Well, I like to add stuff like that to my Spanish collection because it adds interest. A lot of Spanish collectors won't touch it. I've never been exactly sure why it's called that, other than because they are sheets the printers use to test the various processes and should have been destroyed. You can find lots of this (usually from the 1870's-1880's issues) on the net, especially on
ebay.
For the record, the image on yours is of the 10c in the regular issued set of 1879 (don't have a Scott's handy at the moment). It's not a telegraph issue per se, but were used for both postage and telegraph purposes. Which is why you find some with a telegraph "punch" cancel.
Some sellers I've seen like to describe this type of item as "errors" or "proofs", neither of which is correct. Some of these printers waste items (maculaturas in Spanish) can be found with 3 images on them, overlapped, turned 90 degrees from each other, and even with images of different denominations overlapping with each other.
Posted 02/23/2013 9:44 pm
