1965 5-D Red Stamp With Non-Helecon Ink On Cover

From the June 2019 Stamp and Coin Expo at Hurstville, Sydney. The very rare 5d stamp printed with non-Helecon ink (UV checked) from the booklet "EDITION G6". Posted at Launceston, Tasmania on February 10, 1966; only 4 days prior to decimalisation. A pane of 6 with booklet with front cover of non-Helecon stamps (bought a few years ago) is on the right.

Only a very limited amount of these stamps were used on cover.



Rob

Is helecon some kind of "invisible" coating like phosphor?

Rob....As of 1998 according to BW Cat' only 4 Booklets bearing non-helecon ink from 8.6 million made, your envelope appears a lottery win. 20 years ago Helecon was popular side branch of collecting to my recollection.

Hi Noocassel

Helecon ink and Helecon paper were used in certain issues of pre-decimal QEII stamps, all 5d red stamps are printed with Helecon incorporated into the ink, the ink is inert when not exposed to ultraviolet light, but will glow when exposed to UV light.

It is a type of phosphorus.

Rob

Hi finches

It sure is a lottery win; especially that the envelope was addressed to Tattersall's. There are only about 6 to 8 booklets known and about the same with the pane of 6 with the Edition G6 cover, as shown in my post. The cover is very rare and not many exist.

The majority of these stamps on cover are mostly postmarked on the mainland, Tasmanian postmarks are seldom seen and enhances the rarity of the cover.

What you have read in the 1998 BW is the same in the 2019 edition as well.

Rob