NSW 6d Brown Diadem Watermark Query

Hello all,
I wonder if someone has a better eye than I do.
I have this 6d Brown Imperf Diadem which should have the double lined 6 watermark. However some years ago I assigned a double lined "8" to it as I thought I saw that!
I checked again recently (just been giving my small collection a welfare check) and I can't say I know anymore. It sort of does not look like the "6" I see in reference works to me.
Is anyone really good at determining this stuff. Do you think "6" is indisputable?
Thanks for any assistance.

From the scan it looks like an 8 watermark to me.

I've seen a few 8 wmks in this shade, at least as it presents on my screen.

Hope this info helps

Thanks Bobby De La Rue,

I thought it was an 8 when I first checked and yesterday I wet it and put it on a dark surface to try to verify, it still seems to show the bottom shape of the 8 but I could not make all of the figure out so I thought I would ask here.
Good to know it is not unknown anyway. I think I'll stick at this point to my original thought.
Much appreciated.

I would recommend buying a decent catalogue - full of useful information.

My 2009 Gibbons Australia lists your stamp as SG96a - greyish brown with watermark 8 issued 15.8.59. A footnote states that these were printed when supplies of the correct watermark were unavailable.

Regards
Frank

Thank you langtounlad

Your information makes sense to me. Re the catalogue I have the Brusden White ACSC one but from some years ago (and currently on loan to a friend) but I have considered getting a newer catalogue with hopefully more detail regarding Australian State stamps. Will look into this soon as I am aware that various people use different references.
I wonder if there is any consensus as which is best.
I have recently purchased new catalogues for both France & German Empire material (two of the other groups I am very interested in currently) so should do the same for Australian States soon. Downside of course is that the more money one spends on reference material the fewer stamps one can splurge on ... such is ...
Thank you also for responding.

For Australian colonies/states you can't go past Gibbons British Empire/Commonwealth.

If you're not bothered by the latest prices, grab an issue from the previous couple of years

Thanks again Bobby De La Rue,

I will look into that and yes I don't worry too much about the prices being current (god knows that most Cat Values are not what people pay for material in the real world anyway but do act as a reasonable indicator of relative value between stamps I guess). So I will look to the costs and compared with an older copy. I am curious though as I had expected State Stamps would be possibly dealt with more thoroughly in an Australian publication.
I bought the SG France catalogue some months ago but in the end I had to buy the Yvert & Tellier catalogue to satisfy my interest (also means trying to re-learn the French I had lost since school days).
All good though, thanks again for your help.

Hi Bobby De La Rue,

Is this more or less what I should be considering? I know it may not be the current year but by title is this the one you mentioned?

Yes HarbingerHamster, that's the book you want.

The Australian Commonwealth Specialists Catalogue does a wonderful job for 1900-1912 issues. I hope that one day somebody here in Australia will do a publication on the entire Australian Colonies/States issues. Bear in mind that SG isn't exhaustive, but it's still the best available.

I have never seen the SG France volume. I went straight to the French catalogues, and also had to brush up on my schoolboy French

Thanks again Bobby De La Rue,

You have been wonderfully helpful. I will look to acquire that catalogue then.
Re the SG France catalogue it is not bad but lacks some of the detail of the Yvert & Tellier, and I am happy trying to re-learn French anyway (though I am still just starting). The YT catalogues are much better quality wise also, nice decent format hardbacks which I appreciate. I struggled with the term "piquages" as neither of my 2 French dictionaries had it and google translate just said "tappings" !!! Which meant nothing to me.
I am getting there though.
Best.