1980-S Cyprus Specimen Stamps

I'm finally getting around to sorting through an accumulation of worldwide glassines I purchased a couple of years ago. There is a group of glassines for Cyprus from the mid-1980s with the stamps marked 'Specimen'. There appears to be about 110 different stamps. I'm in the United States and use the Scott catalogues. I find nothing in the catalogue addressing 'Specimen' stamps (I didn't expect to find anything).

This is a collecting area way outside my area of experience or knowledge. How are these Cyprus 'Specimen' stamps typically valued? Like mint? Like used? Some other value? Any information on how to approach working with these stamps would be most appreciated.

Thank you.

http://www.upu.int/en.html ... Every country overprints stamps, postal stationery, etc, with "SPECIMEN" ... for submission to the UTU.

http://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_cen.../usmu010.asp ... full text of the UPU Treaty of 18741009

http://www.wnsstamps.post/en ... The World Association for the Development of Philately (WADP) and the Universal Postal Union (UPU) jointly conceived and developed the WADP Numbering System (WNS) which was launched on 1 January 2002.

http://www.jamesbendon.com ... my go-to guy for UPU specimen stamps

https://www.linns.com/news/world-st...st-have.html ... Linn's book review ... Revised edition of "UPU Specimen Stamps 1878-1961"

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey

Lots of fakes floating around . We would like to see your collection of these overprints posted here .

A Cyprus dealer I know sells these for 1.50-2 Euro/stamp. They are not rare or unusual - just a "limited edition" (like every stamp or FDC, LOL) collectible product that Cyprus Post released to collectors.

-k-

Cyprus stamps overprinted Specimen are distributed to the UPU as well as agents of the Cyprus Postal Services abroad and are also, through an arrangement, given to the members of the Cyprus Philatelic Society with the renewal of their annual membership subscription.
If I am not mistaken, the Cyprus Philatelic Society instigated/encouraged the production of these specimen stamps in order to offer their members something 'extra' with their annual subscription.
Each subscription is entitled to a complete year of specimen stamps and it is not unusual for members to have multiple subscriptions (and hence entitled to more sets).
Although the Philatelic Bureau does keep stock of these specimen stamps, they are not otherwise distributed and are finally destroyed save for a small archive.
These Specimen stamps first started being issued just after the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus in 1960.
Value of these specimen issues are subjective, some dealers try take advantage of the 'specimen' aspect of the stamps but in reality they are nothing special.
Specimen issues prior to 1960 are, however a different kettle of fish.

Nice commentary Moose, thank you.

Thanks to all for the responses -- very much appreciated. I should have been more specific in my original posting. I understand the whys and wherefores of the 'Specimen' overprint. I've just never dealt with them in my experience. The stamps are in the glassines in they were in in the large hoard of stamps I purchased a couple of years ago. They will likely remain in the glassines as they don't fit my collecting interests or needs. I will not be mounting them, so scanning is not really a viable option. They will be used for trading or auction material at my local stamp club.

Again, thanks for the replies. They were helpful.