Catalogue Australia

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The former colonies New South Wales, Queensland, Southern Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia were declared as commonwealth in 1901.

1912 Stamps of Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia overprinted

These three stamps were actually the first stamps to be valid in the whole of Australia.

1912 Map of Australia with Kangaroo

For the specialist; these stamps were first issued with watermark 'Crown A' (specialists even distinghuish three kinds of this watermark). In 1929 these stamps were also issued with watermark 'Multiple Crown A' and in 1931 with watermark 'Multiple Crown C of A'. Most of these stamps were issued with perforation 12, though the later ones also exist with perforation 11 1/2.

These stamps were sometimes sold overprinted "SPECIMEN" (see images). Stamps with round holes in it were used telegraphically (rare, since they were usually destroyed by the postal authorities), example:

These stamps exist with "N.W.PACIFIC ISLANDS" (1915) in two types "P" above "S" of "ISLANDS" and "P" above "IS". The "S"s are also different. The 2 Sh exists with overprint "B.C.O.F. JAPAN 1946" (British Commonwealth Occupation Forces in Japan).

Cancelled to order stamp? I've seen many stamps with a neatly applied "MELBOURNE DE 3 13" cancel (usually applied in a corner)

Forgeries: Sperati made forgeries of the 2 Pounds Kangaroo stamp. This Sperati forgery is printed on genuine paper by removing the design of a cheaper value. Therefore the cancels are also genuine. Example of such a forgery:

If I'm well informed there should be a white flaw off Warrnambool (where this city is located on the map in Victoria). Sperati bleached out the design of a genuine low valued stamp and printed the new high value using photolithography. Also note that there is a dent in the upper right hand side of the '2'. Sperati forgeries are rare.

There exist some 'Hialeah forgeries' of the 2 Sh, 5 Sh, 10 Sh, both the 1 Pound values and the 2 Pounds value. I haven't seen them personally, but I suspect they were made with a scanner and printer. The quality of these Hialeah forgeries is quite bad, most of the smaller details are lost. These forgeries were offered in whole sheets in imperforate condition.

I've seen a souvenir sheet with the 1 Pound blue and brown and 2 Pounds Kangaroo stamps, together with a 1932 5 Sh bridge stamp printed for the Anpex 1972 exhibition. The cancels read "ADELAIDE 22-27 AUG. 1927 SOUTH AUSTRALIA" and "CENTENARY OF THE OVERLAND TELEGRAPH 1872-1972" (both in a single circle). The paper is intentionally different, as well as the sizes of the stamps (slightly smaller) and the perforation.

(Individual stamps of the 1 Pound and 2 Pounds values from the Anpex 1972 souvenir sheets)

1913 King George V

For the specialist; these stamps were issued without watermark (1 p red, 1 p green and 1 1/2 p red only), also with watermark 'Crown A', 'Multiple Crown A' (only several crowns and 'A's) and 'Multiple Small Crown A' (with many small crowns and 'A's). In 1931 the watermark 'Multiple Crown C of A' was introduced on these stamps.

Imprints at the bottom of the sheets with "T.S. HARRISON AUSTRALIAN NOTE AND STAMP PRINTER", "T.S.HARRISON COMMONWEALTH STAMP PRINTER" and "JOHN ASH AUSTRALIAN NOTE AND STAMP PRINTER".

Postal Stationary:

I've seen "LETTER CARD"s in 1 1/2 p red and a sucharged "TWO PENCE" on 1 1/2 p red design.
Also a "MILITARY ENVELOPE" with a 1 p red design.
And a "POST CARD" 1 p green
I've also seen 1/2 p green, 1 p red and 4 p orange cut outs.

A postal forgery (to deceive the postal authorities) of the 2 p red was dicovered in May 1932:

Image found at: http://berg.heim.at/kaprun/430320/01-Lehr/02/09/09/Nachdrucke.htm

(Postal forgery, note the almost identical cancel to the previous stamp! 'EARLY EAC...')

A description of these postal forgeries can be found in 'Postal Forgeries of the World' by H.G. Leslie Fletcher. They do not have any watermark (genuine stamps should have a watermark) and have a blurred impression (though the design is carefully copied). The perforation is different from the genuine stamps; the forgeries have perforation 11x11, while the genuine have 13 1/2 x 12 1/2. These forgeries were prepared by a group of Irishmen (Irish gang) who were trying to issue thousands of fake Irish Hospital Sweepstakes tickets. They prepared forged stamps of this issue and the 2 p Sydney Harbour Bridge issue to avoid drawing attention. A total of 50,000 forged stamps were prepared by them. A stamp collector from Adelaide discovered the forgeries and warned the authoroties, who arrested three people. I have seen an uncancelled example of this forgery as well.

1914 Kokaburra bird (or Kookaburra)

Another stamp in the same design was issued in 1928 (3 p blue). Another stamp in a similar design was issued in 1932:

1927 Opening of parliament in Canberra

1928 Kokaburra bird

This stamp was printed in blocks of 4 for the Melbourne stamp exhibition. It was also printed in sheets of 120 stamps for sale at the post office.

1929 Airmal stamp, plane above landscape, inscription "AIR MAIL SERVICE"

1929 100 year celebration of West Australia, swan in an ellipse

I've seen a reprint minisheet with four imperforate stamps for the Wapex 1972 in Perth. The stamps have a black slanting line printed across the lower right corner.

1930 Charles Stuart

1931 Aeroplane over two globes, inscription "KINGSFORD SMITH'S WORLD FLIGHTS"

1932 Birds

The 1 Sh stamp with "OS" overprint is an official stamp. The 1 Sh exists with overprint "B.C.O.F.JAPAN 1946" (British Commonwealth Occupation Forces in Japan).

1932 Port Jackson Bridge (Sydney Harbour Bridge)

I've seen the values 2 p and 3 p with "OS" overprint, these are official stamps.

Postal forgeries of the 2 p exist (see after the 1913 issue for the full story of these forgeries). They were made by an 'Irish gang'.

1934 100 year discovery of Victoria, aboriginal facing Melbourne

1934 100 year introduction of Merino sheep

1934 Mercury in between two globes

1935 20 year commemoration of Gallipoli

1935 25 year reign of King George V, king sitting on horse

1936 Inauguration of the telephone line between Australia and Tasmania

1936 100 years colony South Australia

1937-49 Royal family issue, various designs

  1 p green (Queen Mother, 'AUSTRALIA' straight)
  1 p brown (Queen Mother, 'AUSTRALIA' straight)
  1 p lilac (Queen Mother, 'AUSTRALIA' curved, 1942)
  1 1/2 p brown (King)
  1 1/2 p green (King)
  1 1/2 p green (Queen Mother, 'AUSTRALIA' curved, 1942)
  1 1/2 p green (Queen Mother facing the right, 1950)
  2 p red (King)
  2 p lilac (King in rectangle)
  2 p lilac (King in ellipse, 1942)
  2 p olive (Queen Mother facing the right, 1950)
  2 1/2 p red (King, 'AUSTRALIA' on top, 1942)
  2 1/2 p red (King facing the left, 'AUSTRALIA' at the bottom, 1950)
  2 1/2 p brown (King facing the left, 'AUSTRALIA' at the bottom, 1950)
  3 p brown (King in ellipse)
  3 p blue (King in ellipse)
  3 p red (King facing the left, 1950)
  3 p ? (King facing the left, 1950)
  3 1/2 p blue (King, 'AUSTRALIA' on top, 1942)
  3 1/2 p lilac (King, 'AUSTRALIA' at the bottom, 1950)
  4 1/2 p red (King, 1950)
  6 1/2 p brown (1950)
  6 1/2 p green (1950)
  7 1/2 p blue (1950)
  1 Sh 0 1/2 blue (King in circle, 1950)
  1 Sh 4 p lilac (King)
  2 Sh 6 p brown (King, larger size)
  5 Sh red (Queen in robe, larger size)
  10 Sh lilac (King in robe)
  1 Pound grey (King and Queen in robes, larger size)

Surcharged (1940)
  '2 1/2 d.' on 2 p red
  '3 1/2 d.' on 3 p blue

The 1 p brown, 3 p brown and 5 Sh exist with overprint "B.C.O.F.JAPAN 1946" (British Commonwealth Occupation Forces in Japan).

1937 Definitive set

  1/2 p orange (kangaroo)
  4 p green (koala)
  5 p lilac (sheep)
  5 1/2 p grey (emu, 1942)
  6 p brown (kookaburra bird facing the left)
  9 p brown (duck-billed platypus)

Surcharged 
  '5 1/2 d.' on 5 p lilac (1940)

The 1/2 p and 6 p exist with overprint "B.C.O.F.JAPAN 1946" (British Commonwealth Occupation Forces in Japan).

1937 New South Wales, 150th anniversary

1940 Australian armed forces

1945 Royal visit

1946 Inscription "PEACE 1945", various designs

Some permanent stamps of Australia were overprinted "B.C.O.F. JAPAN 1946" (military stamps for Japan)

1946 Centenary of Mitchell's exploration of Central Queensland

1947 Newcastle issue, various designs

1947 Wedding of Princess Elizabeth

1948 Various designs

1948 issue, arms; the following values were issued: 5 Sh red, 10 Sh lilac, 1 Pound blue and 2 Pounds green

  8 1/2 p brown (Aborigine, 1950)
  1 Sh 3 p brown (bull)
  1 Sh 6 p brown (globe and Mercury)
  2 Sh brown (Aboriginal art, crocodile)
  5 Sh red (arms)
  10 Sh lilac (design as 5 Sh)
  1 Pound blue (design as 5 Sh)
  2 Pounds green (design as 5 Sh)

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
1 p on 2 p violet (Tasmania)	c	c
1 p on 2 p violet (Victoria)	c	c
1 p on 2 p yellow (Western Australia)	c	c

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
No Watermark
1 p red	c	c	issued 1913
1 p green	c	c	issued 1925
1 1/2 p red	c	c	issued 1925
Watermark 'Crown A'
1/2 p green	c	vc
1/2 p orange	c	vc
1 p red	c	vc
1 p violet	c	vc
1 p green	c	vc
1 1/2 p brown	c	vc
1 1/2 p blue	c	vc
1 1/2 p red	c	vc
2 p orange	c	vc
2 p red	c	vc
2 p brown	c	c
3 p blue	*	c
4 p orange	*	c
4 p violet	*	c
4 p blue	*	c
4 p olive	*	c
4 1/2 p violet	*	c
5 p brown	*	c
1 Sh 4 p	*	*
Watermark 'Multiple Crown A'
1/2 p green	c	vc
1 p red	c	c
1 p green	c	c
1 1/2 p brown	c	c
Watermark 'Multiple Small Crown A'
1/2 p orange	c	vc
1 p green	c	vc
1 1/2 p red	c	vc
1 1/2 p brown	c	c
2 p brown	c	c
2 p red	c	vc
3 p blue	c	c
4 p olive	c	c
4 1/2 p violet	*	c
5 p brown	*	c
1 Sh 4 p blue	*	*
Watermark 'Multiple Crown C of A'
1/2 p orange	vc	vc
1 p green	c	vc
2 p red	c	vc
3 p blue	c	c
4 p olive	c	c
5 p brown	c	c
1 Sh 4 p blue	*	c

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
Watermark 'Crown A'
6 p	**	**

AUSTRALIA