The Registration Issue stamps were issued by the New South Wales colonial government in 1854 as a way to prepay the cost of sending registered letters within the colony. These stamps featured the image of Queen Victoria and were printed in several denominations. The Registration Issue stamps were printed in two colors: red and blue. The red stamps were used to prepay the cost of sending registered letters within the colony, while the blue stamps were used to prepay the cost of sending registered letters to other colonies or overseas. The Registration Issue stamps were the first stamps issued by the New South Wales government specifically for the purpose of sending registered letters, and they were used until 1856, when they were replaced by the Diadem Issue stamps. The Registration Issue stamps are now considered collectible items and are sought after by stamp collectors around the world.

The 1856 New South Wales Australian stamps were in circulation for a period of about one year, from 1856 to 1857. The stamps were issued by the New South Wales colonial government in 1856 as a way to prepay the cost of sending letters within the colony. They were used until the colony of Victoria released its own stamps in 1857. At that point, the New South Wales stamps were no longer valid for postage, and they were replaced by the stamps of the new colony. The 1856 New South Wales stamps are now considered rare and collectible items, and they are sought after by stamp collectors around the world.

Collectability

The Registration Issue stamps are considered collectible items and are sought after by stamp collectors around the world. The stamps were issued by the New South Wales colonial government in 1854 as a way to prepay the cost of sending registered letters within the colony. These stamps are considered significant in the history of the postal service in Australia, as they were the first stamps issued by the government specifically for the purpose of sending registered letters. The Registration Issue stamps were printed in two colors: red and blue.

The original diadem issues were decided to be too large to handle in the post offices compared to the amount of mail that was now being received to process. The amount of paper the original diadem issue used, was also a concern given the difficulty in obtaining enough paper for the printing of stamps. The amount of dye used in the production was also a concern around this time. There were four issues of differing colour all imperforate, needing to be cut in the post office. Later the perforation issues arose and were all widely distributed in the colony until 1908.

KEY STATISTICS

Date Released: The 2d was issued on 7 January 1856 (gazetted on the 12th January), The 1d was issued on 6 April 1856 (gazetted on the 28th March), The 3d was issued on 10 October 1856 (gazetted same day).

Artist Designer and Engraver: Plates made by Perkins Bacon & Co and shipped to New South Wales with an order of paper.

First Known Cover Dates: 1d – 5 May 1856, 2d – 16 May 1856, 3d – 27 October 1856

Printer : New South Wales Government Printing Department

Plate Information: There were two plates made for the 2d. Plate II stamps are printed wider apart and more regularly spaced than Plate 1.

Denominations and Colours

1d Red

1d Orange

2d Blue

3d Green

Collectability

These stamps are highly collected for their errors, variability in tones and colours, watermarks and perforations. They are one of the mostly widely used stamps of the New South Wales colony so although not rare as in number, the specific variations and errors sought after are harder to come by. Specimens on cover are also highly collected and harder to find out in the wild as most are already in collections.

Market Values

Market values for all of the diadem series beginning in 1856 fluctuate widely given the variations in condition, colours and perforations. The earlier in this series the more valuable. At the time of writing mint stamps from 1856 range from $475.00 for the 1d up to $1,750.00 for a mint 3d green specimen. Used or cancelled stamps fluctuated between $35.00 and $150.00. Catalogue values do not really reflect market value or collector perceived worth, but serve as a guide to overall historical value and availability.

Faults Errors and Watermarks

1856 January: Watermark 2 was used in 2d blue

1856 April: Watermark 1 was used in 1d orange and 1d Red

1856 October: Watermark 3 was used in the imperforate 3d green with an error using Watermark 2 a highly valued error.

Watermarks changed throughout the release of these stamps with new watermarks being introduced around 1862, always trying to stay ahead of the excellent forgers around the colony.

Perforation Series

Perforations began to appear, according to the catalogue around 1862 and continued through to 1908. Different sizes of perforations appeared throughout the years which aid in aging and identifying the stamps. In terms of catalogue value the 12 x 13 perforation is the highest value and the earliest example of perforation of these stamps.

Other sources suggest that very rough perforations began to appear in 1860 which are more likely to be routlette style perforations which were irregular and often ran into the design of the stamp rather than the border. This seemed to resolve once Plate II was used with wide margins for the perforations to be more uniform.

DISCUSSION

Colours and Tones

Stanley Gibbons catalogue has designated a number of tonal and colour variations for all stamps issued in this series. for the collector some of the tones are more easily identified with the help of differing watermarks as several watermarks were used across this series. This is just from their general catalogue and not from their more details Australian Colonies (State) Stamps Catalogue.

As mentioned above the poor perforations at the beginning of this series have frustrated collectors with the perforations encroaching into the image and leaving damage in their wake. It is not until later in the 1880s and onwards where perforations were more uniform in nature.

With so many tones and watermark differences throughout this series it is a highly collectible issue. It shows New South Wales as a colony come more into its own as an enterprise with the stamps being printed locally and a much more mature design compared to the first drawing that made it onto the first stamp of New South Wales.

Queen Victoria made an appearance on many of the state stamps of Australia but the New South Wales stamp was the most closely related, in my view, to those of the British issues.

The Diadem Issue depicts a profile image of Queen Victoria wearing a jewelled crown changing from the feathers depicted in the earlier issue. It is encircled with a New South Wales emblem and outlined by a hexagon. there are ornate embelishments around the edges.

Denomination

The stamp issue was released in 5d Green, 6d Grey, 6d Brown, 6d Green, 8d Orange and 1 Shilling Red. The 8d Orange is the prize of the issue with a catalogue value at the time of writing of $20,000 for an unused mint stamp and its used value at $2,750. This value is a guide only and relies on many things and can move either way depending on errors, quality of ink, margins etc.

The 5d green had only 5,500 printed in 1855 and in 1855 22,900 in May 1858. The greens come in many shades and this is what adds to its value, and also allows forgers to thrive (ask me how I know).

There were five printings of the 8d stamp: 11,000 in December 1855, 18,500 in April 1856, 5,000 in May 1858, 15,500 in June 1858 and 25,000 in January 1860. The first two printings are in a golden yellow shade, the fourth in a yellow-orange and the last in an orange tending to red-orange.

Imperforate and Perforate

The first stamps of issue from 1854 were imperforate, meaning they had to be cut by the post office workers. The quality of the cut and the margins left on the stamp add and detract from its value. Perforation was introduced in New South Wales on 1 February 1860. There were 18,500 imperf 5d stamps on hand on 31 January 1860, none of which were supplied to Queensland. It can be safely assumed that these were all perforated, gauge 11½-12. It is important to note that the passing of time and scanning differences will create variances in shades of these stamps.

There were 23,000 imperf 8d stamps on hand on 31 January 1860 and in April 1860 1,400 of these were sent to Queensland. The balance were perforated, gauge 11½-12. These are rarer than the imperfs. There are three shades listed in the Gibbons catalogue: lemon-yellow, orange and red-orange. Hutson explained the shade variations were due to the inconsistent printings, owing to the inequalities in the proportions of the pigments. An example in the orange shade (from the latest Status auction) is below.

Watermark

Watermarks became standard in the colony stamps after forgeries rose in the colonies and were used to verify the stamps and became quite helpful for the philatelists in later years. As there are so many forgeries of these stamps the watermark is one of the gold standards to determine authenticity.

There is much more detail to be known about these stamps. This article is a brief overview of the issue and a later post will outline some of the more detailed nuances and collectibility of this stamp in terms of errors, shades and more.

1d Red, 1d Red on Blue Paper, 1d Orange, 2d Blue on Blue Paper, 2d Blue, 3d Green on Blue Paper, 3d Green, 6d Brown, 6d Brown on Blue paper and 8d Orange on Blue Paper. At the beggining of stamp production white paper was not always available and many of the state stamps, across all states, were printed onto blue paper. In some examples, the production on blue paper can make the stamps more valuable.

What Does Laureate Issue Mean

This is a term given to the series by early philatelists which stuck, denoting the laurel head piece around Queen Victoria. Later this would be changed to a jewelled crown, but the feathered laurel was significant to this stamp.

Variations and Collectability

Information on this is a bit tricky to come by and the point of these articles to have it one place where people who are interested can begin their journey into Australian State Stamps. I have done my best to do a brief overview of these issues and later in the blog will have much longer posts discussing the variations and values of these stamps.

For now, there is great variability in colour and shade and the plates they were printed on. There are also collectible errors in the stamps as the plates began to wear from usage, this was reflected in the quality of the stamps produced and aids in plating the stamps to reproduce an entire plate set which to a collector could make the stamp far more valuable than the catalogue price.

Valuation

At the time of writing catalogue prices vary from mint stamps starting at $450.00 right up to $18,000.00 for the highly sought after 6d Orange printed on blue paper. Used or cancelled stamps start at $25.00 up to $750.00. As with all catalogue prices they are a guide only and the market demand can see these prices go much higher for these stamps as they are highly prized in any collection of Australian State stamps.

2d Blue

There are many shades of this stamp but the general catalogue defines them as ultramarine, greyish/blue, and blue. They were printed on yellow and blue paper and the paper itself has been given shade definitions as yellow, yellowsh brown, blue, bluish grey. This is just an overview of the many collectible and distinguishable features of this stamp. The Stanley Gibbons Catalogue (the bible of all philately) has a much more detailed list of the variations of colour but it is a subjective art trying to define exactly which colour you have in your hand and the colour in the catalogue. Although you would think the internet would help with this, it can make it more difficult with the representation of colour by cameras and screens making it even more difficult. Below is an example of the ultramarine shade and above the darker blue.

1d Red

The main categories of colour for the red 1d Laureate are orange/red, carmine red, and red. Again dinstinguishing these shades is what hours of fun is made of at any stamp meeting and for someone like me who is a bit colour challenged, it is very difficult to distinguise. Below are two examples of the 1d Red that are a bit more clearly colour defined.

There is far more to say about this series which I will leave to a much longer individual post but above are the basics for this series.

In comparison to stamps that followed, it is a crude drawing representing industry as a female, directing convicts to honourable labour in the colonies such as ploughing and farming. It also depicts the seal of colony derived in 1792. Above shows the 1d (penny) stamp which was for postage that was within the colony.

There were two other releases, 2d Blue which was for postage anywhere in the country and 3d Green for postage oversease via ship.

As this is the first stamp from the country before it was federated it is highly collected and very hard to come by. Catalogue guide is $17,000 for unused and $475 for used specimen of the 1d Red/Orange. Catalogue prices vary wildly so use these as a guide only. As always the market is the market and will always decided what the value is.

Elements

The shading of the stamp is highly collectible with examples from orange to deep red and everything in between. It is the shading and cancels of the stamps, particularly on colony covers, that make this stamp more valuable to collectors.

The second printing depicted clouds into the image and is far more red than the initial orange/red issue. There is also a version without trees is regarded as the most collectable and valuable of the series. There aren’t any numbers regarding the amount of these printed so no-one really knows how many are available.

None of these stamps were perforated and as with all stamps of this type, the way it has been cut and centered also plays into the value of the stamp.

The 2d Blue has many variations in colour and printing quality is very inconsistent.

The 3d is lighter green and crude in its printing quality and from the examples I have seen may not have gone through a second printing run.

The “Sydney Views” stamps of New South Wales, including the first stamp issued in 1850, were designed by James W. S. Campbell. Campbell was a professional engraver who worked for the Surveyor General’s Department in Sydney. His design featured a view of Sydney Cove with a sailing ship, which was considered an appropriate and recognizable image to represent the colony. The design was lithographed by J. Carmichael, a lithographer in Sydney.

James W. S. Campbell was an important figure in the early postal history of New South Wales, Australia, due to his role in designing the colony’s first postage stamps, known as the “Sydney Views” series. While there is limited detailed biographical information available about Campbell, here are some key points about his life and career:

1. Professional Background:
   • James W. S. Campbell was a professional engraver and lithographer. His specific training and early career details before arriving in Australia are not well-documented.
   • He worked for the Surveyor General’s Department in Sydney, which provided him with the opportunity to be involved in designing the colony’s first postage stamps.
2. Contribution to the “Sydney Views” Stamps:
   • Campbell is best known for designing the “Sydney Views” series of postage stamps, which were issued on January 1, 1850. This was the first stamp issue for New South Wales and one of the earliest stamp issues in the Australian colonies.
   • The designs he created depicted views of Sydney, including the iconic 1d (one penny) stamp featuring a scene of Sydney Cove with a ship in the harbor.
   • His designs were lithographed by John Carmichael, who was responsible for the actual printing of the stamps.
3. Artistic Style and Legacy:
   • Campbell’s work on the “Sydney Views” stamps is noted for its artistic merit and attention to detail. The stamps were highly regarded for their aesthetic quality and were an important step in establishing a functional postal system in New South Wales.
   • His contributions helped set a standard for future stamp designs in the colony and played a role in the broader history of philately in Australia.
4. Limited Historical Records:
   • There is limited detailed information available about Campbell’s personal life and career outside of his work on the “Sydney Views” stamps. This is not uncommon for individuals from this time period, especially those whose primary recognition comes from specific professional achievements.

Despite the scarcity of detailed personal information, James W. S. Campbell’s role in designing the first postage stamps of New South Wales ensures that he is remembered as a significant figure in the history of Australian philately. His artistic contributions to the “Sydney Views” stamps are celebrated by collectors and historians alike.

4o

The “Sydney Views” stamps were printed by John Carmichael, a lithographer based in Sydney. Carmichael was responsible for producing the lithographic stones used to print these stamps, making him a key figure in the creation of the first stamps of New South Wales. His work involved transferring the designs created by James W. S. Campbell onto the printing stones and then printing the stamps.

John Carmichael (1803-1857) was a prominent engraver and lithographer in early colonial Australia. Born in Scotland, Carmichael emigrated to Australia in the early 1830s and quickly established himself as a skilled craftsman in Sydney.

Here are some key points about his life and career:

1. Early Life and Emigration:
   • Born in 1803 in Scotland, Carmichael trained as an engraver before emigrating to Australia around 1825.
   • He settled in Sydney and set up a business as an engraver and lithographer.
2. Professional Career:
   • Carmichael became one of the leading engravers in New South Wales. He was known for his detailed and high-quality work.
   • He produced various types of engraved works, including maps, illustrations for books, commercial stationery, and, most notably, postage stamps.
   • His work was crucial for the production of the first postage stamps of New South Wales, known as the “Sydney Views” series, issued in 1850. He was responsible for preparing the lithographic stones and printing the stamps, based on designs by James W. S. Campbell.
3. Sydney Views Stamps:
   • Carmichael’s contribution to the “Sydney Views” stamps was significant. These stamps were among the first to be issued in the Australian colonies, and they helped establish the postal system in New South Wales.
   • His lithographic skills ensured that the stamps were of high quality and could be produced in sufficient quantities to meet the needs of the growing colony.
4. Later Life and Legacy:
   • Carmichael continued to work as an engraver and lithographer until his death in 1857. His work left a lasting impact on the development of printing and engraving in Australia.
   • He is remembered for his role in producing the early postage stamps of New South Wales, which are highly valued by philatelists and historians today.

Carmichael’s work remains a testament to the early days of the postal service in Australia and the craftsmanship involved in producing some of the country’s first postage stamps.

The “Sydney Views” stamps were issued in several denominations and versions. The primary versions of the stamp included the following denominations:

1. 1 penny (1d): Red
2. 2 pence (2d): Blue
3. 3 pence (3d): Green

Each denomination featured a different view or aspect of Sydney, and variations can be found in terms of color shades and printing quality due to the lithographic process used. These variations are of particular interest to philatelists (stamp collectors), who classify them based on differences in design details, color shades, and other printing anomalies.

the original “Sydney Views” stamps did undergo several alterations and reprints. The stamps were reissued with slight modifications to the designs and colors. These changes were often made to improve the printing quality or to address issues with the original plates.

The initial issues had some flaws and inconsistencies, leading to the need for new lithographic stones and subsequent reprints. As a result, there are several recognized varieties of the “Sydney Views” stamps, each differing slightly in design details, color shades, and other characteristics. Collectors often seek out these different varieties due to their historical significance and the insight they provide into early stamp production techniques in Australia.

Here are some specific details on the alterations and reprints:

1. Design Modifications: Some of the designs were refined to correct printing flaws and to produce clearer images.
2. Color Changes: The shades of the colors used for printing the stamps sometimes varied between print runs.
3. Printing Stones: New lithographic stones were prepared as the old ones wore out or when errors needed to be corrected, leading to slight variations in the printed stamps.

These alterations and reprints are well-documented and add to the rich history of the “Sydney Views” stamps.

The “Sydney Views” stamps went through several changes and reprints during the early 1850s. Here are the key dates and details:

1. January 1, 1850: The first issue of the “Sydney Views” stamps was released. This included the 1d (red), 2d (blue), and 3d (green) denominations. These initial stamps were printed using lithographic stones prepared by John Carmichael.
2. March 1850: Shortly after the initial release, a new printing was made with some slight modifications to the designs. This was mainly due to the wear and tear on the original lithographic stones.
3. July 1850: A significant reissue occurred, where the designs were re-engraved to improve clarity and correct some of the initial flaws. This reissue included the 1d, 2d, and 3d stamps.
4. Late 1850: Additional reprints were made due to the ongoing demand for postage stamps. These reprints sometimes featured variations in color and printing quality.

Each of these printings and reissues can be identified by philatelists through careful examination of design details, color shades, and other characteristics. The numerous reprints and changes make the “Sydney Views” stamps a fascinating area of study for stamp collectors and historians.

The “Sydney Views” stamps of New South Wales exhibit notable color variations, which are of particular interest to philatelists. These variations occurred due to multiple printings and the use of different lithographic stones over time. Here are some details on the color variations for each denomination:

1. 1 Penny (1d) Red:
   • Initial Issue (January 1, 1850): The primary color was a bright red.
   • Reprints: Various shades of red, from pale to deep red, are found in subsequent printings.
2. 2 Pence (2d) Blue:
   • Initial Issue (January 1, 1850): The primary color was a clear blue.
   • Reprints: Shades ranged from light blue to deep blue. Some printings showed a tendency toward greenish-blue due to ink variations.
3. 3 Pence (3d) Green:
   • Initial Issue (January 1, 1850): The primary color was a yellow-green.
   • Reprints: Variations include olive-green and deep green. Some stamps exhibit a more bluish-green hue.

The color variations were largely due to the following factors:

• Ink Mixes: Different batches of ink produced slightly different colors.
• Printing Conditions: Variations in printing pressure, ink application, and the condition of the lithographic stones contributed to color differences.
• Aging: Over time, exposure to light and environmental conditions caused some colors to fade or change.

These color variations are essential for identifying specific printings and reprints of the “Sydney Views” stamps, making them a valuable aspect for collectors and historians studying the early postal history of New South Wales.

There isn’t a comprehensive record detailing the exact number of each “Sydney Views” stamp printed, but some estimates and historical records provide a rough idea of the quantities. The early colonial postal administrations did not keep meticulous records of print runs, and many of the detailed records that did exist have been lost or were never documented in detail.

However, based on historical research and surviving documents, rough estimates have been made:

1. 1 Penny (1d) Red:
   • Estimates suggest that several hundred thousand of these stamps were printed across multiple print runs from 1850 to 1851.
2. 2 Pence (2d) Blue:
   • Similar to the 1d red stamp, it is estimated that several hundred thousand 2d blue stamps were printed over the same period.
3. 3 Pence (3d) Green:
   • The 3d green stamps had fewer print runs compared to the 1d and 2d stamps, so the quantities are generally lower. Estimates suggest that around 100,000 to 200,000 of these stamps were printed.

These estimates can vary, and the actual numbers might be different due to factors such as reprints, changes in printing techniques, and the survival rate of the stamps over time. Collectors and researchers often rely on studying the stamps themselves, along with any available archival information, to piece together a more accurate picture of the quantities produced.

My Opinion

This is still a great example of ingenuity in the colonies. Although the design began as a crude drawing, there was no telling at that point in time, how valuable and sought after stamps would become. It was to serve a purpose in administration and it wasn’t until a few years later that much more effort was begun to be put into the state stamps, many of them taking pride in elements inherent to their territory.

An excerpt from the catalogue shows the different issues to celebrate the 100 year settlement and also includes some of the watermarks that appear throughout this issue.

Eight different designs were created for the centenary through a competition undertaken in November and December 1887 by the New South Wales post office. The 1 Shilling Brown Kangaroo is highly collected because of its face value.

Competition for Design and History of Development

The competition generated 956 submissions from 250 entrants. The images were executed in pencil and were displayed publicly. The New South Wales postmaster general was the judge of the competition.

The competition first-prize winners were Maximilian Tannenberg (three winning designs), Mary Devine (one winner), H.A. Barraclough (one), Charles Turner (two), and Mrs. F.W. Stoddard (one).

As an interesting aside, Mrs. F.W. Stoddard appears to be the same Mary Devine who submitted a winning 2-penny design that wasn’t used on a stamp.

Mary Devine was the daughter of a Scottish painter, Peter Devine, studied art herself, married Frederick W. Stoddard in 1875 in Edinburgh, and moved with him to New Zealand in 1878 and to Australia in 1880.

Mary Devine Stoddard, 1852-1901, became a well-known and prolific painter in New South Wales.

Only five of the eight stamps show winning designs, however. Two others used nonwinning designs by Devine, and one was developed independent of the competition.

The lower-denomination designs, as listed in The American Journal of Philately, Jan. 1, 1903, are the 1-penny City of Sydney (Scott 77) designed by Tannenberg; 2d emu (78) by Devine (not a competition winner); 4d Captain Cook with Coat of Arms (79) by Barraclough; 6d Queen Victoria and Coat of Arms (80) also by Tannenberg; 8d lyrebird (81) by Devine (not a competition winner); and the 1-shilling kangaroo (82) described as “made up by the authorities.”

Two high-denomination stamps, 5 shillings and 20 shillings, were issued. The 5sh stamp (Scott 85) features a map of Australia, designed by Turner, and the 20sh stamp (86) depicts two New South Wales governors, Arthur Phillip and Lord Carrington, by Mrs. Stoddard.

Variations

There are 8 different watermarks which may appear across this issue. There are many listings across different catalogues with some having 67 and others up to 114. There are many errors including perforations, position on the printing plate and errors in the design itself.

Below are a series of photos of stamps I have recently listed for sale.