Australia Mitchell Issue, 1946

I believe that this issue was printed in Sheets of 100 ( 120) that were then cut into panes of 25 ( 30) for distribution to Post Offices. Having run across this larger multiple brings up the question of whether or not full sheets or half sheets, like this example, were regularly available for purchase by the public either at local post offices or from a central Agency. You do see multples coming up occasionally on Ebay. Anyone out there know?

I apologize in advance for the poor picture quality. These half sheets do not fit on my scanner so a cell phone photo was my only option.






***Image link fixed by Mod***

Hi backroads. Was math your favorite subject in school? Just kidding, but your sheetlets are 30 stamps, not 25!


Peter

. … seven, eight, nine, ten ….and another one, and another one and ….

Had best go back and edit the original.

Decimalisation!

Sheets would've been available during the normal course of PO business surely?

I suppose there would've been folks buying sheets of new issues, although three pounds for a sheet of the shilling was no small sum in 1946!

I just do not know if there was anything equivalent to a central Post Office which specialized in Philatelic sales. I wondered if only the trimmed sheets were sent to individual town and city post offices.

For example, at some point in the 1970s, all the sheets sent to individual Post Offices in Canada had all the Printing information trimmed off. If you, as a collector, wanted Plate Blocks, you had to buy them from the Philatelic Division of the Post Office in Ottawa.

I just wondered if there was a similar arrangement for these.

Backroads,
The master plate for the Two Pence Halfpenny was of 360 impressions (6 groups of 60) and they were issued to the post offices in sheets of 60.
There was a composite master plate for the Three Pence Halfpenny (180) and One Shilling (180). They were also issued to the Post Offices in sheets of 60.

Source: ACSC KGVI CATALOGUE - 2019 AUSTRALIAN COMMONWEALTH SPECIALISTS' CATALOGUE BW 4TH EDITION KING GEORGE VI

Interesting. That means then that the sheets of 60 that I have were easily obtained. The full sheets must be absolutely massive in size though.

Would the central guidelines indicate that the three and a half pence and the one shilling are from the bottom of the original pane while the two and a half pence was from the top?

That's correct - and the middle sheets have the lines extending into both the upper and lower margins.

2½d: The 2½d master plate had 360 impressions in six groups of 60 (sheets A, B over C, D, over E, F).each comprising left and right panes of 30 in 6 horizontal rows of 5, divided a vertical gutter with 2 defacing lines. These lines extended through the lower margin of the upper sheets. From a single alto plate, four nickel electrotype plates were manufactured.

3½d & 5½d: For the 3½d & 5½d, a composite steel master plate 360-on was laid down, consisting of 180 impressions of each value, each arranged in three groups of 60 (3½d – sheets A over B over C; 5½d - sheets A, B, C) comprising left and right panes of 30 in 6 horizontal rows of 5 (3½), or upper and lower panes of 30 in 5 horizontal rows of 6 (5½d), with two defacing lines in the gutter. These lines extend through the lower margin of the upper sheets, both margins of the middle sheets, and the left margin of the right sheets (for the 5½). From a single composite alto plate, three nickel electrotype plates were manufactured which were divided before printing.

2½d: 97,560,000
3½d: 5,580,000
5½d: 8,100,000

Rob041256

I think you mean the 1/- not the 5½d.

There was no 5½d.

The 1/- Mitchel had 9,401,160 stamp printed according to ACSC 2015. Your copy may be a later edition of course (is there a later edition?). If so, then it's likely to be more accurate.

I see no middle sheet. Rather one Upper and two Lower sheets; the 2½d being the Upper sheet.

Hi Black Swan

I just noticed my entire post is incorrect.