40c on 31c - small "xxx" - 1.5mm spacing
The latest issue in the Emergency Overprint series is the 40c on 31c.
With Fiji Post raising the rate of internal postage to 40c late last year, a quick supply of 40c stamps was needed and hence a latest addition to the ongoing Overprint series was created.
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Normal Overprint
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Overprint 50% upwards
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Overprint 90% upwards
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No Gap (R7/10)
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Overprint Inverted
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Overprint Double
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In keeping with the typical consequence of urgent orders, there is a wide range of varieties and printing mishaps, as can be seen in the above selection. For a more complete list of currently identified varieties make sure you check out FijiStamps.INFO
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40c on 31c Release Date
The planned release date for the 40c on 31c issue had been in jeopardy due to cyclone Evan passing through Fiji around the 17th December. Fortunately as printing and delivery of the first lots had been completed prior to the release date, a small quantity of First Day Covers where produced on the officially release date - 17th December 2013.
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There's been a few newly discovered varieties of not-so-recently released items, below are just a few that I have added to the FijiStamps.INFO listing in the last few months.
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20c on 23c - Double Overprint, one normal, one On Gum
A single sheet has been discovered where a normal 20c on 23c with 1.5mm small "xxx" sheet had been put back through the printing machine back-the-front, resulting in a second overprint being applied but on the Gum Side.
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4c on 13c - Double Overprint, one normal, one Inverted and shifted downwards 50%
A single example of this previous unknown variety was recently offered on eBay, realising USD$117.50
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3c on 23c - Overprint shifted upwards 50%
A single sheet has been reported, providing a nice round 100 examples available to the collecting community.
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There are a few different examples of overprints that are clearly "printers waste" which would never be dispatched to Post Offices for sales. Many are as a result of the sheets being misfed, or being damaged during the overprint application process. Below is one such interesting example I have recently come across.
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5c on 31c - "xxx" 2.5mm PLUS 20c - "xxx" 1.5mm Inverted
Little is known of this unusual dual overprint example, other than it is a normal 5c on 23c, 2.5mm small "xxx" overprint, which has then been put through with the sheet inverted and the 20c 1.5mm small "xxx" overprint applied. As this stamp now carries both a 5c and 20c denomination it is currently uncertain whether this item has been treated as valid for postal use at 5c, 20c or even 25c, or is just printers waste not deemed valid for postal use at all?
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Site Updates
The plan is to enable the "Register" and "Login" features in the near future. This will allow registered users to be able to upload their own pictures as well as details of any of their own items they wish to share.
I have been collecting Fiji philatelic items for many, many years and hence intend to start introducing other Fiji periods, sets and definitive issues. If you have a particular area of Fiji collecting interest, I'd be very interested to hear from you.
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Other News
World Stamp Expo 2013 - Melbourne, Australia - 10-15 May
I'm really looking forward to getting to the Melbourne show. There'll be dealers from all over the globe as well as fellow collectors with volumes of new material to look through and chat about.
"The Australia 2013 World Stamp Expo will be the highlight of the 2013 philatelic calendar. Under the auspice of the Fédération Internationale de Philatélie (FIP) the exhibition will be held in Melbourne, Australia in May 2013. The Expo will feature the largest collection of philatelic and numismatic items on show in Australia since 2005, and will commemorate the centenary of the 1913 Kangaroo and Map Stamp – Australia's first national postage stamp. The World Stamp Expo will bring together national and international dealers, traders and collectors from over 30 countries."
Read More »
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Interesting Links
Pacific Island Study Circle (PISC)
The Study Circle was founded in Great Britain in 1962 for collectors of the stamps and postal history of the smaller Pacific islands and the Indian Ocean islands of Christmas and Cocos (Keeling). A quarterly journal is produced called Pacifica, which is excellent reading for any Pacific Island collector. New members are always welcome. More Information »
Stampboards.com
There are many bulletin board and information sites across the Web World Web but this one has some good discussions on various Fiji stamp issues. Membership is open to everyone, all you need to do is sign-up. More Information »
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Feedback always welcome
If you have any feedback or recommendations for improving the site, or this communique, I would love to hear from you. Provide feedback »
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