Queensland 3d Brown Specimen Overprint

This page is a census of known examples of the 1898 3d brown issue overprinted with the word 'SPECIMEN.' These handstamps are believed to have been for record or presentation purposes only and were not sold to collectors. They were not handstamped in this manner for distribution to the Universal Postal Union; mint stamps being used instead for this purpose.

A Scudder Specimen Type 9 overprint (Kenneth Scudder, Queensland Postage Stamps 1879 to 1912, p. 364) was used for this issue. It was typeset with sans-serif capitals, 15.5 mm long and 1.75 mm high plus a stop at the end. It was applied in red ink on mint gummed issues, wmk 2nd type "Crown Q", perforation 12.5, 13 in around 1901. One example in black ink is also known. At least one sheet was overprinted. 

Examples are also known stamped SPECIMEN after receipt by various UPI countries and colonies, and Bechuanaland, Natal and Tunisia are shown below.

The Portuguese postal authorities in Lisbon stamped their examples ULTRAMAR in blue and them provided them to postal authorities in their colonies and examples from the Goa postal archive are shown at the bottom of the page.

The Specimen overprint

CENSUS

Red Ink

A block of 56 from the bottom of the sheet (positions 61-100, 101-108, 111-118). Seen in Abacus auction no 237

A single from my collection

A single from my collection

A single from my collection

A single seen in Abacus auction no 229

A single seen in the Queensland Stamp Collecting Facebook Group

A single seen in the Queensland Stamp Collecting Facebook Group

Black Ink

This example has a cancelled handstamp applied horizontally, as well as a very faint specimen handstamp also applied horizontally near the bottom of the stamp.Why teh specimen handstamp was applied in this case is unclear. Seen in the collection of Dr Andrew Mortlock

BECHUANALAND SPECIMEN

Specimen receiving handstamp (seriffed 22.5 x 2.75 mm) in Black by Bechuanaland. Seen in Status auctions

Natal Specimen

Specimen receiving handstamp (sans serif 17.25 x 3.25 mm) in violet by Natal. Seen in Corinphila auctions

Tunisia

Specimen receiving handstamps in violet and black by Tunisia. Seen in Abacus auction no 237

Ultramar

Ultramar receiving handstamp (sans serif 15 x 3 mm) in blue ex Goa postal archives. Seen in Status auctions

Ultramar receiving handstamp (sans serif 15 x 3 mm) in blue ex Goa postal archives. Seen in Abacus auction no 237. Ex Bill McCredie and Bernard Manning