Philatelic Errors - stamps, covers & FDCs, please show yours

Global Administrator · Post by **Global Administrator** » 02 Oct 2017 17:48

A fairly modern PO Die Proof I added to stock today, but amazingly they let out a DOUBLE PRINT!

Australia 1958 8d Kingsford Smith - Die Proof *DOUBLE PRINT* ex Arthur Gray: A famous stamp, depicting the famed “The Southern Cross” legendary aircraft, that first crossed the Tasman Sea piloted by Sir Charles Kingsford Smith. The Australia Post produced Die Proofs in green, intaglio printed from the original steel engraved recess plates. The only DOUBLE print I have ever seen or heard of on these proofs.

Ex Arthur Gray, and comes with the normal die proof as per photos. Quite Spectacular pair for any collector, or an Exhibit item for an Australia collector, or airmail collector - of either Australia or New Zealand or just “Smithy” material. Both proofs are superb and clean, and huge margined - (Stock 392LG)

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 04 Oct 2017 21:33

BigSaint wrote:
BigSaint wrote:The 1984 Australia Day stamp was issued on 26th January 1984 & below is a correctly postmarked Australia Post fdc from Glenelg SA. But there is a second stamp added postmarked on the following day at GPO Darwin, fdi 27th January 1984.

FDC is signed by postmasters at Darwin & Glenelg, so maybe there is a story about this one

Brad
I found another of these covers postmarked fdi in Darwin on 27th January 1984:

Thinking this a bit strange I asked Frank P about them & he referred me to Stamp Bulletin no 170 Jan - Feb 1984 which I have reproduced below:

So it seems each Australian State & Territory celebrated the 1984 Australia Day public holiday on Monday 30th January except Northern Territory which celebrated it with a public holiday on Thursday 26th January. So we have two fdis. If someone at Aust Post had checked the calendar they could have seen the public holiday in Darwin & then altered the issue date to the 27th.

Brad

A recent acquisition of a gutter pair postmarked "Darwin" to complete the trio.

Brad

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 20 Oct 2017 23:38

A recent acquisition from Glen. The QEII blue 5d was issued on 1st October, 1959, but some how this one managed to be postmarked 2 months earlier on 1st August, 1959 at North Maitland NSW:

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 22 Nov 2017 19:32

I don't think one has been added to this thread:

Image courtesy of Stampboarder Kevin Morgan.

The Kangaroo stamp with tab is a self-adhesive peel & stick personalised stamp. The person who submitted the tab scanned in the image from the Stamp Bulletin and submitted it for printing. This should've been picked up by the Personalised Stamp Department at Australia Post and not allowed but was missed.

https://www.stampboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=49099

Brad

PC's Stamps · Post by **PC's Stamps** » 26 Dec 2017 16:28

25th Anniversary OECD Pre-Stamped Enveloped

I am wondering if anyone knows the correct first day of issue for this PSE by reference to an old stamp bulletin perhaps? Latest 32nd Edition Seven Seas ASC has the first day of issue as 17 September 1986.

Regards
Paul

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 26 Dec 2017 21:40

PC's Stamps wrote:25th Anniversary OECD Pre-Stamped Enveloped

I am wondering if anyone knows the correct first day of issue for this PSE by reference to an old stamp bulletin perhaps? Latest 32nd Edition Seven Seas ASC has the first day of issue as 17 September 1986.

Regards
Paul

There are several on ebay at the moment that have the same date as yours above, so I am confident 24th September 1986 is the correct date.

Brad

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 26 Dec 2017 21:58

BigSaint wrote:
I wonder how many Adelaide postmarked, a week early, 17th September 1986, before they realised their error & corrected the date to 24th September 1986

Brad

Paul

I confirm from an earlier post of mine on this thread that 24th September 1986 was the first day of issue.

Brad

PC's Stamps · Post by **PC's Stamps** » 26 Dec 2017 23:31

Thanks Brad.
Photobucket still impacting Stampboards' archival history...
Regards
Paul

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 27 Dec 2017 00:37

PC's Stamps wrote:Thanks Brad.
Photobucket still impacting Stampboards' archival history...
Regards
Paul

It's on my list to upgrade.

Brad

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 01 Jan 2018 08:40

A recent Delcampe acquisition this 1960 Melbourne Cup this Wesley Cover Service fdc:

Not a postmark I didn't have nor an exotic location but a postmarking error with the 2d olive green Queen Mother being postmarked fdi when issued some 8 years earlier. The 2d stamp was added to make up the airmail rate to England of 2s 3d & the postal clerk was too lazy to pick up the normal cds & instead continued with the fdi postmark.

PC's Stamps · Post by **PC's Stamps** » 22 Jan 2018 19:31

PC's Stamps wrote:25th Anniversary OECD Pre-Stamped Enveloped

I am wondering if anyone knows the correct first day of issue for this PSE by reference to an old stamp bulletin perhaps? Latest 32nd Edition Seven Seas ASC has the first day of issue as 17 September 1986.

Regards
Paul

I sent the query to John at Seven Seas and he diligently advised last Friday:-

"I eventually found a copy of the relevant Aust Post Stamp Bulletin, and the issue date of this PSE is specified as 17 September 1986. I think we must assume that is the correct date."

A mystery then why a number have been stamped 24 September 1986...

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 22 Jan 2018 20:14

PC's Stamps wrote:
PC's Stamps wrote:25th Anniversary OECD Pre-Stamped Enveloped

I am wondering if anyone knows the correct first day of issue for this PSE by reference to an old stamp bulletin perhaps? Latest 32nd Edition Seven Seas ASC has the first day of issue as 17 September 1986.

Regards
Paul
I sent the query to John at Seven Seas and he diligently advised last Friday:-

"I eventually found a copy of the relevant Aust Post Stamp Bulletin, and the issue date of this PSE is specified as 17 September 1986. I think we must assume that is the correct date."

A mystery then why a number have been stamped 24 September 1986...

Paul

I will look for my copy of the Aust Stamp Bulletin but in the meantime I still believe that 24 September 1986 is the correct day of issue. I have seen many postmarked on the 24th but only one on the 17th. There are several on ebay at moment from different places all postmarked on the 24th.

I believe Adelaide simply forgot to change date after postmarking AAT fdcs on 17 September 1986:

Brad

PC's Stamps · Post by **PC's Stamps** » 24 Jan 2018 10:45

I e-mailed the Philatelic section of Australia Post and received a prompt reply from Ms Cheryl Roy, Manager Philatelic Category, confirming the issue date was 17 September 1986. Ms Roy also provided a copy of the Stamp Bulletin page from issue #185 in August 1986 announcing the issue date as 17 September 1986. Copy below.

Ms Roy added:-

"Back in the 70’s and 80’s a lot of our outlets stamped the product themselves and it appears some outlets must have stamped them with the incorrect date of the 24th."

Brad, case closed now I think... Certainly, a lot of 24 September error stamped PSEs for this issue around.
Regards
Paul

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 24 Jan 2018 11:23

Paul

Thank you for that but I have still only seen one postmarked on 17th September 1986 & I just took these images off ebay:

I just can't understand why so many post offices got it wrong.

I will be at the Genesis Planet on Friday & I will see what I can find there.

Brad

PC's Stamps · Post by **PC's Stamps** » 24 Jan 2018 12:16

Brad,
Maybe there was a later issue date correction in a subsequent stamp bulletin?
I will send that query to Australia Post.
Regards
Paul

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 26 Jan 2018 17:59

PC's Stamps wrote:Brad,
Maybe there was a later issue date correction in a subsequent stamp bulletin?
I will send that query to Australia Post.
Regards
Paul

No need to ask Australia Post Paul, here is the answer in the next stamp bulletin number 186:

From the September 1986 Philatelic Bulletin:

Production problems caused the delay in issue from 17th to 24th:

From the APW PSE Album

I think this now clears up the issue.

Brad

PC's Stamps · Post by **PC's Stamps** » 27 Jan 2018 00:20

Thanks Brad.
Checking my e-mails this evening and I did receive another very prompt reply from Australia Post late yesterday afternoon. Further checking by Ms Cheryl Roy, Manager Philatelic Category revealed the following in November Stamp Bulletin #187:-

"An unknown quantity of OECD pre-stamped envelopes was inadvertently sold at the Adelaide GPO Philatelic Sales Office on 17 and 18 September 1986. The release should not have been until 24 September 1986.

The issue date for the envelope had been deferred from the 17th to the 24th when difficulty was encountered in reproducing exactly the colours of national flags in the design.

However, the production difficulty was overcome earlier than expected and some stocks reached post offices in time for the originally scheduled launch day. This in turn led to the envelopes being accidently released a week earlier than intended.

The official issue date remains at 24 September 1986. Australia Post does not intend producing first day covers showing 17 September 1986."

Brad, together with Australia Post's help, we did well on solving this mystery!
Regards
Paul

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 02 Feb 2018 22:35

Paul

Not wishing to re-ignite the debate but at least one post office other than Adelaide was confused about the issue date:

We all now know however the correct date was the 24th.

Brad

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 02 Feb 2018 23:28

We all know that stamp for JFK's 100th birthday was issued on "President's Day, February 20, 2017:

So imagine my surprise when I spot this cover for "Uncle Sam's Hat" postmarked on February 18, 2017, using the JFK stamp that wasn't issued until two days later:

I really wonder how something like this happens.

Brad

CMJ · Post by **CMJ** » 06 Feb 2018 06:45

This thread has had all the remaining photobucket images upgraded and has been preserved forever.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 09 Feb 2018 22:44

I may have shown one of these covers before, but I found this today when looking for something else & need to show both covers to explain what went on:

Two covers prepared by Havilah Enterprises (Alpha Covers) for the Australian Tennis Open of 2004:

Dated 19th January, 2014 - 10 years in advance

Dated 31st February, 2004 - an impossible date.

I wrote to Australia Post & below is their reply:

Impossible dates, yes & not an Australian Postmark, really

Well what is this then

Is seems to me that someone used the prior years postmark as is shown here.

Here is some sort of explanation from Colleen Woolley in Oz Pictormarks:

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 17 Feb 2018 00:26

On February 8, 2005 Australia Post issued a beautiful set of Parrot stamps as shown above & below.

However in Birdsville someone forgot to change the month from January to February & this cover was postmarked one month early:

Perhaps they were postmarked in the Birdsville Hotel.

Brad

Justin · Post by **Justin** » 05 Mar 2018 18:04

Here's some covers for the Concession stamp from October 2017.

The single-stamp cover is the official post office one they did. The minisheet cover is my own assembly that I sent to the philatelic bureau with a request that they post mark it with a pictorial Canberra post mark dated 1 November, as that was the date of issue for the minisheet (it was part of the Annual Collection that was released this date and that was the only way to get one). Instead they used the FDI postmark from a month previous.

I understand how it happens, as they have explained to me before that they consider the official first day of issue as the release date for the stamp design itself and not for different versions (gummed vs self-adhesive, for example) of a stamp. In this case, my request must have reached them while still within their time limit for the FDI postmark and they just went with that instead.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 07 Mar 2018 21:43

Borrowed from "The Errors in Artistic Designs of Stamps" thread:

King Tut wrote:MISIDENTIFIED PERSON

This stamp celebrates the settling Newcastle on the Hunter River by portraying Lt John Shortland who discovered the river.

However the Lt John Shortland who in 1797 discovered the Hunter River on which Newcastle stands was the son of the gentleman on the stamp - a clue is the absence of epaulets, which became part of the naval uniform in 1795 and hence would have been worn by his son.

This is a portrait of the correct John Shortland, by an unknown engraver, State Library of New South Wales.

https://www.stampboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&p=4301859#p4301859

Thank you King Tut.

I found this fdc on ebay which compliments King Tut's entry:

and shows the error of Captain Shortland being incorrectly pictured on the stamps as Lieutenant when Lieutenant Shortland should have been pictured on the stamp.

Brad

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 17 Mar 2018 01:18

Now I want you all to keep quiet about this one because it is a big secret, so don't tell a soul or they might fix it & it's only been around a few months:

Yes there are 2 "l"s in Caulfield & not 1 as in the cds on the right.

Brad

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 18 Mar 2018 21:33

Well our "good friend" Michael Hudson is back & at it again:

But why does the cachet say "1904 - 2004" & the postmark "1905 - 2005"

Let's have a closer look at that tab on the stamp it says "1904 - 2004".

Michael, the tab relates to the Centenary of the "Golf" Australian Open, not "Tennis".

It seems Michael Doesn't know the difference between his small balls "Golf" & "Tennis".

Ubobo.R.O. · Post by **Ubobo.R.O.** » 18 Mar 2018 21:43

WHOOPS!

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 26 Mar 2018 15:22

Now Michael Hudson took over WCS in 1984 & he produced some nice FDCs:

But Michael Hudson acquired 1,000,000 covers from Jack Koch added cachets to some of these covers:

Michael really made a "galah" out of himself by adding fake WCS cachets to blank covers.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 05 Apr 2018 18:15

The Sydney University students, as you would expect, were clever enough to have this 1983 Australia Day fdc correctly postmarked on first day of issue:

But what happened at Waterloo? It appears that someone forgot to move the year forward & this one was postmarked a year early on 26th January 1982:

Did anyone meet their "Waterloo" after this error

Brad

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 08 May 2018 09:47

I was reading the APF news last night - "February 2018, Vol 32 No. 1" when I came across this:

So Ian McMahon tells us

The Jolly Jabiru above

is not a "Fair Dinkum Aussie" like this one

but instead a South American imposter.

Brad

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 24 May 2018 23:28

Australia Post decided that this Fortitude Valley postmark was to be used for Aviation Feats aerogramme issued on 18th August 1994:

All good so far.

& this Stanwell Park postmark for the set of 4 Aviation Feats stamps & fdc on 29th August 1994:

And all was still good

But:

I am not sure that Colleen Woolley's description makes any better sense of it:

And not to mention a date 11 days earlier

But I guess sometimes you just have one job ..........................

Brad

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 14 Jun 2018 22:30

We had the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games from the 4th April 2018 to 15th April 2018 & here is the fdc produced for the event:

So why is it postmarked "Brisbane"

Brisbane is about an hour & 80 kilometres north of the Gold Coast & while I appreciate there is no post office called the "Gold Coast", I think it would have more appropriate for the National FDI postmark to be "Surfers Paradise" or "Coolangatta".

I picked up the ones below on ebay & I am not sure why they are postmarked on the 6th April & 28th April as these are neither the first day or last day of the Games":

But if they had done these earlier maybe they would not have run out of stamps.

Brad

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 12 Aug 2018 14:32

Something received from Stampboarder Rod Perry recently:

This one with a nice "bulls eye" GPO Melbourne fdi cancel as well as a nice Melbourne machine slogan cancel on November 2, 1960. I didn't think the cover had been re-used so out came the magnifying glass on the fdi cancel:

Surprise, surprise the fdi cancel also says November 2, 1960 which was the fdi for the Queensland Stamp Centenary not the 100th Melbourne Cup which was 12th October 1960.

Did someone slip this one in when sending out the end of month statements

Brad

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 28 Dec 2018 23:36

First day cover for the Sesqui-Centenary of New South Wales issued 1st October 1937 with SG 193 & 194 & 1d green Queen Elizabeth & 3d Airmail to Singapore:

Mildura cds is dated 30th September 1937, one day before issue.

Brad

chips61 · Post by **chips61** » 27 Jan 2019 10:28

Hi
I hope I am putting this in the right thread.

I have this letter it was cancelled at the Adelaide Sturt street LPO 5000
on the 31 DEC 2018 last day of the year, then with a machine cancel AMC SA 522 02 JAN 19, then on the stamp with a square cancel JAN 2 2018 missing the 2 unfortunately looks like someone forgot to change the year date:

thanks

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 27 Jan 2019 10:40

Chris

Nice cover. Could you post a larger image of the stamp & postmark section please. There seems to have been a lot of postmarking happening here but not with the postman's bike.

Perhaps Australia Post are going from one extreme to the other, i.e. no postmarking to double & triple postmarking.

Brad

chips61 · Post by **chips61** » 27 Jan 2019 22:31

Hi Brad.
Here is a larger image, it is strange some letters i receive are not even cancelled some have 2 or 3 cancels on them.

cheers
chris

andy66 · Post by **andy66** » 28 Jan 2019 02:17

chips61 wrote:Hi Brad.
Here is a larger image, it is strange some letters i receive are not even cancelled some have 2 or 3 cancels on them.

cheers
chris

In my opinion, the ink on the stamp (philately) looks different from that on the cover, and that is strange

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 28 Jan 2019 09:24

Andy66

Go back to Chips61's original post, a few above, & he tells you about the handstamp & the machine cancels. Therefore they have to be different inks.

Brad

andy66 · Post by **andy66** » 29 Jan 2019 09:07

BigSaint wrote:Andy66

Go back to Chips61's original post, a few above, & he tells you about the handstamp & the machine cancels. Therefore they have to be different inks.

Brad

I've seen there are 3 different cancels...I mean the circular cancel Adelaide: the ink on the stamp and the prosecution on the letter look different

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 29 Jan 2019 09:41

andy66 wrote:
BigSaint wrote:Andy66

Go back to Chips61's original post, a few above, & he tells you about the handstamp & the machine cancels. Therefore they have to be different inks.

Brad
I've seen there are 3 different cancels...I mean the circular cancel Adelaide: the ink on the stamp and the prosecution on the letter look different

Ok, yes just a reaction to the different surfaces of the paper of the cover compared to the paper of the stamp.

Brad

peterh · Post by **peterh** » 29 Mar 2019 05:09

Not in great condition, but this 1937 FDC has been cancelled at Hurstville with a 1926 date.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 29 Mar 2019 09:17

That one is quite spectacular peterh.

Noting that the British mail audit diamond is on the cover, we know that this cover arrived in England around October. I thought the sea voyage was about 6 weeks so unless this item was delayed, this is more than just the year wheel being in the wrong position (i.e. 8th June 1937).

Brad

peterh · Post by **peterh** » 29 Mar 2019 09:41

BigSaint wrote:That one is quite spectacular peterh.

Noting that the British mail audit diamond is on the cover, we know that this cover arrived in England around October. I thought the sea voyage was about 6 weeks so unless this item was delayed, this is more than just the year wheel being in the wrong position (i.e. 8th June 1937).

Brad

Yes, I guess we'll never know when it was actually posted.

Interestingly, that year has a small number of the mail census diamonds recorded from mid-July. See here: http://www.vicstamps.com/displays/postal_census/postal_census_imgs.html

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 29 Mar 2019 10:12

Thank you for that peterh. If it was a July census diamond then the day & month probably correct with just the year being wrong.

Brad

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 06 Apr 2019 09:32

Because of it's national importance this stamp was issued on the same day in 44,000+ US Post Offices on 29th May 1964:

It still had it's National First Day of Issue, in this case Boston.

However here is one that was postmarked the day before issue:

Concord New Hampshire - Dunbarton Branch - 28th May 1964

I guess someone forgot to change the date of all the postmarks when opening up in the morning.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 08 Apr 2019 23:16

Australia Racehorse Tulloch stamp (SG #699) issued 18th October 1978 with Doctor Blade flaw to right of horse's nose & front leg continuing down length of right hand side of stamp:

Brad

danyeung · Post by **danyeung** » 21 Apr 2019 22:41

Hi Brad,

This is my 18c flower missing all the black but not as nice as the one you shown.

It was of the same day to the accountant of another firm. Though it was sent by the Philatelic Sales section, I tend to believe that it was not contrived.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 22 Apr 2019 13:10

danyeung wrote:Hi Brad,

This is my 18c flower missing all the black but not as nice as the one you shown.

It was of the same day to the accountant of another firm. Though it was sent by the Philatelic Sales section, I tend to believe that it was not contrived.

Dan

Looks like someone was sending out the monthly invoices or cheques.

Brad

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 22 Apr 2019 15:13

Australia Performing Arts stamps (SG #641-644) fdc issued 19th January 1977:

However I recently picked this one up at a Brighton Philatelic Society auction:

Dated one year before issue, 19th January 1976, postal staff, at St.Kilda West, appear not have turned over the year wheel on the fdi canceller, for the first new issue of the 1977 year.

Another correctly dated one, this one from the Swan Hill Pioneer Settlement with their distinctive overprint in the bottom left corner.

Brad