The Royal Cypher
Cypher labels were used as a security devise to secure impressed revenues to velum documents by the relevant authorities in the stamping room at the State Treasury. No fee was charged for this service therefore they are not a revenue. They were never sold to the public.
Only two states in Australia offered this service Queensland and New South Wales
The difference between Queensland and New South Wales Cypher labels as listed below. No printing records have survived for either Qld or NSW.
Queensland New South Wales
Queensland Crown differs in that the inner fabric of the crown is engraved with a mesh, whereas the NSW fabric has been engraved with single shading lines. The Queensland Crown is 1mm wider than the NSW Crown. The Queensland Crown has 10 pearls left and right the New South Wales Crown has 9. If you look close you will find further differences in the shading of the cross etc.
Queensland New south Wales
Queensland V R is in sans serif capitals whereas the NSW V R is serif
Royal Cypher on the Queensland issue is 11mm x 10mm. The NSW issue is 11mm x 11mm.
QUEENSLAND
Queensland issued three labels Type I, II & III
Type I. 1866 Type II c1866
Imperf. 22mm x 27mm Imperf. 21 x 26˝mm
Type III issue date unknown
22mm x 27mm Perf 12. You can clearly see the wmk above the crown
Printed on small truncated star [sg 4] type paper with small star and QUEENSLAND/POSTAGE-POSTAGE/STAMPS-STAMPS in three lines perf 12.
I futher have a perforated copy with the corner black 'SPECIMEN' ring on.
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Type III
Perf 12. you can clearly see the wmk UE [qUEnsland]
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Type 1 Usage
Used to seal a silver strip [akin to the modern staple] on the reverse of velum, to attach a base paper prior to impressing the instrument. This also applies to NSW. It should be noted all Qld base paper recorded has had the corners cut in a curve whereas NSW base paper was cut with square corners. Both states have recorded light blue base paper issued first both then changed to dark blue. light blue appears very scarce from either state.
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STOP PRESS
Imperf on Watermarked paper
From a recent discovery I have found a watermarked Queensland type III issue in an imperf pair, this is the first copy on watermarked paper imperf to turn up this also makes it the largest multiple from either state. Maybe proof status, studies continue.
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NEW SOUTH WALES
NSW issued 3 different labels Type I, II & III.
Type I. c1866 22mm x 27mm. Type II c1874 22mm x 27˝mm.
Manuscript date Day [17] and month [12] printed daily
29 - 6 refers to the Act [Vic.29. No6]
Type III 3 over S of WALES 27mm high. Type IIIa 3 over ES of WALES 28mm high
With a new Act [Vic.44. No3] in place old stock was used up till the system ceased c1901.
All labels are printed on unwatermarked plain paper except Queensland Type III. This is printed on small star [sg 4] type paper with small truncated star and QUEENSLAND/POSTAGE-POSTAGE/STAMPS-STAMPS in three lines perf 12. The Queensland watermarked and perforated labels have yet to be found used on a document, it is possible they were prepared and used for Parliamentary presentation packs in 1901 but this does not fit the date of watermark usage all known perforated stamps have gum.
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© copyright 1997 on
All Graphics. Dave Elsmore
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