Used 10/- Coronation Specimen

It's a mystery to me. I do not think it was a commercial cancellation but a CTO. I would think the post office would refuse to cancel the 10/- SPECIMEN overprint, but it seems not all will adhere to that rule, or the employee had no idea what a SPECIMEN is. A stamp is rendered non-usable with the overprint. When a collector's pack is bought, all high value stamps were overprinted 'SPECIMEN' and the smaller value were cancelled-to-order (CTO).

Does the possibility exist that the stamp was commercially used and the specimen overprint is faked?

The S looks a bit watery (for want of a better word) to me at first glance.

Hi Bobby De La Rue

The overprint is authentic. I just spoke to the stamp specialist I bought the stamp from and he said that the overprint is genuine and the cancellation is commercial as all CTO stamps were done in Melbourne.

The cancellation of this stamp is from Brisbane.

Thanks for letting us know Rob

An interesting addition to the collection!

Is it gummed?

Hi rogdcam

No it doesn't.

Rob

Rob,

Can you date the cancel?


John

Hi 64idgaf

I tried by using a powerful magnifier, retro reveal and then a microscope to no avail, the date is too faint to read.

If you can give me a text string of 3 letters
I can search my 20,000 postmark database.

I can see BA but the third character, not from here.

Looks like a "Y", which would narrow it down to a few hundred bays.

I mean no offense to anyone but as Bobby stated the overprint does not look right. The overall alignment and the size of the overprint letters is different from all I have seen. The right leg of the "N" rising higher than the left leg and the level of the first "E" relative to it's letter neighbors is just off to me.

Not so fast, grasshopper.
59 to be exact
then we have to isolate those with an "H"
Leaves only one BAYSWATER NORTH (Victoria)
That doesn't fit, so BAY is poss incorrect.

I agree, the opt looks dodgy in my humble opinion.
Only one route, a certificate.

I wonder...
Does a handstruck CDS on a high value 10/- add to the negatives?

Here are a few more overprints to ponder. I thought the later ones only reduced the value of stamps.

Maybe post a close up of the original stamp above? It looks okay to me since the horizontal lines of the stamp play with the letter edges.

Hi rod222

I'll try again to see if I can identify the third letter.

Rob

Cheers Rob,
I cannot see / locate the time /date strip.
That may determine if the "B" is the first letter.
If not that may hinder / or prove another

All round, a very curious item, hope you eventually solve it.

Hi rogdcam


I have a few specimens in my large collection of KGVI Coronation stamps that have variety misplacement of fonts similar to the slight placement of fonts on this stamp, the 'SPECIMEN' is quite legit.