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AUSTRALIA

Return To Catalogue - New South Wales - Queensland - South Australia - Tasmania - Victoria - Western Australia - Western Australia miscellaneous - North West Pacific Islands

Currency: 12 pence = 1 Shilling; 20 Shillings = 1 Pound
Capital: Canberra

Note: on my website many of the pictures can not be seen! They are of course present in the cd's;
contact me if you want to purchase them: .

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

  'ONE PENNY' (red) on 2 p violet (Tasmania)
  'ONE PENNY' (red) on 2 p violet (Victoria)
  'ONE PENNY' on 2 p yellow (Western Australia)

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

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

1912 Map of Australia with Kangaroo

  1/2 p green
  1 p red
  2 p grey
  2 1/2 p blue
  3 p olive
  4 p orange
  5 p brown
  6 p blue
  6 p brown
  9 p lilac
  1 Sh green
  2 Sh brown
  5 Sh yellow and grey
  10 Sh red and grey
  1 Pound blue and brown
  1 Pound grey
  2 Pounds red and black

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:

(Telegraphic cancel: large hole)

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'
1/2 p	c	vc
1 p	c	vc
2 p	c	vc
2 1/2 p	*	c
3 p	*	c
4 p	*	*
5 p	*	*
6 p blue	*	c
6 p brown	*	c	issued 1924
9 p	*	*
1 Sh	*	c
2 Sh	**	c
5 Sh	***	*
10 Sh	***	**
1 Pound blue and brown	R	R
1 Pound grey	***	***	issued 1924
2 Pounds	RR	RR
Watermark 'Multiple Crown A'
6 p brown	*	c
9 p	*	c
1 Sh	*	c
2 Sh	*	c
5 Sh	**	*
10 Sh	***	**
2 Pounds	R	R
Watermark 'Multiple Crown C of A'
6 p brown	*	c
9 p	*	c
5 Sh	**	*
10 Sh	***	**

Forgeries: I know that Sperati made forgeries of the 2 Pounds Kangaroo stamp. Example of such a forgery:

(Sperati 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. Sperati forgeries are rare.

(Imperforate Hialeah forgeries, reduced sizes)

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.

The Anpex 1972 souvenir sheet

Examples from this souvenir sheet:

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

1913 King George V

  1/2 p green
  1/2 p orange
  1 p red
  1 p violet
  1 p green
  1 1/2 p brown
  1 1/2 p light blue
  1 1/2 p red
  2 p orange
  2 p red
  2 p brown
  3 p blue
  4 p orange
  4 p violet
  4 p blue
  4 p olive
  4 1/2 p violet
  5 p brown
  1 Sh 4 p blue

Surcharged (1930)
  'TWO PENCE' on 1 1/2 p red
  'FIVE PENCE' on 4 1/2 p violet

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.

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	issues 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

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.

1914 Kokaburra bird

  6 p lilac and brown

Another stamp in the same design was issued in 1928 (3 p blue).

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	**	**

Later issues, example:

Postage Due stamps

1902 Postage Due stamps similar to those of New South Wales, inscription 'POSTAGE DUE', but without 'NSW' at the bottom

  1/2 p green
  1 p green
  2 p green
  3 p green
  4 p green
  5 p green
  6 p green
  8 p green
  10 p green
  1 Sh green
  2 Sh green
  5 Sh green
  10 Sh green
  20 Sh green

For the specialist, there are two types of these stamps; type I has the bottom inscription (where 'NSW' used to be), replaced by three lines. Type II has the bottom ornaments made the same as the upper ornaments. The first stamps with watermark 'Crown NSW' exist in both types (except 10 Sh and 20 Sh, which only exist in type II). In 1906 a new watermark was introduced 'Crown A' (specialists even distinguish two types of watermark), in type II only. Many different perforations exist.

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 NSW'
1/2 p	*	*
1 p	c	c
2 p	*	c
3 p	*	c
4 p	*	*
5 p	*	*
6 p	*	*
8 p	*	*
10 p	*	*
1 Sh	*	*
2 Sh	**	*
5 Sh	***	*
10 Sh	RR	RR
20 Sh	RRR	RRR
Watermark 'Crown A'
1/2 p	c	c
1 p	c	c
2 p	*	c
3 p	*	*
4 p	*	c
6 p	*	c
1 Sh	*	*
2 Sh	R	R
5 Sh	***	*
10 Sh	RR	RR
20 Sh	RRR	RRR

1908 New type, two colours, inscription 'POSTAGE DUE AUSTRALIA'

  1/2 p green and red
  1 p green and red
  1 1/2 p green and red
  2 p green and red
  3 p green and red
  4 p green and red
  6 p green and red
  1 Sh green and red
  2 Sh green and red
  5 Sh green and red
  10 Sh green and red
  1 Pound green and red

These stamps were issued with watermark 'Crown A' first (specialists even distinghuish three types of this watermark), later also with watermark 'Multiple Crown C of A'.

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'
1/2 p	c	vc
1 p	c	c
2 p	c	c
3 p	*	c
4 p	*	c
6 p	*	c
1 Sh	*	c
2 Sh	**	*
5 Sh	***	*
10 Sh	***	***
1 Pound	R	***
Watermark 'Multiple Crown C of A'
1/2 p	c	c
1 p	c	c
2 p	c	c
3 p	c	c
4 p	c	c
6 p	c	c
1 Sh	*	*

Official stamps

Most of the stamps of 1912 and onwards exist with perforation 'OS' to serve as official stamps, example:

This perforation seems to exist in two sizes: 14 x 14 mm or 15 x 8 mm.

Later, overprints 'OS' were used, (issued in 1931) example:

Fiscal Stamps

BEER TAX

As was the case with the previous individual states of Australia, Beer Duty stamps were issued from 1918 onwards. They are large sized stamps and usually very rare (since most of them were thrown away after use).

CUSTOMS DUTY

In 1907 fiscal stamps with the inscription 'CUSTOMS DUTY' were issued. Many values exist. Does anybody have a picture of these stamps? Then please contact me.

Other fiscal stamps were issued in Australia, but they fall outside the scope of this catalogue (this catalogue only lists stamps issued before 1920).

Local issues

Example:

This stamps was issued for Boyd's City Express Messenger Service in 1894. This stamp seems to be described in the book 'Cinderella stamps of Australasia, first edition'. However, I haven't seen this book personally. This stamp is not very common. Used stamps are much rarer than unused ones.

Airmail labels

In 1920 an airmail label was issued, the so-called 'Ross-Smith Vignette'.This label was used on mail carried by Ross Smith on his first aerial flight from London to Melbourne. The inscription reads ' FIRST AERIAL POST ENGLAND AUSTRALIA 12 Nov 10 Dec 1919'. This stamp was printed single on a sheet.

(Genuine label printed alone on a mini-sheet)

(This label on a letter, genuine, reduced size)

(Cancel of this letter, 'FIRST AERIAL MAIL GREAT BRITAIN TO AUSTRALIA RECEIVED 26 FEB 1920')

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
(-)	RRR	RRR

Forgeries:

There exist some so-called 'Hialeah forgeries' of this label. They seem to have been made very recently with the help of a computer-scanner and printer. The Hialeah forger even made whole sheets of these stamps (which he offered as forgeries on E-bay), even though sheets were never issued (the stamps were issued in mini-sheets with one stamp only). The Hialeah forgeries are very badly printed in general.

Bogus issue, Torres Straits Settlements

(Reduced sizes)

These bogus issues have two mountains with a flag as the design. The inscription is 'TORRES STRAITS SETTLEMENTS AUSTRALIA'. I have seen the values 2 c brown, 4 c blue, 8 c orange, 16 c green, 24 c violet and 36 c red. If anybody posesses more information concerning these stamps, please contact me!

Websites

Stamp domain, Australia resource page for the collector: http://www.stampdomain.com/country/australia/display.htm

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer

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