N O R F O L K I S L A N D [MO]. 10/- TROPIC BIRD’SPECIMEN’ OVERPRINT – UPPER LEFT POSITION – WITH PRINTING ERROR. V6: FRAME RETOUCH ABOVE “R” OF “NORFOLK” – R. Issued 14 August 1961. CHOICE DE LUXE QUALITY – PRISTINE NEVER HINGED (UNMOUNTED) MINT CONDITION. R R R +. UNIQUE OFFER – NORFOLK ISLAND’S RAREST STAMP!! The impressive emerald-green 10-shilling Norfolk Island “Tropic Bird” stamp was printed by the Australian Government Printer in sheets of 80 (10 x 8), and issued by the Norfolk Post Office on 14 August 1961, as part of its permanent (definitive) stamp series. THE “SPECIMEN” OVERPRINT RARITY. The stamp is of exceptional quality in fresh, never hinged (unmounted) mint condition. The “SPECIMEN” overprint is in the scarcest of the three printings produced. The printing error – a frame retouch – occurs only once per sheet of 80 stamps, on Row 5, stamp 4. The overprints were ordered by Australia Post for inclusion in their AUSTRALIAN TERRITORIES SPECIMEN FOLDERS, and were available to Australia Post subscribers. Three printings of the “SPECIMEN” stamp were made, resulting in three positions of the overprint, being the upper left, lower right, and lower center. 1st printing : upper left – January 1962 – 25 sheets of 80 (2,000 stamps) = only 25 stamps with retouch error. 2nd printing : lower right – May 1963 – 42 sheets of 80 (3,360 stamps) = only 42 stamps with retouch error. 3rd printing : lower center – June 1964 and December 1964 – 100 sheets (50 each time) = 100 stamps with retouch error. 13,360 “SPECIMEN” STAMPS PRINTED INCLUDES ONLY 167 STAMPS WITH THE RETOUCH ERROR ON R5/4!!! The weak top frame line of the design was retouched on the printing plate above the “R” of “NORFOLK” on stamp 4 of row 5 – so only 1 out of 80 stamps per sheet was retouched! REFERENCE: June 2012 magazine article “Philately from Australia”, by Australia Post Chief Archivist Richard Breckon. Sincere thanks for the information to philatelic friend Doug, from Wamuram, Queensland, Australia. Could this be the scarcest Norfolk Island stamp known? – INVEST in QUALITY and RARITY! GALASALES – IT’S ABOUT CHOICE – COUNT ON US ®! WE OFFER PITCAIRN ISLAND’S POSTAL, PHILATELIC, AND SOCIAL HISTORY, INCLUDING WORLDWIDE PITCAIRN-RELATED STAMP ISSUES. SEE OUR 100% FEEDBACK AND POSITIVE BUYERS’ SATISFACTION RECORD. MAKE US YOUR FIRST CHOICE FOR NORFOLK & PITCAIRN PHILATELY. NOTE TO BUYERS IN INDIA, CHINA, AFRICA & MIDDLE EAST.
