Queen Victoria NSW 3d Green With Red O S Varieties.

Printed between 1882 to 1894, with the rare red overprint with a 7mm spacing in orange red on a QV 3d yellow-green, with a perforation of 12 x 11, and the watermark showing a "large crown / NSW" inverted, variety overprint inkling upwards.

This extremely rare stamp is in mint unhinged condition and shows the tilted overprint is a positional variety and not merely a shift. Only one pane was printed and this variety is the only known example in this condition. It is probably a trial or unissued printing.

Printed in 1879, with the rare "O S" red overprint with a 7mm spacing on a QV 3d dull green, with a rough perforation 13, and the watermark "small crown / NSW". The overprint is greatly shifted to the left, with part of the cds "SYDNEY".

The second stamp is only known in used condition, of which 3,000 were printed but with a very small survival rate, and unusual with such a shifted overprint of only several are known to exist (believed to be no more than 10), this stamp is certified as rare.

The third stamp with the red overprint on a yellow-green QV 3d is yet to be added to this part of the collection to form a set, this stamp has no errors. An insert of the yet to be included stamp is shown.

Very interesting Rob

Thanks, they are very interesting stamps.

Thanks for posting these, Rob.

Could you please provide the source(s) for your comments on the stamps?

The famous Guybon John Hutson, in his book 'The Stamps of New South Wales' (1960, RPS London) regards the status of the Watermark Crown and NSW (II) ("large crown / NSW in your post) red overprints as "worse than doubtful", suggesting that the Perf 12 x 11 overprint may be from the original setting but used in some clandestine fashion. You also refer to it as "a trial or unissued printing", so I am interested in whether you have based that on the Hutson comment or another source that you have used.

In regards to the second stamp (Dull green, Watermark Crown and NSW (I), 1879) he notes that 3000 were known to be printed but makes no comment as to whether mint examples are known. Basset Hull (RPS London, 1911) also confirms that 3000 were printed in red.

The Stanley Gibbons Australia Catalogue does, however, provide a price for mint SG O4 - indicating that they are known to exist.

I am interested in the source(s) that you have used in stating that is only known in used condition.

I am also looking forward to some more information on the last stamp.
Thanks again for starting this interesting thread.

The source of the information I used is from the certificates that came with them, the expertiser is Chris Ceremuga, as well as from the dealers I buy from. Ceremuga mentions that the stamp with the shifted overprint is only known in used condition, so there may not be any existing in mint condition, if there is, none have been located. I'm also interested in finding more information about the stamp with the shifted overprint.

Thanks Rob.