NZ Newspaper Stamp With Unlisted Wmk

Hi, the image attached shows a watermark not listed in Scott or in SG.

Scott lists this stamp as either wmk 59, 62 or 64, none of which have a wmk that is circular, whether single- or double-lined.

Anyone familiar with this one? I do need to get rid of the hinge...

Thanks, Ray

This is part of a sheet watermark that framed the whole sheet. Someone will have to check which listed watermark this matches up with.

This is not uncommon to find in Victorian era stamps. Search "sheet watermark" or "papermaker's watermark" for other posts covering this.

No doubt it is an "O" from "POSTAGE".

Per NSK, the sheet watermark reads NEW ZEALAND POSTAGE. No confirmation, but I suspect this was used on any of the watermarked paper choices possible.

This pretty much cannot be from the 1873 issue since the squared circle postmark was not used until 1882 in New Zealand. I can't read the year date with the last two digits of the year following "13 FE"; you might be able to see it better in person. The color would be the other key but the color on this stamp varies indicating either fading or oxidation. If I had to guess, it would be the dull shade of 1875; the 1892 shades tend to be very much more vivid. Your mileage may vary.

I see Pmk 13 DE 8? over 4
13th December 8-
Possibly MURCHISON (squared Circle)

I see dull examples well into the 1890's
but may be from soaking

The stamp has been struck twice.

No mention here of the margin watermark
https://collectables.nzpost.co.nz/newspaper-stamp/

The first issue was on the paper used for the revenue stamps and had a large NZ watermark which appeared 100 times. As the newspaper stamp was a lot smaller than the revenue stamps, the sheets contained 240 stamps in 20 rows of 12. There was therefore no registration between the stamps and the watermark and partial and no watermark varieties are the norm.
http://www.nzstamps.org.uk/p74/half.html

The Postage Stamps of New Zealand Volume 1 mentions the marginal watermarks, with an illustration IIRC.