Queensland 3rd Sideface Stamps 1895-1913 by Dr Jeremy Hodes: Queensland 5d brown (1899) specimen overprint

This page is a census of known examples of the 1899 5d brown issue (numerals in 4 corners) 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. 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. One example from the Goa postal archive as well as several from other unknown Portuguese colonial postal archives are shown at the bottom of the page.

The Specimen overprint

CENSUS

A block of 48 from the bottom of the sheet (positions 67-70, 77-120). Seen in Abacus auction no 237

A block of 4 from my collection

A block of 4 courtesy of Dave Elsmore

A block of 4 seen in Spink auction no 16030 lot no 1170

A pair seen in Prestige Philately auction no 139 lot no 339

A single from my collection

A single seen on Ebay

A single seen in the Queensland Stamp Collecting Facebook Group

A single seen in Abacus auction no 237

A single seen in Abacus auction no 229

A single seen in Status auctions

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 Abacus auction no 256 lot no 323

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

Tunisia

Specimen receiving handstamp in black by Tunisia. Seen in Abacus auction no 237

Ultramar

Ultramar receiving handstamp (sans serif 15 x 3 mm) in blue from a Portuguese overseas possession. From my collection

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