Would Like Help With Australian Royal Flying Doctor Issue

I have dozens of the 7d Australian Royal Flying Doctor stamp from 1957.
I know there is a variety and for the life of me, I can't seem to see it.
Does anyone by any chance have it that they could put a photo up of the full stamp with an arrow or something pointing to the variety, and then possibly a photo of that specific area so that I can see what I am looking for?
It's been driving me slowly crazy for years.
Thank you. I would be thrilled to finally be able to see what I am looking at.

Suzanne,

Are you referring to the re-entry (also known as the "wandering dot" variety)?

Kim

Hi Kim

That's probably what I am talking about. Right now my catalogue is downstairs and I'm not. I knew there was a name for it. Just couldn't remember. I just posted this question while I thought about it.

I'm not sure I can find the stamp in my collection, so I'll have to describe it for right now --

The re-entry is below the "AUSTRALIA". However, the same plate has a known flaw called the "wandering dot". The position of the dot varies slightly among 4 known stages (hence the name, "wandering dot"). The approximate location of the dot is along the Southeast coast of Australia -- to be specific, it appears on the EASTERN coast of Australia just north of the island of Tasmania. If the map were to show the state boundaries, it would essentially be along the coast near the border of Victoria and New South Wales. The dot appears between the coastline and the diagonal shading of the inner continent.

I don't remember where mine is, so I'll see if I can pilfer some high resolution scan off the web or maybe scan from one of my resource books, give me a little time...

k

Thanks, take all the time you need. I appreciate any help I can get. If or when you do find some scans, that would be great. I would really still like to see them.
At least now I am sure that your description will help me. It's almost 2am here, so a bit late to be looking for details on stamps, but I will certainly be checking them out later.
I think I will head off to sleep now, and dream of the next stamp show.
Night night.
Suzanne

Well, you inspired me to look for my Scott Australia album (it's been missing since last year), and I found it!! (not as easy as it sounds)

Unfortunately, I did not put the plate varieties in that album. I usually keep these separate, but who knows where I put them?! I've got to quit that bad habit of keeping them separate.





But I was able to pilfer something off the web. You may have to click on the scans to make them bigger. The top scan is the original. In the bottom scan, I have drawn a small red circle around the dot. It only appears on the top left stamp of that block of 6. You can barely see it, but that's the highest resolution scan I've been able to find. If you compare the top and bottom scans, you should be able to see the dot. Or, in the top scan, if you compare the top left stamp to the others, you should also be able to see the dot. The dot is easier to spot than the actual re-entry (my opinion).

Now let me see if I can find my resource book...

From the SG Catalogue of Commonwealth Plate and Cylinder Varieties 1952-1980:



Let me know if you find one!

k

Finally a question on an Australian stamp, and it gets thoroughly answered while I'm at work Nice work khj. I have nothing much to add, unless you want to hear how they think it happened.

Balf

I absolutely do!

Just don't tell me the one about the ant crawling across the plate...

k

PS -- do you have a good pic showing/hiliting the re-entry below AUSTRALIA? I also heard there was a variety in which the last "A" was also modified, but I'm wondering if the source got it mixed up with another stamp. Any info/verification on this is greatly appreciated.

Ha ha, don't be silly, it wasn't an ant at all, it was a clover mite..

This stamp was surface printed (rotary recess.) From a single alto plate, four nickel electrotype plates (electros) were manufactured. Without going extensively into the process of electrotypy, the nickel plates are grown in an electrolytic bath. It's thought that some sort of flexible material like a fibre had become attached or embedded in the alto plate during it's production. When each of the nickel plates was grown, the unattached tip of the fibre had moved a little, so each electro had a raised bump in a slightly different position. The 4 plates explains the 4 different positions.

The wandering dot is actually associated with the recut frame and weak entry under the AUSTRA, which was a master plate retouch. So the wandering dot appears with the retouch. It appears as a lighter area under AUSTRAL, which you can see in the block you posted. I don't have this in my collection, so I can't post a "live" example.

The only other recorded varieties are a roller shift between the 7d and the lower right corner, and a rare offset, of which only one sheet was discovered. I've never heard of the last A being modified.

Balf

Thanks for the production info, Balf!



Yes, I see it now, thank you! The SG catalog was very vague regarding what exactly I should be looking for. That's why I always looked for the dot!



Neither had I. So I am going to continue in my assumption that the source was mistaken. Thought I'd toss it at you since you seemed to be very familiar with this issue.

Thanks again, Balf!

k

FANTASTIC!!

Thank you so much Kim for the help. That is an amazing photo, and finally I know exactly where to look.

Balf, your information is excellent as well. I really appreciate all the help from everyone.

Thank you.
Suzanne

You are very welcome!

Remember to let us know if you find one!