B. C. O. F. Double Overprint On Cover

A new addition to my B.C.O.F. collection. Only 2 are known to exist, I'm hunting down the other.



B.C.O.F. 3d with double overprint

Rob

Nice one Rob. Thanks for sharing it.

Rob: That's a lovely piece but I can't help wondering if this is the 3mm displacement item of which only 2 copies are known, or the 1mm displacement which is more common, as noted in ACSC Section 7 (copy below). 3mm would put the lighter impression of the top of first A in JAPAN out as far as the oval frame.



Frank.

Good find Rob - always good on cover!

Based upon the writeup and the details of the cover, this does appear to be the more common 1mm shift.

Hi Frank and revenuecollector.

I can assure you it is the scarcer overprint, (it also has the same cancellation details), I bought this cover from Richard Juzwin (it was advertised as being only 2 known, it cost me $2,975), his brother Andy confirmed that there is only two in existence and it is the 3mm displacement, these guys are known internationally relating to their expertise on Australian pre-decimal stamps.

I was offered a 3mm displacement mint unhinged as well for around $1,600, but turned it down as the overprint on cover was the scarcest and the acquisition I was most interested in.

I'll be seeing Chris (Ceremuga) in January to get it certified to confirm Richard's and Andy's statement, but I'm confident he will confirm the statement made by the Juzwins.

I'll be going to the Australian Commonwealth Collector's Club on January 21 and will be speaking first in the stamps of special interest section, I'll be showing it to Geoff Kellow, Michael Drury and Scott Starling at the club along with the 1959 5d Blue QEII that is imperforate on the left, between stamp and sheet margin, there is only 10 in existence.

Rob

Hi Bobby De La Rue

It is best to get this particular stamp on cover, I've seen one cut off the cover (why? I ask), and I have seen one in mint unhinged condition, a very nice stamp but the cover was what I wanted.

Rob

Hi KGVIStamps

It's a pleasure displaying these beautiful rare stamps, in the next 24 hours I will be uploading a very difficult to obtain collection of 1959-60 5d blue QEII stamps.

There will be the extremely rare imperforate stamp which only 10 are known to exist, plus various stages of scarce cracked plates and paper types.

Rob

Rob:

The thing that had me confused was that ACSC seems to consider only 1 type of double overprint - J3ca - with two different shifts noted - 1mm (approx) and 3mm.

It looks as if the 1mm case is in fact two distinct types with a third for the 3mm case, yielding:

1. The more common 1mm type per:

2. This and your somewhat less than 1mm type per:

3. The 3mm case.

(Images from ACSC Section 7.)

Perhaps ACSC should bite the bullet and recognize them as 3 different varieties, particularly as they seem to be settling into their separate price ranges.

I don't understand the last post. 3 types, but only 2 images, and the images don't match the preceding lead-ins. That second image is most certainly NOT a 1mm shift. It's definitely 3mm.

The Juzwins are on holidays until January 7, I'll have to wait until then before I query them on the double overprint, the cover was listed as only 2 known to exist, but I will ask them to give more detail on the cover.

Rob

RevenueCollector:

you are right, I've made a pretty bad mess of this - mostly due to my poor 80-year-old eyes. But you have pointed me in the right direction, so here I go again.

1. Weaker overprint 1mm displacement to the left and slightly upwards. Most common (least rare?) type.
ACSC image

2. Weaker overprint less than 1mm displacement to the left. Presumably this includes both Rob's copy, postmarked ?7 NO 47, and the copy referred to in ACSC under Note 6, postmarked ?? NO 47, both from No. 8 Aust. Base P.O.
Rob041256 image

3. Weaker overprint 3mm to the right. This postmark looks like 11 NO 47 and could also be from No. 8 Aust. Base P.O.
ACSC image

What got me off track before was that Rob's new acquisition (2 above) and the 3mm displacement overprint (3 above) bear cancellations from the same place

Rob:

[quote]Andy confirmed that there is only two in existence and it is the 3mm displacement/quote]

I still can't see your copy as being 3mm displacement. I know that I have trouble with images that don't have much dynamic range but from your image, it looks like less than 1mm to the left. The width of each letter is only about 3mm which, in the ACSC example, puts the light impression F clear to the right of B.C.O.F.

So are we talking about the same thing?

Frank.

Hi itma

That is what was written by the Juzwins "One of two presently recorded covers - Very Rare". And if it is only 2 recorded covers and there is only 2 recorded covers of the 3mm, then I would assume it is the 3mm displaced overprint.

When the Juzwins open on January 7, I'll get more information on the overprint, it would be good to get more information on it, and when it is given to Chris Ceremuga I'll get him to put some light onto it as well.

Rob

Hi Everyone

Hope your Xmas and New Year were enjoyable.

I just spoke to one of the Juzwins about the double overprint on cover and whether or not it is the 3mm misplaced overprint.

The verdict - no it isn't the 3mm misplaced overprint.
Is it rarer than the 3mm misplaced overprint? - yes it is.

And this is why.

The 3d 3mm misplaced overprint are single used stamps and are not known to be on cover, the overprint on the cover I have is not as rare as the 3mm misplaced overprint if it were not on cover, but as it is and only two are known to exist the stamp on cover is actually rarer than the 3mm misplaced overprint being referred to.

Rob

So the ACSC writeup is incorrect?