All things re MALTA stamps, covers, cancels & Revenues discussion thread

[invertedcenter]

Hi,

I am asking if anyone has seen anything like this Malta stamp error. The stamp on the left is the normal and the stamp on the right has the error. If you look closely to the queens neck you can see like three jagged edges cut into it.

I have yet to see anything like it listed or on the market. If anyone has any knowledge on this I would sure appreciate an email or response to this post.

Thanks all!

[GlenStephens]

Thanks for mastering photobucket!

Can you double the size of the error stamp? .. tough to see anything down that small!

[librarianc]

Hi,

I am asking if anyone has seen anything like this Malta stamp error. The stamp on the left is the normal and the stamp on the right has the error. If you look closely to the queens neck you can see like three jagged edges cut into it.

I have yet to see anything like it listed or on the market. If anyone has any knowledge on this I would sure appreciate an email or response to this post.

Thanks all!

I just checked the Trory specialized of Malta and there's nothing listed in it. Looking forward to a larger view!

John A

[invertedcenter]

Ok this is the best I can do.

[ozstamps]

I'd score that 2 out of 10.

[invertedcenter]

Yeah I know it is poor quality. This stamp picture was taken 20 years ago in Malta. I had to take a picture of the picture and place it in the PC. I have seen the stamp physically when I was a kid. I know the owner of the stamp had asked Stanley Gibbons if they knew of any other back in the 1960s and they had no knowledge of any opther existing error either.

[iomoon]

Tricky with an image of this size but, the "stamp" on the right does not have original perfs.

Someone has added them, probably to an image on card.

[fromdownunder]

invertedcenter, I am assuming that your question relates to the point that a vampire appears to have taken a decent chunk out of the Queen's neck. Am I correct, or should we be looking for something else?

If that is the problem, it could be just over inking that caused the error.

Norm

[invertedcenter]

Not original perfs? I do not know what you mean? The gentleman that had this bought a sheet on the first day of issue and this was one of the center stamps.
I cannot believe that he forged this in any way. This was an old timer who got me into philately to begin with. I asked him to take a picture of this and send it to me when I left malta so I cluld have it for my records. What purpose would he have to make it all up? He had no intention of ever selling it at all. And back then there was no internet, digital photo, etc etc. And of course I did not do any manipulation on the photo at all.

[invertedcenter]

Norm,
Yes the neck and yes it is an ink error.

[fromdownunder]

Well, in this case, most, if not all Catalogues do not generally list errors such as this. In the US they are usually called "freaks".

The law of supply and demand applies in situations such as this.

If they are spectacular enough, or become popular, they may get a listing, and acquire a market value. They are fun to own, but otherwise...

Norm

[iomoon]

As I wrote, it is difficult to tell from an image that size because even blowing it up does not improve the image quality, just the ability to see things.
Anyway, it appears stamp was removed from sheet with scissors rather than pulled apart since most of the perfs have square edges.
This could be an imaging effect.

[invertedcenter]

I see what you mean. All I know is that the owner (may he RIP)
told me he regretted taking it out of the sheet. And yes this is freak and not a "true error" as an inverted center. But when I was a kid it was like seeing an inverted jenny. Well time has educated me with better and rarer true errors.

[fromdownunder]

As I wrote, it is difficult to tell from an image that size because even blowing it up does not improve the image quality, just the ability to see things.
Anyway, it appears stamp was removed from sheet with scissors rather than pulled apart since most of the perfs have square edges.
This could be an imaging effect.

iomoon, are you looking at the stamp itself, or the backing piece of paper that it is mounted or siting on?

The stamp perforations look pretty normal to me.

Norm

[iomoon]

The stamp.

Top and bottom look fairly normal, left and right are squared off.

[Londonbus1]

Does anyone know if this is a common overprint variety or not a variety at all ??

Thanks.

[fromdownunder]

I am not an expert on Malta at all, but it looks like an inking error to me. If so it may not be a "constant" variety, more like just a one off freak.

I suspect that it may be just one of those "what the market will bear" type items, where people will look at it and decide whether or not it is a spectacular enough error to want it, and think that the block is worth a premium.

Small or large premium? Who knows on this sort of material.

Norm

[gavin-h]

Definitely under-inking (IMHO!!!).

A block of this size is attractive compared to a single, and should command a premium as such...

[librarianc]

Here is a quote from the Trory Specialized catalogue of Malta:

The 1st printing appeared with some blurring and other defects. Before the 2nd printing, the type-face appears to have been cleaned, and some defective units replaced. The last columns of the upper and lower right panes show great wear on all stamps, as if the overprint were being struck unevenly.

It lists the Lower half of ONE missing as a variety (1st printing only) at £20 each in 1990.

That is a nice block and certainly worth consideration of leaving it intact.

[Clino]

I don't collect Malta, but I found this web site doing a non-related search on google. It looks really good.

http://cesare392.tripod.com/index.html

[MarginBlocks]

Definitely a terrific website. Malta is also a very interesting country to collect with their mixture of some odd and thin shaped issues, traditional as well as highly stylized designs, Malta is no ordinary European nation to collect.

LOTS of history and many, many cultural influences. No doubt about that!

Mark Alan
Coral Springs, FL USA

[Belti]

Hi

I would like to know if there are any members here who are interested or collect Malta stamps.

Also it would be interested to know if there are any particular periods which are more sought after.

I believe that stamps until 1964 (since we were still a British Colony) are more popular among collectors, however, it would be good to hear what you have to say about the topic.

Thanks for any feedback.

[Ronnie]

Hello Belti,

Great idea for a new thread!

[MarginBlocks]

I have collected Malta for quite awhile. Malta has terrific designs and I appreciate their unique shapes, too. I had the good fortune of purchasing a huge mint, never hinged collection, virtually complete from the 1940s until the early 1990s. I have supplemented this recently with full sheetlets of Europa issues. I have a group of definitives that I have not checked yet for fluorescent paper and color shade varieties. I also purchased a new JB catalog for future specialization.

Mark Alan

[crosscrescent]

I have 2 or 3 sets of Malta (large pictorials - old paintingss?) but nothing spectacular.

[beardmore10]

Hello Belti,i've been collecting Malta over the last eighteen months (since i got back into stamps) Lots of gaps still to fill but i did manage a visit to the stamp shop in Sliema during April and managed to pick up some nice bits & pieces.Currently scouring ebay and dealers for early Malta material.
Ian

[Belti]

Thank you all for your replies and feedback.

beardmore10,

In Malta there are many stamp dealers but you have visited one of the best. That dealer also publishes a Maltese stamp catalogue called the JB catalogue. He also has a presence on the net (sliemastampshop) so should you need anything from him you can always drop him a line.

There is also another good dealer situated in Valletta, the capital of Malta. Not sure if you payed him a visit but he also has a presence online (emmsaid).

I have been collecting Malta stamps since i was young but my complete maltese collection starts only from 1997. Like you, i still have gaps to fill for the previous years but as you rightly said the sliema shop is a good source to help.

If there's anything i can help you with just let me know.

Once again thanks all for your feedback.

[beardmore10]

Thank you all for your replies and feedback.

beardmore10,

In Malta there are many stamp dealers but you have visited one of the best. That dealer also publishes a Maltese stamp catalogue called the JB catalogue. He also has a presence on the net (sliemastampshop) so should you need anything from him you can always drop him a line.

There is also another good dealer situated in Valletta, the capital of Malta. Not sure if you payed him a visit but he also has a presence online (emmsaid).

I have been collecting Malta stamps since i was young but my complete maltese collection starts only from 1997. Like you, i still have gaps to fill for the previous years but as you rightly said the sliema shop is a good source to help.

If there's anything i can help you with just let me know.

Once again thanks all for your feedback.

Belti,the guy at Sliema stamps was very helpful and i did come away from his shop with his online details for any future purchases.Thanks for the additional info on the dealer in Valletta (hope to maybe visit him next time) The Maltese stamps,whether under British rule or after independence make a great collection and i'm enjoying tracking down what i need....if i get stuck for anything specific i'll let you know.
Regards,
Ian

[crazygerman]

Hi Belti,

indeed I collect Malta until independence 1964, used.
I need only few stamps to be complete; especially the first stamp which is not often offered on ebay.

Regards,

[Belti]

Hi crazygerman,

The stamp you're looking for is quite expensive. You can have a look at this local dealer site: http://www.emmsaid.com/queen_victoria.htm

[DaveR]

I found this cover in a 'GB used in Malta' collection - I wasn't sure whether to post it under Right Place/Wrong Place or wing-margins.



SG Z56 - SG 85 1864 6d Lilac, Plate 4 with the hair lines.



Posted Feb 17 1865 and arrived in London, via Marseilles, Feb 23. 5 days from Malta to London sounds pretty quick to me. Would it have gone all the way by sea, or by land across France from Marseilles to the channel ports?

I guess the recipient is a Lawyer, as Lincolns Inn is one of the Inns of Court, and on the rear flap is written the received date. Unfortunately someone has also written the stamp details on the back as well



It is also back stamped as received in London WC (West Central), but what is the red London CC Paid stamp on the front?

Dave.

[DaveR]

And another -



SG Z55 - SG 69/70 1856 6d Deep/Pale Lilac, Plate 1.

Addressed to Eltham, Kent, (London) S.E. (South East). Posted Aug ?? 1861 and arrived in London Aug ?? 1861 (backstamp). A different red stamp - "DB London". Can anyone help with what these red stamps mean please?



It also appears to be marked "Stamped" and initialled in the lower left. In case the stamp gets nicked

I've also been reading up on these 6d stamps. This is the first of the surface-printed 6d, replacing the earlier embossed design of 1854. Plate 1 was first put to press in 1856. Plate 2 was neither registered nor put to press. Plate 3, introduced in 1862, has the small corner letters. Plate 4, 1864, the same but with the hair-lines across the lower corner letters - as shown on the cover in my first post.

(Weather's not nice, so plenty of time to read the catalogues )

Dave.

[smauggie]

Thanks for sharing these attractive covers.

[DaveR]

I've had a search around Stampboards, and not found much on GB used in Malta - so for your interest here's some more 6d with the Malta "A25" cancellation:

[Could a mod please change the title to just GB Used in Malta - I seem to be diverging from the original date.]

1855-57 No corner letters.

SG Z55 - SG 69/70 1856 6d Deep/Pale Lilac, Wmk Emblems, Plate 1.

Also shown on the 2nd cover above

[As mentioned above, Plate 2 was neither registered nor put to press]

1862-64 Small corner letters.

SG Z56 - SG 83/84 1862 6d Deep Lilac/Lilac, Wmk Emblems, Plate 3 without the hair lines.

SG Z56 - SG 85 1864 6d Lilac, Wmk Emblems, Plate 4 with the hair lines.

[The 1864 Plate 4 with the hair lines is shown on the first cover above]

Plate 4 Hair Line

To be continued ...

[DaveR]

1865-67 Large corner letters.

SG Z57 - SG 96/97 1865-67 6d Deep Lilac/Lilac, Wmk Emblems, Plates 5 & 6.

Plate 5

SG Z58 is the wmk error of SG 96/97.
[Sadly missing - one of the errors is £1,500 in the SG GB Concise !!]

1867-80 Large corner letters.

SG Z59 - SG 104-105 1867 6d Lilac / Deep Lilac, Wmk Spray of Rose, Plate 6 with hyphen.
[Missing]

SG Z60 - SG 106-109 1867-70 6d, Wmk Spray of Rose, Plate 6 Purple / Bright Violet with hyphen, Plate 8 Dull Violet / Mauve without hyphen and Plates 9 Mauve without hyphen.

[There is no mention of Plate 7 in any of my catalogues.]

Plate 6 & Plate 9

To be contd ...

[DaveR]

1872-73 Hexagonal type.

SG Z61 - SG 123 1872 6d Pale Buff, Wmk Spray of Rose, Plates 11 & 12.
[Missing]

SG Z62 - SG 124/124a 1872 6d Chestnut / Pale Chestnut, Wmk Spray of Rose, Plate 12.
[Missing]

SG Z63 - SG 125 1873 6d Grey, Wmk Spray of Rose, Plate 12.
[Missing]

1873-80 Hexagonal type.

SG Z64 - SG 146/147 1874-80 6d Deep Grey / Grey, Wmk Orb, Plates 13, 14, 15, 16 & 17.

Plate 13 & Plate 15

1880-83 Hexagonal type.

SG Z65 - SG 161 1881 & 1882 6d Grey, Wmk Imperial Crown, Plates 17 & 18.
[Missing]

SG Z66 - SG 162 1883 6d on 6d Lilac, Wmk Imperial Crown, Plate 18.
[Missing]

These are all the 6d with the Malta "A25" cancellation. Can anyone fill in the blanks

There are some earlier 6d with the "M" and 'wavy lines' cancellation and the 1854 6d embossed issue - anybody have any more 6d they can add to this thread

Some are a bit battered and with trimmed wing margins, but they were used well over 100 years ago.

I seem to have a thing for 6d at the moment - other values may follow ...

Dave.

[DaveR]

I've recently acquired a few more GB used in Malta 6ds ...

I also mentioned above that I'd found no mention of a Plate 7. Re-reading the SG GB Specialised - like Plate 2, Plate 7 was not registered or put to press.

'M' Cancellation

In use from 18 August 1857 to 1859.

1855-57 No corner letters.

SG Z20 - SG 69/70 1856 6d Deep/Pale Lilac, Wmk Emblems, Plate 1.

Has a darker colour than the Z55 shown above - Deep Lilac vs. Pale Lilac?
Also appears to be printed on thicker paper - thick white paper variant?

[Could a mod please change the title to just 'GB Used in Malta' - I seem to be diverging from the original date of the covers.]

[DaveR]

And ... An SG Z57 Plate 6 to go with Plate 5 shown above.

1865-67 Large corner letters.

SG Z57 - SG 96/97 1865-67 6d Deep Lilac/Lilac, Wmk Emblems, Plates 5 & 6.

Plate 5 & Plate 6

[ritoras]

Hello to all on the forum,

I'd like some help with the Maltese censorship tape on this surface mail cover from Greece to the US (mailed 19/4/1940).
1) Is there a specific period during which surface mail from the easterm Mediterranean was stopped and censored in Malta? Was this usual practice?
2) How scarce are these censorship tapes? The censor has used two different tapes. It looks as though he was trying to economise on the tape he used. First he used the longer tape (tied by a boxed '20') and then the shorter tape to sela the edge of the cover.

Any help or further advice will be very much appreciated!

Thank you,

Adrian

[kobo]

Hi

Are you sure this applies to Malta? The postmarks and stamps are Greek. Given Malta's isolation during most of the war I cannot see why covers would have gone from Greece to NY via Malta.

[mrboggler]

I think this cover was censored in Greece as well,, the Black Circle with the "Sqiggles" in it is a Greek Censor mark I think

Also as USA was not involved in the War until the end of 1941,
I think this was most likely censored elsewhere other than Malta,

Kobo can you tell us what the Airmail rate to the US was in 1940 this would help determine whether this was aimed at Airmail OR surface,

[ritoras]

Thank you both. I had the same misgivings as to why mail from Greece would stop at Malta. However, the cover is surface, not airmail; the 8dr paying the surface rate and the 1dr (50l+50l) the mandatory social welfare. Coming out of the Mediterranean Malta is on the way (I have seen mail to Greece coming into the Med censored at Gibraltar). So long as the censor tape and the boxed'20' have been identified correctly then... it must be Malta.

Can anyone else help?

Thank you

Adrian

[HalfpennyYellow]

This Malta 1885 2½d bright blue has a perfin 'C G M'. Does anyone know what these letters stand for?

[Iggy]

carmelo griscti malta ?

http://zenius.kalnieciai.lt/europe/malta/perfins/perfins.html

[HalfpennyYellow]

Thanks a lot Iggy (both for identifying the perfin and for the link)

[HalfpennyYellow]

7 March 2012 - Maltese History Definitive Issue - Additional values


Press release

Technical Details:

Designers: Edward Pirotta and Paul Psaila
Printer: Printex Limited, Malta
Printing Process: Offset
Size: 31 x 44mm
Perforation: 13.9 x 14 (comb.)
Watermark: Multiple Maltese Crosses
Sheet: 10 stamps
Number printed:
€0.20 - 500,000 (50,000 sheets)
€0.69 - 40,000 (4000 sheets)

Tomorrow MaltaPost will issue an additional two values to the 2009 Maltese History definitive issue. This set of two will be Malta's first stamps this year.



They have the same designs as the €0.19 (Gold coin from the Byzantine period in Malta) and €0.68 (George Cross) of the original set, but with different background colours and new values of €0.01 more than the original stamps due to a rate increase last July. €0.20 is the local rate for letters under 20 grams and €0.69 is the local registered rate.

[HalfpennyYellow]

23 March 2012 - International Artists and Malta


Press release

Technical Details:

Designers: Henry Mayo Bateman and Edward Lear (original paintings)
Printer: Printex Limited, Malta
Printing Process: Offset
Size: 44 x 31mm
Perforation: 13.9 x 14 (comb.)
Watermark: Multiple Maltese Crosses
Sheet: 10 stamps
Number printed:
€0.20 - 500,000 (50,000 sheets)
€0.26 - 40,000 (4000 sheets)
€0.37 - 40,000 (4000 sheets)
€0.67 - 60,000 (6000 sheets)
€0.97 - 40,000 (4000 sheets)

Tomorrow MaltaPost will issue a set of five stamps portraying artworks of the Maltese Islands made by H. M. Bateman (1887-1970) and Edward Lear (1812-1888). The €0.20 shows a scene from the fishing village of Marsalforn, Gozo; the €0.26 shows a church in Qala in Gozo; the €0.37 shows a church in Għajnsielem, also on the island of Gozo; the €0.67 shows the Inquisitor's Palace in Girgenti; while the €0.97 shows a scene from the village of Fontana, also on Malta's sister island of Gozo. The €0.20, €0.26 and €0.37 feature paintings by M. H. Bateman, while the two higher values feature paintings by Edward Lear.

[HalfpennyYellow]

3 April 2012 - Occasions 2012

Press release

Technical Details:

Designers: MaltaPost p.l.c. Graphics Design Team
Printer: Printex Limited, Malta
Printing Process: Offset
Size: 44 x 31mm
Perforation: 13.9 x 14 (comb.)
Watermark: Multiple Maltese Crosses
Sheet: 10 stamps
Number printed:
Weddings (r.2, s.2) - 30,000 (3000 sheets)
Christmas (r.2, s.1) - 30,000 (3000 sheets)
Celebrations (r.1, s.2) - 40,000 (4000 sheets)
Sports (r.1, s.1) - 40,000 (4000 sheets)
Feasts (r.1, s.3) - 60,000 (6000 sheets)
Graduation (r.2, s.3) - 60,000 (6000 sheets)
General (r.2, s.4) - 60,000 (6000 sheets)
Auberge de Castille (r.1, s.4) - 120,000 (12,000 sheets)

The numbers in brackets show the position in the above photo.

Today MaltaPost issued a set of eight stamps which commemorate various occasions. These can be printed with a se-tenant label as personalised stamps. Unlike the 2010 Occasions set, all these stamps have a denomination of €0.37, which is the basic letter/postcard rate to Europe and North Africa. Until now no €0.20 stamp can be personalised, so we may see another set soon.

MaltaPost also issued the set personalised with their logo, which is on sale from the Philatelic Bureau in Marsa or by emailing the Philatelic Bureau at:

info (at) maltaphilately.com

Probably it will also be listed on the website in a few days' time.


Press release

[HalfpennyYellow]

12 April 2012 - 70th Anniversary of the Award of the George Cross to Malta


Press release

Technical Details:

Designers: MaltaPost p.l.c. Graphics Design Team
Printer: Printex Limited, Malta
Printing Process: Offset
Size: 120 x 80 mm (stamp 44 x 31mm)
Perforation: 13.9 x 14 (comb.)
Watermark: Multiple Maltese Crosses
Number printed: 30000

Next Saturday a miniature sheet with a denomination of €4.16 will be issued to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the award of the George Cross to Malta by King George VI on 15 April 1942 (exactly 30 years after the sinking of the Titanic ). This is going to be Malta's first m/s this year. A commemorative folder and a silver replica stamp will also be issued.



Note that for some reason, the silver replica shows the €0.69 stamp from the definitive additional values (in post #1 of this thread) and not the €4.16 from the miniature sheet.

All of the above issues are available from MaltaPost's website (at a bit higher than face value):

https://www.maltaphilately.com/en/Issues/Page1

[stampmogul]

Matt,

Who arranges the new issues for Malta ?
Is it handled through a local board/company, or is this outsourced to another country ?

I thought it was an overseas company (like new PNG issues are in the hands of an American company under contract).