Victoria Five And Nine Pence

I hope it is ok I'm reposting these stamps with your suggestions. I put them on the black background and enlarged them. And I took the backs in different light so now they look lightly hung?

And any more specifics with these upgraded photos?

I don't have a catalogue. I don't know how to measure the perforations, as someone suggested. I want to learn, though!

Here's to a great week!

* * * Moved by Moderator to more appropriate forum * * *

The 5d and 9d stamps were first in issued in the colony of Victoria (now a state of Australia) in the 1890's up until 1900. They were comb perforated with a perforation of 12 and a half. They should have a watermark showing a V over a Crown.

Unfortunately, the watermark remains unclear. Try taking a picture - a scan is preferable - without flash or artificial light. The reflection makes it impossible to see a watermark.

Perforation (gauge) is the number of full perforations per 2 centimetres. If you do not have a gauge, measure the longest distance between the centres of two perforation tips and count the number of perforation holes between those tips. Divide the number of holes by the distance between the tips in centimetres.

Do this both horizontally and vertically. Opposing sides should have the same measurements.