New South Wales Perfin Os-Nsw

Hi Frank,

I think we might have different types. The top of my S is above the O and my O is more circular.

Nice stamps you've shown by the way

I should've said that it is probably the latest known usage of the OS NSW with 10 holes in the S on a NSW stamp.

NSW issued a number of official perfin stamps:

1895 GR - for Government Railways
1902 OS - for Federal government departments
1902 OSNSW - for state government departments
1907 GSB - for Government Savings Bank

A variety of postcards were perforated OSNSW or GR for different departments, usually with a printed form letter on the reverse. All are fairly scarce, the rarest being a card with an additional black border issued for the Geological Survey of NSW in 1910, mourning the death of King Edward VII.

Does anyone know of any article that attempts to present all of the information known on official perfins on New South Wales stamps? Please post the author, source and date of the article here if you do.

I posted this in a much smaller thread in a more general Stamp Community forum but it seems worth repeating here:

Bassett-Hull, the great philatelist and author from the late 19th / early 20th century (when these stamp were issued) tells us that 'OS' stands for 'On Service'.

Many times in forums you will see suggestions that it stands for 'Official Service'. Although the usage was for official government purposes, the easiest way to remember the correct meaning of the letters is to remember 'On Her Majesty's Service' (OHMS) without the "Her Majesty's".

Apart from Basset Hull the only other reference I'm aware of is what Hutson has in his book.

Thanks Bobby, I have read the Hutson section, it contains some very useful information.

Since my previous post, I have found an easy reference guide provided by Dave Elsmore that gives a good overview of the range of 'Official Aussie Perfins':

http://www.perfins.com.au/Official-...-Elsmore.pdf

A good reference, if a bit early, is in Australian Philatelist Vol. XIV p 134 (1908) with a second part in the next issue. Royal Sydney Philatelic Club has a copy in its library.

Thanks Osiris - I will order a copy.