if the booklet was printed by a different printer from the original sheet stamps, the booklet stamps may differ. Any variations are shown in the Notes column. Pages from Prestige Booklets containing “generic base stock” stamps are not included (such as those for sporting teams and events, Signs of the Zodiac, etc.) unless the stamp was released in a different layout or contained another variation from the original issue, such as Image, Perforation or Tab differences.
1997
1998
2007
2009
2008 97
2010
PRESTIGE BOOKLET PAGES Date 1997 27 Feb
Title
Australia's Classic Cars
Stamps
Page
Notes
4 x 45c Ford Coupe Utility 4 x 45c Holden 48-215 4 x 45c Austin Lancer 4 x 45c Chrysler Valiant
3 7 13 19
4 x 45c Mr.Curly / Angel 4 x 45c Loving / Heart 4 x 45c Teapot 2 x $1 Caring / Family
3 7 11 17
2 x $1.20 Cat
21
4 x 45c Macquarie, NSW 2 x 49c Troubridge Island, SA 2 x 49c Cape Naturaliste, WA
7 11 15
Block of 4 of the same stamp Pair of the same stamp Pair of the same stamp
2 x $1.50 Cape Bruny, Tasmania
19
Pair of the same stamp
45c, 2 x 49c, $1.50
23
Se-tenant block of 4 Yellow and blue background Yellow roses background White lace background White roses background Pink petals background
Blocks of 4 of the same stamp
1998
13 Aug
The Teapot of Truth: Michael Leunig
Block of 4 of the same stamp Vertical pair of the same stamp Vertical pair of the same stamp separated by a tab depicting cats
2002
12 Mar
Lighthouses of Australia
3 7 11 May
Weddings
4 x 45c Gold Rings + tabs
11 15 19
2 Jul
Albert Namatjira
Block of 4 stamps with 20mm wide "Congratulations" tabs. st
Original issue on 1 Sep 1999 had narrow 16mm tab.
4 x 45c Ghost Gum 4 x 45c Mt. Hermannsburg 4 x 45c Glen Helen Country 4 x 45c Simpsons Gap 45c Ghost Gum 45c Mt. Hermannsburg 45c Glen Helen Country 45c Simpsons Gap
5 11 15 21
Block of 4 of the same stamp
25
Copy of minisheet with se-tenant block of 4 and white borders. Minisheet size = 132 x 70mm.
4 x 50c Oscar W 4 x 50c Marion 4 x 50c Ruby 4 x 50c Pyap 4 x 50c Adelaide
9 13 17 21 25
3 x 50c
3
3 x $1.10
7
3 x $1.65
11
2003
5 Aug
8 Oct
Murray River Shipping
Rugby World Cup
Goolwa Mannum Block of 4 of the Wentworth same stamp Swan Hill Echuca Strip of 3 of the same stamp on blue background Strip of 3 of the same stamp on gold background Strip of 3 of the same stamp on green background
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This section contains stamps that are rare variations or are pre-decimal (PD) reprints issued since 14th February 1966. Many of the Specials have more than one variation. Examples of Specials include: • • •
Stamps from trial versions of booklets and sheetlets. Stamps produced for special purposes that were not issued to the general public. Metal foil and plastic stamps.
Many of the Specials are Collectable Stamps (CS). e.g. Pre-decimal stamps from minisheets and Prestige Booklet pages. (Some of the stamps listed may be varieties, not variations. This is indicated in the Notes. They have been included for record purposes. The varieties are not counted in the Variations Statistics.)
2005
1994
2006
1995
2000
2006
2007 2007 2007 2007 163
2009
SPECIALS Date
Issue
Stamps
Variation
Notes
Horizontal strip of 4
Booklet pane from trial booklet with no text on the selvedge.
Horizontal strip of 4
Stamps fully imperf with “roulette cut” between each stamp.
1986
IMP
Alpine Wildflowers
3c Bluebell 5c Marigold 2 x 36c Daisy 3c Bluebell 25c Sunray 2 x 36c Daisy
1987 2 x 3c Spearthrower 2 x 37c Basket
13 Oct IMP
Aboriginal Crafts
Red-brown (Original = Brown) Orange (Original = Yelloworange)
15c Shield 3 x 37c Bowl
Image height
2 x 37c Belt
Booklet panes from trial booklets. Vertical strip of 4 = 3c & 37c Basket. Vertical strip of 6 = 15c, 37c Bowl & 37c Belt. Colour and height variations. Image height = 17.8mm. (Original height = 17.2mm.) Perf 14.9 between stamps. (Original perf = 15.5.) No text in selvedge. Stamps imperf on left and right. Imperf top and bottom of sheet. The 37c Basket and 37c Bowl stamps were imperf on the bottom.
1990 CS
Scientific Co-operation in Antarctica
41c Glaciology Research $1.10 Marine Biology
Imperforate
Cut from minisheet ex Russian postal archives without authority of Australia Post.
“Australia 75c” Green
Original text colour = purple. nd (Original issue: 22 Aug 1991) There were 5 reprints in 1996, 1997 & 2000 and 2 different printers of this stamp. [Variety]
1991 Sports Series 3
75c Netball
1992 2 Jan IMP
Wetlands and Waterways
4 x 45c Lake Eildon 1 x 20c Noosa River
Vertical se-tenant strip of 5
2 x 20c Noosa River 3 x 45c Lake Eildon
Vertical se-tenant strip of 5
Reverse booklet pane. 45c on top with wide selvedge above. 20c on bottom with narrow selvedge. Stamps imperf on left and right. Special pane printing for FDC use. 20c and 45c on alternate rows. Stamps imperf on left and right.
1994 SA
18 Nov CS IMP
Triangular kangaroo stamps
8 x 45c Kangaroo Logo
Aviation Feats
45c Lawrence Hargrave 45c Ross and Keith Smith $1.35 Goble and McIntyre $1.80 Freda Thompson
Kangaroo facing left
Imperforate black & white stamps
Trial printing of ATM sheetlet of self-adhesive stamps. Original stamp had kangaroo facing right. Some stamp backgrounds were a different colour from the issued stamps. Se-tenant block of 4 cut from the souvenir th th minisheet issued at Aeropex '94, 18 – 20 November 1994. No gum. Original stamps were in colour.
1995 7 Sep
Medical Scientists
45c Lyle, Filmer, Slattery 45c Burnet, Macnamara
Gutter block of 4 with same stamp across the gutter
Special printing of a 'sheet' of gutter strips. The original issue had the different stamp across the gutter.
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Australian Stamp Variations Melbourne Australia www.asv.net.au issuu.com/asvcat