Kangaroo Stamps And Die 1 Vs. Die 2 For Weak Printings

Hello,

the die I vs. II of the Kangaroo stamps is a (not) broken line at the lower left area. It's easy to detect for stamps which have a good printing and inking. But there are many Kangaroo stamps where this line is broken again and again all around, like this one (just took one of the first stamps I saw in this shop which has nice scans always - thank you, FDS).

https://www.fairdinkumstamps.com/pr...p/k01103.htm

So how do you proceed in defining the die if the line has several broken steps near the die I/II area? Is it always exactly the same line (count from below) for all Kangaroo stamps, and does it have to have a certain degree, like half a mm?

Or, are there other additional things to consider whether a stamp is die I or II if the broken line area is not certain by 100% if the stamp has a weak inking?

Stamperix,

The Die I break is in the left inner frame between the shading line that aligns with the top of the words of value and the line above that.

See this halfpenny roo for a good example

Some stamps such as the First Watermark One Shilling roo you refer to above only exist as Die II, so that makes the job easier.

Where stamps of the same watermark exist as both Die I and Die II, the Die I break is the determining factor. If the break is unclear due to a particularly poor or blotchy print then, apart from shades that might only exist for a particular die, the other means is to identify any plate varieties (flaws) or characteristics associated with the die.

The flaws are listed in specialist literature such as the BW ACSC Kangaroos catalogue.

Some stamps such as the 3d kangaroos have defining characteristics to help separate the dies - e.g. teardrop shape ball at the top of the numeral 3 on the much rarer die II 3d (in addition to lack of die I break and without die IIB characteristics).

Thank you very much, that was very helpful, as always.