1942 2½d KGVI Showing Extensive Over-Inking Of Red Ink

Yes, that is pretty ugly, but neat in a perverse way. I would guess that the majority of these, if found, were quickly discarded as seconds. I'll keep a lookout for its twin, though.

Very unusual, not seen anything like it.
My first thoughts were "printers waste"

Hi Partime

I would call it "homely". The provenance is lacking though I did find out it was sold at a post office, I'll be showing this at the ACCC to see if any more info can come to light.

Rob

My feeling is that the stamp had once come into contact with some chemical, causing the ink to run.

Hi Rod222

It is quite an unusual stamp, and likewise I too have never seen one like it before and I've been collecting varieties, thin papers etc for 43 years.

When I read your post that your first thoughts were that it could be a printer's waste (I collect them too), I asked the dealer I bought the stamp from could it be a printer's waste, I was assured that it was bought from a post office and that most likely the over-inking may have affected a small number of stamps on one sheet.

It most likely was sent out to post offices with other sheets unnoticed.

Rob

To me it looks like a smudge error. The only part of the frame that has ink smudged is the top part, and you can see the drag lines as well. Likely a one off and not a constant variety as the plate would not have had the smudges in the upper margin. Don't know if this is a rotary printing, which might explain the smudging if foreign matter such as a thin slice of paper got between the roller and the stamp.

I see it as a problem either with the ink viscosity, or the paper.
To see ink migrate in the substance of the paper, is very odd.
Remain with "printers waste" for mine.

Hi rod222 and shermae






I had just spoken to the Juzwin's and I was informed that it may or may not be part of the material stolen from the Note Printing Branch in the 1940s, as all the stolen material sold are normally seen in pairs or blocks, not in single stamps.

The Juzwin's has never seen a single of this type before and it may be the result of it being issued as an undetected one-off.

So as to speak, it may and it may not be "printer's waste" and as it is the only single copy seen so far, no-one will ever know the true provenance of the stamp.

It will remain a mystery.

Rob

Over inking is fairly common in the 1914-38 KGV printings.

But for how long ? Oftentimes information turns up.
Still a nice example to have in one's collection.

Hi Rod

I hate unsolved mysteries, hopefully something will give some insight into the variety eventually.

Rob

Found out that there is a possibility only one may exist, and if there are any more there would likely be less than 10.

Rob

Rob041256... desirable stamp for many oddity collectors.

Hi finches

It's quite a desirable variety that is for sure; when I spoke about the stamp at the ACCC meeting (Australian Commonwealth Collector's Club of NSW), Dr. Geoff Kellow said it is a rare stamp.

He and others at the club has never seen one like it and neither have I, and I've been collecting stamps for 43 years.

I have a few varieties that range from very scarce to extremely rare, but this stamp is my favourite (at the moment).

Rob