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Global Administrator wrote:And a striking error much closer to home, at a rather modest sum, that webmaster added just now to Rarity Page -
Australia 2013 55¢ Christmas stamp “Missing Country Name and Value”: One of the most spectacular modern Decimal errors. This stamp was most attractive with rich foiled Emerald Green and metallic gold. I lightened off the scan to show the missing gold more.
A commercially used single on piece with usual mail centre sorting cancel with MISSING AUSTRALIA – indeed nearly all the “55¢” value is missing too as you can see. So we have “Country and Value Missing”.
Was found by volunteer workers this week at Sammy Stamp Group, sorting donated kiloware for the Uniting Church, and a large part of this price goes direct to them so you get a rare stamp AND assist a worthy Charity! Gold foil embossing is to left and way DOWN to where it should have been.
BigSaint wrote:Glen
Pity the Christmas stamp is not still on the envelope.
I wonder if the sender discovered this error before the rest of the booklet was used or if any of the recipients saw the error?
Brad
Brad, my guess is the average member of the public would not notice or care!
A PO staffer had finished affixing the roll recently and asked me if these were 'anything unusual'!
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ClickHERE to see superb, RARE and unusual stamps, at FIXED low nett prices, high rez photos, and NO buyer fees etc!
I recall when these stamps below came out on booklet. Someone bought a booklet which was blank inside, no printing, just the cuts to peel the stamp from the backing from the Dandenong Post Office.
The person took it back to the counter & complained. Not only did the staff replace the booklet, they allowed the customer to keep the blank. I am not sure how quickly the customer walked to the local stamp dealer or exactly how much "gold" changed hands. However the local dealer went to the Post Office & went through their booklet stock & found 7 more. As there were 10 booklets cut from each sheet there are two that have never been accounted for.
I think you are right very few would notice unless it was extreme like the total missing printing.
Brad
Specialist Collector of World Horse Racing Covers, Melbourne Cup & Kentucky Derby, & JFK fdcs.
I can remember the long drive out to Healesville to cancel a truckload of fdcs with their "Emu" postmark:
However I don't have the same recollection of doing two trips to Bentleigh to do the cover below with the last day of the Emu frama & the first day of the Waratah frama:
I think there was a story about the Emu frama paper but I cannot remember it. But as you can see the Emu has changed colour from grey to green
Brad
Specialist Collector of World Horse Racing Covers, Melbourne Cup & Kentucky Derby, & JFK fdcs.
Correct postmarking by Southland of the "World Summit on Television & Children" on fdi 9th February 1995:
I am not exactly sure what happened here but I think the Philatelic Bureau sent me this one a week early, so I had it postmarked at my local post office, Pennydale, on 2nd February 1995.
I wonder if any one else did similar?
Brad
Specialist Collector of World Horse Racing Covers, Melbourne Cup & Kentucky Derby, & JFK fdcs.
Birchip, "the Home of the Mallee Bull" Bicentenary Celebrations, a set of 5 souvenir covers dated from 13th April 1995 to 17th April 1995:
13th:
14th:
15th:
16th:
17th:
It would seem that PO was trying to use a different postmark for each day. However why would they use the fdi postmark for the middle day. Some one must have been full of "Mallee Bull"!
Brad
Specialist Collector of World Horse Racing Covers, Melbourne Cup & Kentucky Derby, & JFK fdcs.
This cover has 3 Emu Frama's, which were issued on 2nd January 1992, that have been overprinted "Family '94". I have not seen this overprint on a Frama label before. I note that on 14th April 1994 that special postmarks & 3 new stamps were issued for the International Year of the Family. Australian Pictormarks refers to these but there is no reference to the overprinted frama.
Leaving aside that the Emu Frama was issued on 2nd January 1992, & that the overprinted Family '94 may have been released on 14th April 1994, how do we explain how these framas were cancelled with a fdi postmarker for the 50th Anniversary of Victory in Europe & another fdi postmarker that was to be used for the Weary Dunlop PNC cover (the 2nd PNC cover released) that was released on the same day (20th April 1995). The Shrine of Remembrance pictorial postmark which was first used on this day was the only postmark correctly applied on this cover
Brad
Specialist Collector of World Horse Racing Covers, Melbourne Cup & Kentucky Derby, & JFK fdcs.
From memory I was coming back from a day at the races in NSW, when I stopped off at Glenrowan to have the Ned Kelly stamp from the Centenary of Cinema postmarked with the Ned Kelly postmark. Unfortunately this is not first day but I thought it made a nice cover.
First day for the Centenary Of Cinema was 8th June 1995 & following on from that was the Stamp Show in Brisbane from 10th June 1995 to 12th June 1995 where the Cinema was the theme. For the show they produced a special frama:
So I was a little surprised to find this cover, postmarked on 10th August 1995, with 3 of these frama labels, one cancelled with the Townsville pictorial fdi postmark & another cancelled with the Townsville "Peace & Victory" pictorial fdi postmark which was to be used with the Victory in the Pacific stamp issue that was released that day. The Townsville Festival "Lest We Forget" postmark, that was also introduced on this date, is the only postmark on the cover applied correctly.
Brad
Specialist Collector of World Horse Racing Covers, Melbourne Cup & Kentucky Derby, & JFK fdcs.
I hadn't seen these "Aeropex" counter printed stamps before which I believe would have been introduced for "Aeropex 94" in Adelaide which was held from the 18th - 20th November 1994.
But like with the previous posting the only correctly postmarked stamp is the one cancelled with the Townsville Festival "Lest We Forget" postmark.
Brad
Specialist Collector of World Horse Racing Covers, Melbourne Cup & Kentucky Derby, & JFK fdcs.
The "Glen Huntly" LPO in Glen Huntly Road was in a little hardware shop. I used to go up there to have "Sailing Ship" fdcs cancelled. As well as postal services the LPO was an agent for the Commonwealth Bank. I was very surprised when I found this cover on ebay:
The CDS on the 2nd October 1995 is ok & the first day of use of the ship pictorial on 3rd October 1995 is also correct. In fact the postmaster always used the pictorial postmark to receipt accounts being paid, so perhaps someone tried to make a "last day & first day use" cover. However why did he think he could use a rubber stamp that was used for CBA passbooks on this cover?
Brad
Specialist Collector of World Horse Racing Covers, Melbourne Cup & Kentucky Derby, & JFK fdcs.
This one was a case of out with the old & in with the new:
Above is the "Old" Collingwood pictorial postmark "Collingwood - Home of the Mighty Magpies".
On 23rd April 1996 Australia Post produced a set of stamps for the then 16 clubs with associated pictorial postmarks. The one for Collingwood now reads "Abbotsford Vic 3067 - Home of the Magpies - Collingwood Football Club". It gives the impression Collingwood overnight packed up & moved around corner, when in reality they were still in the same place.
The above is the Collingwood stamp cancelled with the new Collingwood pictorial postmark, available from the Philatelic Bureau. In those days they held a duplicate for most of the pictorial cancels. While below is the one that was actually available from the Abbotsford post office:
The two postmarks are different. The dateline of one from the PB is smaller & boxed while one from the actual PO is larger & unboxed. I have put the postmarks side by side for better comparison.
What I cannot understand is why when two postmarks are made at the same time by the same person why they are not identical
Brad
Specialist Collector of World Horse Racing Covers, Melbourne Cup & Kentucky Derby, & JFK fdcs.
There is a fascinating book on this subject, published by the French catalogue publishers Yvert & Tellier in 1999, entitled "Guide Mondial des Timbres Errones" or just "Errors on Stamps" in English. It is bi-lingual (English / French) and lists all the design errors known at that time to Y&T researchers - wrong portraits, wrong maps, incorrect inscriptions, political controversies etc, etc - by country in (French) alphabetical order. It's 700+ pages long (735 including the index) and every entry is illustrated with a crisp b&w image of the stamp in question.
Sadly I don't think it's ever been updated but the original (ISBN 2-86814-105-6) is still available on amazon.fr for between 50 - 65 euros...
I am pretty sure that this is the first "branded" fdc produced by cachetmaker "Alpha". This was the business name of Havilah Enterprises, who operated from Gawler SA & later Ballarat Vic. I sometimes refer to these guys as the "Boys From Ballarat". The below Roses fdc is correctly postmarked on first day of issue with nfdi postmarker on 29th January 1997:
Then there is this one that I received in my office mail, postmarked at Shepparton Vic on 2nd January 1997. Having received it early February, it is clear that the postal clerk forgot to change the month from January to February From the size of the envelope it is probably underpaid too
And a close up:
Brad
Specialist Collector of World Horse Racing Covers, Melbourne Cup & Kentucky Derby, & JFK fdcs.
Alpha fdc for the "Wetland Birds" issue correctly postmarked on first day of issue, 2nd June 1997, with the dual cancels of "Darwin NT" & "Jabiru NT". The "Kakadu National Park - No Swimming" pictorial postmark of Jabiru NT. The way that "Jabiru NT" has been set out on the postmark makes it look like it is "Jabirunt"
Now we all know that Perth is two hours behind the east coast for most of the year except when daylight saving is around & then it's 3 hours behind. Others might jest that they are further behind than that! Perhaps these covers prove that they are least a day behind
Not technically an error but it is a good story. The "Boys From Ballarat" overprinted this Hume & Hovell Expedition pse & had a set of 17 towns whose post offices were on the "Hume Highway" postmarked.
Bowning was a bit of challenge for them. When they rang the postmaster at Bowning to arrange the postmarking they were told that Bowning didn't have one a postmark. As a "favour" the postmaster had a single date datestamp made up to postmark these pses.
Brad
Specialist Collector of World Horse Racing Covers, Melbourne Cup & Kentucky Derby, & JFK fdcs.
I know Australian FDC get a bad rap as serving no purpose, waste of money and time etc, but what you have shown is that they can provide a bit of fun. I enjoyed the thread.
1979 National Parks 20c Waterfalls IMPERFORATE: 20c Girrawheen National Park Qld, in se-tenant strip of 4 from the left of the sheet, and major error, wide Imperforate at Left.
ACSC 842b, cat $A2,000 - back 12 years back, and clearly far higher today. ACSC states 10 examples were recorded from left side of PO sheet. Fresh MUH, Cat $A2,000.
NORFOLK ISLAND, 1971 Rose Window at St. Barnabas Chapel stamp Proofs: As a dealer for 35 years, I have NEVER even seen a set offered such as this from Norfolk. The spectacular 2002 Stephen Bradford and 2011 Eddie Garrard Norfolk Island collections did NOT have these. Presumed to be from the Printer Archive – Heraclio Fournier, Spain.
I am not aware of any other stamp from Norfolk (or anyone locally) printer by Fournier. Fresh MUH progressive Colour Proofs, on same gummed paper as issued stamp, with matching perforated stamp. A spectacular looking album page. At only $55 each, for almost certainly unique pieces - indeed each is HALF what the AP current PO year book costs! Insane. SG #125. $A500
I know Australian FDC get a bad rap as serving no purpose, waste of money and time etc, but what you have shown is that they can provide a bit of fun. I enjoyed the thread.
King Tut
I am glad you are enjoying them. I have had some fun collecting them too.
Brad
Specialist Collector of World Horse Racing Covers, Melbourne Cup & Kentucky Derby, & JFK fdcs.
Correctly postmarked Alpha cachet fdc on 21st April 1998:
I was assured by the "large" public auctioneer that this cover was in his possession before issue date, so I have to take his word on that. Postmarked Springsure Qld on 6th April 1998, 15 days before issue:
Wikipedia says "Springsure is a small town in Queensland, 66 kilometres (41 mi) south of Emerald on the Gregory Highway. It is 765 kilometres (475 mi) northwest of Brisbane. At the 2006 census, Springsure had a population of 829."
The "Flying Cloud" from the "Romancing the Sail" issue has been correctly postmarked with this "Polly Woodside" pictorial postmark, having been previously issued on 15th January 1998:
However Bentleigh P O must have thought that a fdi postmarker could be used as it had now been issued in a sheetlet format with printing on the selvedge "Australia 99".
Wrong!
Brad
Specialist Collector of World Horse Racing Covers, Melbourne Cup & Kentucky Derby, & JFK fdcs.
traralgon3844 wrote:Some people may consider this FDC issued on 17/6/14 as an error. Any gueses why?
Appears to be the last page from the prestige booklet cut down to minisheet size. If I recall it right, according to something I read loooong time ago, the post office considers imperf items to be a single unit that is only postally valid if it remains whole and not something that remains postally valid if its cut up.
Personally, I'd not call it an error - I'd call it damaged, but I know others won't share my opinion.
This one came my way just recently & I do not want to re-ignite the debate over correct first day of the digital stamp. I think it interesting that the digital is cancelled with the Philatelic Bureau Postmark on the 11th which Aust Post says is the official release date. I am just a bit curious as to when the Philatelic Bureau started working on a Saturday.
Brad
Specialist Collector of World Horse Racing Covers, Melbourne Cup & Kentucky Derby, & JFK fdcs.
Australia 99 was "Philatelic Frenzy". So many things came out on the 19th March 1999. It was my understanding that anything issued at the show was not available at other post offices until the next trading day. As March 19 was a Friday, some post offices were open the next day so they could sell these items on Saturday March 20th but others had to wait till Monday March 22nd.
Australia 99 had a sailing ship theme & these FDC's were available at the show:
Port Melbourne:
Polly Woodside:
Ships Day:
All correctly postmarked. So far so good
Specialist Collector of World Horse Racing Covers, Melbourne Cup & Kentucky Derby, & JFK fdcs.
But then we go to Bentleigh, where they seem to have been a little bit confused
19th March 1999 fdi:
20th March 1999 fdi:
22nd March 1999 fdi:
So in my opinion the 19th shouldn't exist as it was not available for issue, the 20th shouldn't exist because the post office wasn't open & the 22nd should have been don with the normal daily cds. (But I could be wrong!)
Specialist Collector of World Horse Racing Covers, Melbourne Cup & Kentucky Derby, & JFK fdcs.
But then I am not the only one who is confused. These covers cancelled with fdi Show postmarks on 19th March 1999, have stamps from an earlier sailing ship issue, released on 15th January 1998:
The cachet on unbranded Alpha fdc may explain why the confusion:
Specialist Collector of World Horse Racing Covers, Melbourne Cup & Kentucky Derby, & JFK fdcs.
We all know that a stamp marked specimen is already cancelled & should not have any other from of cancellation on it. It would appear that the postal staff manning the Tuvulu stand at the Show did not know that
Specialist Collector of World Horse Racing Covers, Melbourne Cup & Kentucky Derby, & JFK fdcs.
After all the postmarking errors from day 1 of Australia 99, day 2 I am not sure was any better. Although it had a sailing theme I think it was not really smooth sailing:
Day 2 was Navy Day & this saw the issue of a pse for the "Commissioning of the HMAS Huon" at Australia 99, on Saturday 20th March 1999.
Post Offices not open on the day of issue were under strict instructions not to postmark it prior to 22nd March 1999. Hence it could be said that there were two different days of issue. However whether it correct to use the first day of issue cancel on 22nd March is highly questionable.
Southland Centre above was open 20th March 1999 & Bentleigh below was closed on 20th March 1999.
A friend & I did little bit of running around that Saturday morning.
Brad
Specialist Collector of World Horse Racing Covers, Melbourne Cup & Kentucky Derby, & JFK fdcs.
Black Rock was also open. This was easy to tee up as "Postman Pat" who was the Postal Agent at Cheltenham, his wife was the Postal Agent at Black Rock. So far so good!
Specialist Collector of World Horse Racing Covers, Melbourne Cup & Kentucky Derby, & JFK fdcs.
Now I am sure you will all have read John Steinbeck's novel "Of Mice & Men". The title is taken from Robert Burns' poem "To a Mouse", which read: "The best laid schemes o' mice an' men / Gang aft agley." (The best laid schemes of mice and men / Often go awry.) and that what happened here:
Oops someone picked up that postmark that was only supposed to used on the 19th at Australia 99.
I don't know where "Aust FPO 4" is, but they didn't know what day it was! Again postmarked one day early.
Much be too much sun in Townsville, also a day early.
Williamstwon also a day early.
This one I found in my travels somewhere with this franking machine cancel also one day early.
Specialist Collector of World Horse Racing Covers, Melbourne Cup & Kentucky Derby, & JFK fdcs.
Although the Commanding Officer of HMAS Cerberus didn't know what day it was, it would appear that the postmaster at HMAS Cerberus did. Although I can't be certain the post office was open on this day because I wrote away for the postmarks & this is what I received.
Specialist Collector of World Horse Racing Covers, Melbourne Cup & Kentucky Derby, & JFK fdcs.