Australian Watermarks Illustrated.

For use in your Australian albums.





*** Moved by Staff to a more appropriate forum. ***

You will also find the Aussie watermark chart on this thread

https://goscf.com/t/8191

this also gives the relevant watermark #

regards Harry

I have this "Cheat Sheet" that I find helpful with the Australian KGV stamps- except the prices are from 2001 and don't deal with varieties?
If anyone is interested,email me and I can send it to you.
There maybe a few errors, I am kinda new to this and still learning as I go along...

Nice one plsllvn, I'll email you.

Anyone who can help me with that cheat sheet - or a similar one ?

Australia KGV definitive issues from 1914-1938'

As seen from the back of the stamp. Nice place to post this Rod.

Hi Markmus1968.

There is so many prices to make a cheat sheet that they are all a huge compromise.

ACSC is the book of choice for pricing. It is about 2" thick.

Prices have not changed very much really since 2001.

Some of the very top end of these issues sell wildly but mostly it is the bulk lots that have gone up in price more than a single stamp.

Hope this helps.

Always Happy Stamping KGV.

Hi. Newbie here.

Sorry, I know this is an old topic but it's new to me. I am just learning about watermarks and discovered on one of my Victoria Australia stamps that it has a crown with the 3 large circles on top like the centre bottom row of the first picture in this topic but with a V coming out of the top of the crown. I believe it to be a V4 watermark. Is the watermark meant to have the crown the same way up as the image on the stamp? Looking at the image the right way up, the watermark looks like a triple waterslide with an uncrossed A underneath it.

Oh, and the stamp is a Victorian Two Pence Half Penny dark blue Tannenberg design with "Postage" written on it.

Thank you for your assistance.
I'm already learning so much from reading the forums before joining to chat. I look forward to learning much more.

L

LP,
old post additions are welcomed, it creates a better knowledge base.
Well done you.
TIP: Please try and Identify your stamps to the best of your ability
What catalogue you are using,
The year and catalogue number (if possible)

I do not want to scour through the listings looking for a 2.5d blue, I may even get the incorrect stamp.

Do you recognise the Wmk from these ? see numbers 34 and 46

Thank you rod222 for your quick response and welcome.

As I said, I am new to this. I only have my father's old catalogue at this stage. It is "The Pocket Australian Stamp Catalogue" with stamps only from 1913-68. I am looking to get the Stanley Gibbons Australian digital one as soon as I can afford it.

I have only just picked up my fathers and my old stamp collection to start up again for the first time in 25 years. My father is still alive and loving the memories I am giving him as I go through all his stamps. He is very keen to learn more about it all like myself.

It is definitely watermark 46.
Here are 3 images. Stamp front. Stamp back. Stamp back with contrast added for definition. You can clearly see through the back of the stamp to see it is photographed right way up.

Is it a rare thing to be upside down back in those days or did the printers just pop the sheets in whichever way?

Good luck with that, not my choice.
Pick up a kicked and abused Gibbons on ebay for pennies, if you wish.
I employ Scott Catalogue, for my worldwide.

Your stamp is Sc#221 1905 Type A50.
It was carried aboard a cover that was Registered, identified by the red wax crayon and the large "R" cancellation.
Yes Wmk V over Crown
Type 46 in the image above.

I'll consult my well thumbed Gibbons for anything further.
Gibbons#359 1901 dull blue
Wmk : Gibbons do not specify in my specialist catalogue on rotation, they deem it unnecessary as the sheets could be fed in either direction.

Specialists here in this forum may offer a differing opinion.
I would mount the stamp with your observation, or lightly pencil "inv" on the back.
Readers will probably be up in arms, but I feel it better to mark the stamp than lose it later.
Mounting and writing then best husbandry. Do not do an a mint stamp.




Wmk identification and rotation, is a labour of love, and will challenge you as a stamp collector.
It can result in a stamp worth thousands of dollars, but its like panning for gold, you have do do 1000's of hours of donkey work, and even then it may be fruitless. It's up to you.
Main Wmk ID is on the Kangaroos and KGV sidefaces, then it is a "must"

For new collectors of Victoria.
Sometimes easily missed.
Stamp Duty v Postage
Not my stamps.

I didn't notice that. I thought it was just a postmark. Does that mean it is unused? (but obviously not mint because of the markings)

I've been going through these stamps for days - I'm afraid it will be years before I have it all mounted and marked correctly. So much more to take into account than just which country and year they were printed (which was all I knew before rekindling this hobby). Who knew there were so many variations of lyrebirds! haha.

Thank you so much for your information. I'll look into getting both the Stanley Gibbons Australia and the Scott Catalogue as soon as possible. I have heaps of old foreign stamps to sort out too.

Certainly used,
Registration was a means to insure a postal item against loss in transit
Usually marked with a red or blue cross in wax crayon.

It signified the older usage of string tied around a package and sealed with wax

"R" for Registration
Author : Bobby DelaRue of this forum


Catalogues:
consider them "Stamp languages" each with their different takes and information

Scott will be the most prevalent throughout the internet, buying off ebay etc.
It will be wise to speak this language.

Gibbons for Brit Commonwealth esp for depth, awkward catalogues to get used to. Beats Scott for Brit info.

Michel Catalogue, Europe and Gulf states, amazing depth.

Australia, suggest
Scott
Gibbons.
and when you get really serious the language of Brusden White (Our Bible)
Very expensive.

Try not to approach Philately as a race, it is never ending, wander down its pathways, smell the roses and just enjoy the pastime.
It is a friend for life.

Welcome Lpet, excellent images, intelligent questions.

These stamps were printed on sheets of watermarked paper that were twice the size of the stamp plate. They had to pass through the printing press twice. Half of the sheet would be printed then removed, turned and reinserted for printing on the other half..

This meant half the sheet had the watermark upright and half inverted.

So, nothing special about an inverted watermark. The ratio of upright to inverted was 50:50.

LPet, the big treasure to be found amongst those stamps is the sideways watermark.

Current Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £950.00 or about AU$1800.00.