£2 Roo - Townsville Cancel & Telegraph Puncture

£2 Roo with Townsville cancel and telegraph puncture (tastefully repaired). Recently acquired for the collection.

Perth Stamp & Coin Show, August 16 & 17 2014

Held on August 16 & 17, this event saw local, interstate and international stamp, coin, banknote, postcard, militaria including medals & collectable dealers come together for what is quickly becomming the largest and arguably the best Stamp & Coin show in Perth & Western Australia.

In addition to the professional, full time & part time dealers, upstairs was a room of local collectors with their own  tables selling their excess or unwanted material, very similar to the European "Flea Market" style stamp shows.

The event is the brainchild of Ian Boulton or Ian Boulton Stamp Dealer and Ace Stamp Auctions and is the only event of its scale & kind in Western Australia. 

A very worthwhile event to attend and be involved in and we look forward to attending again next year. For further details for the next event see Perth Stamp & Coin Show. 

Note: The authors company is a financial sponsor of the event.

Nice use of stamps for some heavy parcels this month

I have received two heavy parcels already this month. One from Australia (Tasmania) and the other from the United States (Arizona).

Now admittedly the package from Tasmania was from a fellow stamp collector, so its not unusual to receive such a lovely array of fairly recent issues but its the package from Arizona that takes the cake this month.

This was totally commercial in its nature - containing some books. The only difference was that I asked the sender if he would kindly use "real-stamps" when he sent the parcel.

Its nice to see such thoughtful franking used on commercial packages these days and a nice surprise, especially when paying over $33 in shipping costs - many more examples of thoughtful parcel franking can be seen here on StampBoards.

A new addition to the collection - 1924 £1 Roo with Type 'C' Specimen Overprint

A new addition to the collection. A 1924 £1 Roo with the Type 'C' Specimen Overprint.

This is SG75s or ACSC 53XB, printed by Harrison and perforations measure 12.

A lovely stamp that's in Mint Condition with an ever so light hinge mark at the rear that is typical of these earlier Australian stamps.

Heavy posting and thoughtful franking

Just to prove that it isn't hard to come up with thoughtful commercial franking when posting heavy parcels.

Here is a block of four of the recently issued Ten Dollar Kangaroo and Map stamp, issued as part of the Australia 2013 International Stamp Show.

The heavy parcel presented a great opportunity to use these in a block of four as the price for the postage came in at a touch just under forty dollars.

Nicely centered, clean postmark and sent to the recipient as "full gum" - but most definitely not CTO (Cancelled To Order) as this has seen genuine postal use carrying its heavy contents from Western Australia to Queensland.

So next time you have to send a heavy parcel, please say no to the counter printed labels and ask kindly for real stamps. Who knows, maybe we will see more commercial uses of stamps like this beauty !

Some modern covers arrived this week

Here is a selection of covers that I have received in the mail this last week - all of them utilising recent issue sheet stamps.

First up is the Coronation Issue - a large format stamp with a very attractive design. In addition to the 60c letter rate stamp, a $2.60 International rate stamp was also issued along with a miniature sheet and special sheetlet of 10 stamps.

Commemorating the first banknote - released at the Australia 2013 Stamp Exhibition - another use of the large format, this time in the upright, vertical position. There was also a $2.60 International rate stamp issued and a miniature sheet. 

Australia - Israel Joint Issue Stamp - there was also a $2.60 International rate stamp issued.

The 60c letter rate stamp from the Pardalotes Stamp Issue. Issued in a set of four, the other values are $1.20, $1.80 and $3.00

And lastly, one of my favorite issues this year so far is the Fishes of Christmas Island. Also in this series is another 60c letter rate stamp along with the $1.20 and $1.80 values. 

It's nice to see current day commemorative stamps being used and especially sheet stamps as opposed to peel & stick.

Large hoard of parcel franking this month!

Australian Open Sheetlet

Here is a collection of scans from a single, large parcel that I received in the mail this month from Sydney to Perth.

Some very seldom seen franking here. 

Australian Open Sheetlet

                  

Olivia Newton John Cancer & Wellness Centre Appeal Sheet

Presidents Cup Sheet

Lest We Forget Sheetlet

Flower Show and Festival Sheetlet

Premier's Flood Relief Appeal Sheetlet

Premiers Flood Relief Appeal Sheetlet