Queensland ½d Overprint Specimen Handstamps

Here are some examples of the ½d. overprint specimen handstamps. For general information on the specimen and cancelled handstamps see here

A supply of half-penny provisional stamps was issued to the post office on 21 February 1880 and copies were cancelled as specimens. According to Robson Lowe, there were at least two specimen sheets with the overprints reading diagonally from top to bottom. There are also two known blocks where the specimen handstamp was inverted, diagonally reading from top to bottom.

Kenneth Scudder in his book "Queensland Postage Stamps 1879 to 1912." lists the specimen handstamp found on this issue as:

• Type 1. Capitals sans-serif, 21 mm x 2.5 mm. Known in black, diagonally up from left to right and inverted, diagonally down from right to left.

The specimen handstamp is considered more common on die 1 stamps than die 2 and only two examples (a block of 4 and a block of 6) of the inverted specimen handstamp have been seen by me.

Scudder type 1 Sans serif capitals 21 x 2.5 mm in black, diagonal upwards from left to right. Die 1

Scudder type 1 Sans serif capitals 21 x 2.5 mm in black, diagonal upwards from left to right. Die 1

Scudder type 1 Sans serif capitals 21 x 2.5 mm in black, diagonal upwards from left to right. Die 1. A marginal block of 4 from the right of the sheet. Ex Manning

Scudder type 1 Sans serif capitals 21 x 2.5 mm in black, diagonal upwards from left to right. A block of 6. Seen in the HL White Collection in the State Library of New South Wales

Scudder type 1 Sans serif capitals 21 x 2.5 mm in black, diagonal upwards from left to right. Die 1 and Die 2. Seen in a private collection

Scudder type 1 Sans serif capitals 21 x 2.5 mm in black, diagonal upwards from left to right. Die 2, variety "qoeensland", unused with part gum. Exceptionally rare as this variety only occurred once in each sheet. Ex Griffiths

Scudder type 1 Sans serif capitals 21 x 2.5 mm in black, diagonal upwards from left to right. Die 1 x 6 & Die II x 4. Seen at Phoenix auction no 6 lot no 867. Ex Ron Butler

Scudder type 1 Sans serif capitals 21 x 2.5 mm in black, diagonal upwards from left to right. Die 2. Seen on Ebay

Scudder type 1 Sans serif capitals 21 x 2.5 mm in black, diagonal upwards from left to right. Die 1. Seen on Ebay

Scudder type 1 Sans serif capitals 21 x 2.5 mm in black, diagonal upwards from left to right. Die 1 and die 2. Seen at Prestige Philately auction no 189 lot no 57 and then Status Stamps auction no 296 lot no 1717

Scudder type 1 Sans serif capitals 21 x 2.5 mm in black, diagonal upwards from left to right. Die 1. Seen at Millennium auctions sale no 10 lot no 163

Scudder type 1 Sans serif capitals 21 x 2.5 mm in black, diagonal upwards from left to right. Die 1. No gum. Seen at Status Stamps auction no 223 lot no 1924

Scudder type 1 Sans serif capitals 21 x 2.5 mm in black, diagonal upwards from left to right. Die 1. From the collection of Carl Burnett

Scudder type 1 Sans serif capitals 21 x 2.5 mm in black, diagonal upwards from left to right. Die 1. Seen in Sandafayre auctions

Scudder type 1 Sans serif capitals 21 x 2.5 mm in black, diagonal upwards from left to right. Die 1. Gum

Scudder type 1 Sans serif capitals 21 x 2.5 mm in black, inverted downwards from right to left. Die 1 and die 2. Ex Griffiths

Scudder type 1 Sans serif capitals 21 x 2.5 mm in black, inverted downwards from right to left. Die 1 and die 2. Seen in a private collection

Seen at Mossgreen auction no Lot no 446: Queensland: 1880 Surcharge 'Half-penny' on 1d Die I with large-part o.g. (re perforated), used with Rays cancel & with 'SPECIMEN' handstamp (full unmounted o.g.) and Die II SG 151a with large-part o.g., characteristic rough perfs, Cat £1300 plus the Specimen. Chris Ceremuga Certificate (2003) for the Specimen. Price Realized incl. BP:$552

Scudder type 1 Sans serif capitals 21 x 2.5 mm in black, diagonal upwards from left to right. Seen at Corinphila auctions 2018

Scudder type 1 Sans serif capitals 21 x 2.5 mm in black, inverted downwards from right to left. Seen at Corinphila auctions 2018

Scudder type 1 Sans serif capitals 21 x 2.5 mm in black, diagonal upwards from left to right. Seen at Corinphila auctions 2018