Queensland 2½d. Specimen Overprint

This page is a census of known examples of the 1900 2½d brown-purple 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 (on rosine (issued October 1898) and slate-lilac (issued January 1899) issues), Natal (on rosine and slate-lilac issues) and Tunisia (on rosine, slate-lilac and brown-purple issues overprinted in both violet and black ink) are shown below.

The Portuguese postal authorities in Lisbon stamped their examples ULTRAMAR in blue on the rosine issue issued in October 1898 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.

And finally I have also seen a specimen example on a turquoise-green colour trial for the proposed 2 shilling issue and shown at the very bottom of the page

The Specimen overprint

CENSUS

Brown-purple issue overprinted with red ink

A block of 50 from the bottom of the sheet (positions 71-120). Seen in Abacus auction no 237

A block of four from my collection

A block of four from the collection of Dave Elsmore

A single from my collection

A single seen on Ebay

A single seen on Ebay

A single seen on Ebay

A single seen at Status auctions

A single seen in the Queensland Stamp Collecting Facebook Group

A single seen at Abacus auction no 237

Brown-purple issue overprinted with black ink

A single from my collection

BECHUANALAND SPECIMEN

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

Specimen receiving handstamp (seriffed 22.5 x 2.75 mm) in Black on a slate-liac issue by Bechuanaland. Seen in Status auctions

Natal Specimen

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

Specimen receiving handstamp (sans serif 17.25 x 3.25 mm) in violet on a slate-liac issue by Natal. Seen in Corinphila auctions

Tunisia - violet ink

Specimen receiving handstamps in violet (on a rosine issue) by Tunisia. Seen in Abacus auction no 237

Specimen receiving handstamps in violet (on a brown-purple issue) Tunisia. Seen in Abacus auction no 237

Tunisia - black ink

Specimen receiving handstamps in black (on a rosine issue) Tunisia. Seen in Abacus auction no 237

Specimen receiving handstamps in black (on a slate-lilac issue) Tunisia. Seen in Abacus auction no 237

Ultramar

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

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

Pale turquoise-green colour trial

On a pale turquoise-green issue which was a colour trial for the proposed 2 shilling  issue. The specimen handstamp has been applied upside-down. Seen in Phoenix auctions

Queensland 2½d. Cancelled Overprint

This page is a census of known examples of the various 2½d. issues overprinted with the word 'Cancelled'. This handstamp was introduced in the early 1870s to cancel proofs and other samples to be retained by the authorities (Kenneth Scudder, Queensland Postage Stamps 1879 to 1912, p. 366)

It was typeset with sans-serif capitals, 21 mm long and 2.75 mm high. It is known applied in black ink on the rose-red issue of August 1895 (numerals in two corners), the rosine issue of October 1898 (numerals in four corners) and the slate-lilac issue of January 1899 (numerals in four corners). The rosine examples were colour trials for the proposed 2 shilling issue

• mint gummed issues, wmk 2nd type "Crown Q", perforation 12.5, 13 in rose-red applied horizontally
• mint gummed issues, wmk 2nd type "Crown Q", perforation 12.5, 13 colour trial in rosine for the 2s issue applied diagonally or horizontally
• mint gummed issues, wmk 2nd type "Crown Q", perforation 12.5, 13 colour trial in pale turquoise-green for the 2s issue applied horizontally upside-down
• mint gummed issues, wmk 2nd type "Crown Q", perforation 12.5, 13 in slate-lilac applied horizontally

 It is extremely scarce and is rated 5R

The Cancelled overprint

Census

Rose-red horizontally applied (numerals in two corners)

A single with the cancelled handstamp applied horizontally. Seen in Phoenix auctions

3 singles with the cancelled handstamp applied horizontally. The third example is in the carmine shade. Seen in the collection of Dr Andrew Mortlock

Rosine diagonally applied (numerals in four corners)

Diagonally upwards (right to left) applied. It also has the circular ring cancel, which was usually applied to the junction of 4 stamps to cancel stamps as an alternative to a handstamp or overprint for presentation purposes or to be retained by the authorities. Why it was applied in this case is unclear

Diagonally upwards (left to right) applied. It also has the circular ring cancel, which was usually applied to the junction of 4 stamps to cancel stamps as an alternative to a handstamp or overprint for presentation purposes or to be retained by the authorities. Why it was applied in this case is unclear. Seen on Ebay

Diagonally upwards (left to right) applied. It also has the circular ring cancel, which was usually applied to the junction of 4 stamps to cancel stamps as an alternative to a handstamp or overprint for presentation purposes or to be retained by the authorities. Why it was applied in this case is unclear. Seen in the collection of Dave Elsmore

Diagonally upwards (left to right) applied. It also has the circular ring cancel, which was usually applied to the junction of 4 stamps to cancel stamps as an alternative to a handstamp or overprint for presentation purposes or to be retained by the authorities. Why it was applied in this case is unclear. Seen in the collection of Dr Andrew Mortlock

Rosine horizontally applied (numerals in four corners)

A pair with the cancelled handstamp applied horizontally. It also has the circular ring cancel, which was usually applied to the junction of 4 stamps to cancel stamps as an alternative to a handstamp or overprint for presentation purposes or to be retained by the authorities. Why it was applied in this case is unclear. Seen in Spink auction no 14015 lot no 2362

Pale turquoise-green horizontally applied (numerals in four corners)

A pair with the cancelled handstamp applied horizontally upside-down. Seen in Spink auction no 14015 lot no 2362

Slate-lilac horizontally applied  (numerals in four corners)

A pair with the cancelled handstamp applied horizontally

A single with the cancelled handstamp applied horizontally upside-down. Seen on Ebay

A single with the cancelled handstamp applied horizontally. Seen in the collection of Dave Elsmore