Postage Stamp Chat Board & Stamp Bulletin Board Forum
 

Folks,

There is a great article on Rod Perrys website on the 1978 Australian Trees that is well worth reading. Here is the link http://www.rap.com.au/vPages.asp?vPagesID=Nov%2008

I did not realise that this series was so scarce until I read it. I looked through my accumulations to see what I could find and found three usages. One each of the three higer values. I sent scans to Rod for his comment and he had not ever seen two of the usages. Rod also stated that it would be virtually impossible to put together an exhibition of commmercial usage of this series as there is just not enough material.

I thought it would be nice to see what others could find.

I will post mine.

The first is the 40 cent Grass Tree. 40 cents was the airmail rate to the US. Rod has not seen this usage. This one is even more spectacular in that its a double rate use using a pair. The stamps were issued on 1 June 78 and the rate changed on 1 July 78.

So there was only one month when this rate was available for this stamp. I cant quite read the date on this one but think its 21 June 78. Not hard to see why its a scarce usage.

It would be interesting to see what this cover would sell for if auctioned.

Tim

Folks,

This time its the 25 cent Gost Gum. Its a make up use of the 55 cent Zone 4 rate. This one was used in May 1979. The series was on sale for a year.

Tim

Folks,

This time we have the 45 cent Cootamundra Wattle. Its paying the non-standard articles rate of 100g to 250g. Rod has not seen this stamp paying this rate either. The 45 cent payed the airmail rate to Zone 5 for a period of time so there should be a few out there in England and Europe. Come on you collectors over there, find a few for me. I would be happy to buy any material from this series that collectors may have picked up over the years but are not their collecting area.

Tim

Folks,

That is the extent of my offerings on this series. I may have an 18 cent flame tree around somewhere but cant find it. Its not particularly scarce compared to the higher non base rate issues.

As stated if others have any material from this series that they would like to part with I would love to hear from them.

Tim

Minlaton, did I see Minlaton. The home of aviator Harry Butler, and his Red Devil museum. with envy

Philantrophist,

Is it a scarce postmark?

Tim

Not scarce, BUT very uncommon, it is only a small rural town, so if you were hunting for it, you would never be able to locate it no matter how far you sifted. the circular cancel indicates that post office not using machines, but they have used several special cancels over the years to celebrate anniversaries of his flights.

To contact the museum, I once just rang a local number, that person was very helpful in looking up the correct number for me. Only a stranger who she felt compelled to help, so thank you. Random act of kindness that you feel compelled to pass on.

Better than ferals with knives and spray paint. Actually, I suppose that it would be sparse. Oh, hell, I could never find it for myself. ( long answer, I should have just said "yes")

But Didge won't sell it!

John,

No wont be sold unless someone had some great material from this series and wanted to try and put together an exhibition. I think with some of these scare things that we should be able to say yes I will pass it on. They would have to convince me though. It cost me about a dollar so you have to see the bigger picture sometimes.

Tim

Tim, I agree. It's a very scarce stamp on cover.

Staying slightly off topic, here are a few more Minlaton postmarks.

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Always on the lookout for Australian pre decimal First Day Covers.

Have to check my cover collection for this issues but I'm sure I've a 45 Cent single used for Zone 5 airmail. I will scan it and add it to this post later. I agree they are hard to find.

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1978 45 Cent Tree on cover counter: April 2010 - found 10
Ten covers found in one year by stampborders. Call it common now.

Thanks Rolin, look forward to it.

Tim the first one is a beauty.

This one smells highly philatelic to me as the Cocos set was NOT in those days on sale outside the main GPO Philatelic centres.

The 55c bird was issued a few months earlies for this rate and all normal POs would have used that.

Is the sender shown on flap?

Peter Johnson from Aust Philatelic Wholesalers (Oakleigh) is my strong guess.

Was not allowed to edit the post above, but here it is:



Airmail 29th June 1978 to Germany (Zone 5)

There are no in time single used 40 Cent and no 25 Cent in my collection. They are rare.

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1978 45 Cent Tree on cover counter: April 2010 - found 10
Ten covers found in one year by stampborders. Call it common now.

Great cover Rolin. Thanks for posting.

Glen,

I agree with your detective work but not the correct sender. Here is the back.

Tim

Robert,

You are amazing. You just keep coming up with the goods. Thats a ripper.

There should be a few kicking around in Zone 5. Keep you eye out for one for me please.

Tim

Sure, I will my eyes peeled for them. Will be visiting in February and March two local and one national Stampshow. Hope to find some.

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1978 45 Cent Tree on cover counter: April 2010 - found 10
Ten covers found in one year by stampborders. Call it common now.

Robert,

Thanks mate.

Tim

You are right - not Peter from APW!

Still has that very philatelic look about it, and the lovely light cds and odd use of Cocos 10c.

I've been to Fortaleza Brazil and it is a small and quite remote place, so may well have been a pen-pal.

Yes a 55c bird was the obvious commercial franking, but like with so many of these things we will never know for SURE!

They do seem hard to source.

I recall Downies use to like using them for some reason pretty heavily when mailing out auction catalogues in the late 70s and early 80s, as they must have bought zillions, so any with their box number top left (2588W Melbourne IIRC) be mindful it was a large dealer using those

Andrew,

Thats alot of the fun. Any covers from Australia to Malaysia would be scarce. I would take any that you could find that you dont want yourself.

Tim

Andrew,

Any covers from Australia to Malaysia would be good.

Tim

Andrew, I second that - you might be able to dig up a few covers to Malaysia .

It's me once more, but without a cover picture this time.

It is about Mr Perrys article. He shows a cover with two 45c in his article. "The cover with the twist". but he doesn't mention a price. What do you think, what would be a fair price if I see one.

In my humble opinion, a 90 Cent cover would be found 'easier' than a 45 Cent cover, because it paid zone 5 rate a longer period than single did.

(His cover showes an address less than 120 km far from me, so I can hope. )

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1978 45 Cent Tree on cover counter: April 2010 - found 10
Ten covers found in one year by stampborders. Call it common now.

Robert,

I think the double has eye appeal and the single is scarcer. It seems that material from this issue is so scarce that its hard to tell. I would quite happily pay $100 for the cove that you posted. This may seem excessive if many more are found. This has happened with issues like the predecimal tazzy tiger ect.

Tim

Yes it's a bit hard to tell at the moment how difficult this issue is. The 1/2d Tassie Tiger came off the boil, although it is still recognise as a desirable franking. Ebay etc. should shake a few more out, especially addressed to the UK, Europe or the United States. That said, it seems to be one of the really tough pre-1980 issues IMHO.

Successful hunting day!

I was able to use the won knowledge in this board on a spectacular way. I bought
a hoard of commercial covers sent between 1973 to 1985.

I seemed to be right. The 45c are more scare than the 90c.


45 Cent correct rate to Swizerland

A perfect cover for my 300th posting.

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1978 45 Cent Tree on cover counter: April 2010 - found 10
Ten covers found in one year by stampborders. Call it common now.

Cover number two was sent on 27th June 1978.


90 Cent double rate to Zone 5.

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1978 45 Cent Tree on cover counter: April 2010 - found 10
Ten covers found in one year by stampborders. Call it common now.

Cover number three is also the double rate to Switzerland.


correct 90c wattle tree to Zone 5 sent on 11th July 1978.

Happy hunting to all.
And welcome to the woodchipfree zone.

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1978 45 Cent Tree on cover counter: April 2010 - found 10
Ten covers found in one year by stampborders. Call it common now.

Robert,

Well done mate. Its great to see that counter jump to three. One of the covers has a special meaning to me as well 11 July is my birthday. It seems like you had yours yesterday as well with this great find.

Tim

Robert does it AGAIN.

Nice covers there Robert.

Rolin .. I'll use this cover in my next "Stamp News" article.

What would such a cover sell for in a Prestige type Auction?

I'm looking forward to the article.

Many Australian decimal issues from "the Boom" are now scarce on commercial cover used within period (this qualification is important).

Who would have thought that a 22c Waltzing Matilda (possibly one of the most despised stamps issued since 1966) on letter-rate cover would ever be scarce? But they are!

After seeing zillions of mint sheets of them over the decades, this is going to take a while for people to get their heads around.

Glen,

I dont thing a couple of hundred dollars is out of the question.

Tim

You are welcome.

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1978 45 Cent Tree on cover counter: April 2010 - found 10
Ten covers found in one year by stampborders. Call it common now.

http://www.glenstephens.com/snmay09.html

Full story on these Commercial Cover Craziness above!

Glen

Folks,

As discussed on a new thread I just started, I was lucky enough to pick up 277 parcel tags. As a result the 45 cent trees count has gone up. There are 10 solo usages paying the 45 cent non-standard article rate for articles from 100g to 250g. There are six combos paying various rates. One of the solos has a 45 cent tree on both sides. So there are 17 seperate usages in total. All are perf VG for Victorian Government usage.

Robert will have to ajust his counter.

Tim

Ha!

Robert's signature line counter says:

1978 45 Cent Tree on cover counter: April 2009 - found 03



I am mystified .. do these have an address on either side?

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Click HERE to see superb, RARE and unusual stamps, at FIXED low nett prices, high rez photos, and NO buyer fees etc!

Glen,

They are stamped both sides. I have others like them that I picked up from Rod Perry. Rod explained to me that Government Departments used to use the cards on containers that had a see through pocket. The post office would remove the card cancel it and put it back in again. For the return journed the card was turned over and the appropriate rate applied. Most of the 277 cards are stamped on both sides and have a Melbourne postmark on one side and a country Victorian cancel on the other.

Tim

found a 40c Tree together witz a $2 painting. Correct intime usage, but unfortunately marked with a "philatelic center" mark. So it doesn't count as a commercial. picture will be posted later.

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1978 45 Cent Tree on cover counter: April 2010 - found 10
Ten covers found in one year by stampborders. Call it common now.

Hi Mate,

Very nice usage. Its not for sale is it?

Tim

Always open for offers.

I have some other (non-tree) covers I will post on Australia - Decimal Commercial Covers this week or so.

Is there a printed source available for Australian postal rates?

I will trade you a complete Decimal postal rate set for that 40c cover.

Folks,

I would be happy to offer $150 US for it.

DW's offer is generous though. I have a double rate cover utilising a pair posted abover but not a single. Would love to have both.

Tim

Folks,

Here is a very rare pair of covers. The 40 cent grass tree with single rate and double rate frankings to the US. This rate was only available for a month. I wonder if the two together could ever be repeated?

Tim

And a couple I found recently. Unfortunately the vendor had an inkling of their value.



Paying the air mail postcard rate to North America (Zone 4).
I would be willing to trade one of these.

DW,

Happy to trade or purchasse one from you. I could offer a 45 cent wattle paying the non-standard article rate if you could use one of them.

Tim