AUSTRALIA
RE-ENTRIES
Australia
has issued some lovely re-entries over the years. The best
source I have found so far for listings of these is THE
AUSTRALIAN COMMONWEALTH SPECIALISTS' CATALOGUE, published by
The Hawthorn Press, Melbourne. Here are some that I have
found so far.
Note that I am using the British way of listing plate positions here. Unlike most U.S. and Canadian stamps, which were generally issued in sheets or panes of 100 (10 X 10), Commonwealth countries with their Sterling currency system, issued stamps in sheets or panes which do not lend themselves easily to visual plate positions as ours based on ten rows of ten. Instead, their stamps could be in sheets or panes of 40 (8 rows of 5), 80 (8 rows of 10), 120 (10 rows of 12, or 12 rows of 10), or 240 (24 rows of 10), or what have you. Therefore, they generally identify plate position by row, followed by the position in the row (column). For example, the first Swan Neck re-entry seen below is identified as P2 R7/4. That is, Plate 2, Row 7, Stamp Number 4 in that row. Here in Canada, we would identify the same stamp as plate position #64. Yes, it does take a little getting used to.
*1
Australia
Scott #103 1929
1 1/2d
Dropped Roll Re-entry
The ‘Swan’ Re-entry
Plate 2 Row 7 #4 Major (R7/4)
Plate 6 Row 8 #4 Strong (R8/4)
on a sheet of 80 (8 X 10)
These stamps exhibit doubling of a narrow band down the centre of the design, including 'TR,' 'WE' and the neck of the swan, indicating that the transfer roll may have been dropped on the plate.
These two re-entries are obviously very similar and could easily be mistaken for each other.
The plates were printed in sheets of 80, 8 rows of 10. The lesser of the two, Plate 6, R8/4, is in the bottom row and can be found with selvedge attached along the bottom.
These often show up on eBay, and indeed I recently acquired a Registered cover there containing a pair of these with the Major Re-entry on the left stamp (added below close-ups).
These are listed and illustrated in The Australian Commonwealth Specialists' Catalogue as numbers S3d & S3e, respectively.
Pl.2
R7/4
Pl.6
R8/4
^ From the RETrimble Collection ^
^ From the RETrimble Collection ^
^ From the RETrimble Collection ^ Plate 2 Row 7 #4 Major (R7/4) Upper left corner stamp in block
^ From the RETrimble Collection ^ Plate 6 Row 8 #4 Strong (R8/4) Lower left corner stamp in block
*2
Australia
Scott #306
3 1/2d Christmas 1957
Sheet A, Row 10, No. 1 (R10/1)
on a sheet 10 X 8
This re-entry appears to be another dropped transfer roll, with a band of doubling through the near-middle of the design. Doubling is evident in the star at the top, in 'RISTMAS' and 'RALI.'
Note that due to its position on the plate, this re-entry is very often found with selvedge on the left side and bottom., ideally in a block of four.
*3
Australia
Scott #267
3 1/2d Royal Visit 1954
Sheet C, Row 8, No. 2 (R8/2)
on a sheet 8 X 10
This re-entry is similar to the above in that it too is a dropped roll variety, with a band of doubling through 'ROYAL VISIT,' '3 1/2D' and 'A.'
*4
Australia
Scott #258 1953-54
3 1/2d Definitive
There is sharp doubling of the outer left frame and the 3 1/2.
50X
*5
Australia
Scott #314
1d Definitive 1969-64
There is a slight re-entry in the bottom right corner.
50X
*6
Australia
Scott #C2 1931
6d Kingsford Smith’s World Flights
Major Re-entry
Position Row 5 No. 5
on a sheet of 8 X 10
This stamp exhibits yet another dropped roll, with doubling of a narrow band down the left-centre of the design, including 'ST' in AUSTRALIA, ‘FO’ in KINGSFORD, and ‘LD’ of WORLD.
*7
Australia
Scott #C3 & #O11 (Ovpt OS)
6d Air Mail Service 1931
Re-entry
Position Row 8, No. 3
in a sheet of 40 (8 X 5)
This re-entry is rather subtle. It is identified by the horizontal liness through the tops of 'TR' and the curved 'hooks' in 'L' & 'I.' There is also a diagonal line to the right of the left leg of of the 'A.'
This sheet was printed in 8 rows of 5 and is also found overprinted OS. While The Australian Commonwealth Specialists' Catalogue does not give a plate position, it is evident from my strip of 3 with the re-entry above the Imprint that it is from Row 8 No. 3.
Note: In the close-up, the mark visible in the bottom of the 'T' is NOT part of the re-entry; it is a mark on this particular copy. My other two copies do not have this mark.
Scott #O11
Scott #C3
*8
Australia
Scott #238A
6 1/2d Definitive 1951-52
Re-entry
Position Row 10, No. 4 (R10/4)
on a sheet of 8 X 10
This re-entry shows doubling of the lower left corner framelines and most of AUSTRALIA.
The same re-entry can also be found on the brown version of this stamp, S.G. #250
*9
Australia
Scott #C8 1958
2S Round the World Air Service
Re-entry
Position Row 7, No. 6 (R7/6)
This re-entry is found only in the final 'A' of AUSTRALIA.
*10
Australia
Scott #339
5d Christmas Issue 1960
Re-entry
Sheet A, Row 10, No. 10 (R10/10)
on a sheet of 10 X 12
This re-entry is visible in the 'IA' of AUSTRALIA, the '19' of 1960, and the 'f',' 'y,' and 'E' of the text on the Bible.
The Australian Commonwealth Specialists' Catalogue lists 4 other similar re-entries on this stamp, one of which is shown below.
*11
Australia
Scott #339
5d Christmas Issue 1960
Re-entry
Sheet ?, Row ?, No. ?
on a sheet of 10 X 12
This re-entry is extremely similar to the one above, but not nearly as strong in the date. Doubling is visible in the 'A' of AUSTRALIA, the '9' of 1960, and the 'f',' 'y,' and 'E' of the text on the Bible.
*12
Australia
Scott #104 1930
1 1/2d
Re-entry
There is slight doubling of the bottom frameline.
*13
Australia
Scott #316 1959-64
3 1/2d
Re-entry
There is doubling vertically along the left side, including the 3.
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*14 |
Australia Scott #186 1940 3d Strong Re-entry There is sharp doubling of the bottom of the design, including the lower lettering.
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50X
50X
50X
50X |
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*15 |
Australia Scott #193 1942-44 2d Re-entry There is a small re-entry showing at the left of the lower-centre tablet, in 'TAG,' and the lower right vertical frame. |
50X
50X
50X |
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*16 |
Australia Scott #194 1942-44 2 1/2d Major Re-entry There is sharp doubling of the entire right side, and bottom of the design.
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50X
50X
50X
50X |
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*17 |
Australia Scott #C4 1934 1sh6d Re-entry There is a sharp re-entry of the left side, including the value tablet.
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50X |
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*18 |
Australia Scott #C4 1934 1sh6d Re-entry There is a nice twisted re-entry showing in the UL, LL, and LR corners. |
50X
50X
50X |
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*19 |
Australia Scott # Re-entry T
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*21 |
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*23 |
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*24 |
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*25 |
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*26 |
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*27 |
*
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*28 |
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*29 |
*
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*30 |
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Ralph E. Trimble
Specialist
in BNA Re-entries
[email protected]