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AUSTRALIA Miscellaneous

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

Postage Due stamps

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

Type I Type II 

  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), removed. 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
  7 p green and red (1938)
  8 p green and red (1938)
  10 p green and red (1958?)
  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 * *  

 

1952 New types, inscription "POSTAGE DUE AUSTRALIA"

  1 Sh green and red
  2 Sh green and red
  5 Sh green and red

Official stamps

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

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 "AUSTRALIA CUSTOMS DUTY LONDON" were issued. Many values exist. If I'm well informed they were used up to 1958.


With overprint in "CENTS" for duty to be paid from letters from the USA issued in 1911.

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:

One of the very rare used stamps.

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 mini-sheet. 451 stamps seem to have survived, 364 used and 87 unused.


(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.

Also other 'reprints' were made over the years. The genuine stamps have a watermark, all 'reprints' don't. These reprints are virtually worthless. The genuine stamps are printed in deep blue colour.

AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC TERRITORY

The first stamps for this territory were issued in 1957 (2 Sh blue, expidition and map).

Bogus issue, Torres Straits Settlements


(Reduced sizes)

These bogus issues have two mountains with a flag as the design. The inscription is 'TORRES STRAIT SETTLEMENT 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