The details addressed from this page are:

Lists of the recorded 2d (1/-) stamp included elsewhere summarise the known dates off cover as well as the known covers with single stamps.


Design of the 2d (1/-) stamp.

2d Qld Boer War stamp

The 2d violet stamp was used to pay the 2d inter-colonial postage rate.

The violet stamp was an amalgamation of three design components incorporated into the essays. It shows:

  • a central image of the bust of Queen Victoria within a medallion (similar to that included in two of the essays). She has very long earrings;
  • a troopship like that on the second essay (it is leaving the dock not arriving) with troops on board as well as two significant launches rather than a row boat as in the fourth essay);
  • a light horseman - a member of the Queensland Mounted Infantry;
  • a wharf has also been included;
  • on the bottom are the words and figures, Patriotic Fund (1900) Two Pence.

The 2d Charity stamp was sold for 1/- - six times the face value - to raise money for the Patriotic Fund.

The stamp was not valid for overseas use.


The standard 2d. stamp.

1d Qld Boer War stamp

The 2d stamp on standard issue in Queensland in 1900 paid the cost of the basic inter-colonial letter rate.


The design included the Queen's head in an oval.


From 1897, the stamp with the numeral '2' in all four corners was issued in rose but, when the 1d stamp was changed to red in 1899, the 2d was re-issued in blue.

People wishing to send a letter to a another Colony therefore had the choice between these two stamps -
depending on whether they wished to pay 6 times the basic letter rate by using the Boer War Hospital Fund stamp.



Main details of the printing and issue.


Both of the N.S.W. Charity stamps were designed by C. Taylor.

The 1d (1/-) stamp was printed by the Government Printing Office, Sydney, using chromolithography. Separate 30-on plates were prepared for each printing colour - dark grey-green, pale grey-green, brown and fawn.


Purpose:
Overseas letter rate - basic.
Date of issue:
19 June 1900 and withdrawn from sale in October 1902.
Watermark:
Crown over Q (vertical) with two watermarks per stamp.
ement:stamps.
Perforation:
12.
Number printed:
6,500.
Supplied to Bern Bureau (UPU):
Unknown.
Destroyed under Treasury Authority:
Unknown.
Number issued:
4,020.


Mint stamps now generally have yellow crackly gum.

The basic colour (as shown in catalogues) is violet - see the above example and the multiple.

There is also a more dominant bright purple known on mint stamps.



First Day of Issue.

Few examples of First Day of Issue cancellations are known.

The only two recorded examples of a used stamp off cover with a cancellation of 19 June 1900 (FDI) are shown here.

Brisbane FDI
19 June 1897.

First Day of Issue of the 2d (1/-) stamp.
Brisbane/Queensland cancellation.
Provenance:
Stanley Gibbons, 27 September 2013.
Maryborough FDI
19 June 1900
Maryborough.

First Day of Issue of the 2d (1/-)stamp.

Used stamps off cover.


Cancelled examples of the 2d (1/-) stamp off cover are scarce.

Indeed some philatelists regard this stamp, if genuinely postally used, as being the scarcest Colonial Australian non-error stamp issue - certainly a big call.

There are at least 19 recorded examples so far - in addition to the FDI cancellations above. Details of all known cancellations are recorded below.

Examples of genuine cancellations are:

Rockhampton FDI
Rockhampton 21 June 1897.

Roma
Roma 24 September 1900.
Stanthorpe 24 Sept
Stanthorpe 6 November 1900.

Nelson 263
Doplex cancellation for 263 Nelson.
No date.
poor cancellation on 2d

There are also a number of examples of false (or at best dubious) cancellations.
The strike here, for example, from a bulk lot at Prestige Philately October 2007 Lot 471) with others being listed on Ebay.

Cancellations on the 2d (1/-) stamp.


The list below records the clear date stamps on the 2d (1/-) 1900 Queensland Patriotic Fund Charity stamp.
Faint, smudged and incomplete date stamps are not included because of the difficulty in ascertaining their degree of genuineness;


  1. 19 June 1900 at Brisbane on First Day of Issue. Ebay August 2016.
  2. 19 June 1900 at Maryborough on First Day of Issue. -Provenance: Stanley Gibbons September 2013 Item P12313012.
  3. 21 June 1900 at Rockhampton. On piece. Prestige August 2004 Lot 617 and Status February 2007 Lot 1567.
  4. 21 June 1900 at Rockhampton. Millennium May 2012 Lot 450.
  5. 22 June 1900 at Charleville. The cancel is upside down in the centre of the stamp. Ebay January 2015.
  6. 22 June 1900 at Mackay. Matthew Bennett April 2003 Lot 2768.
  7. 2 July 1900 at Brisbane. Prestige Philately October 2007 Lot 473.
  8. 2 July 1900 at Rockhampton. Millennium May 2012 Lot 450.
  9. 12 July 1900 at Brisbane - poor 70% strike in a bulk lot. Prestige October 2007 Lot 473.
  10. 22 July 1900 at Brisbane. T.C. cancellation so probably a CTO. The cancel is across the left half of the stamp and rotated 135 degrees clockwise.
    Richard Juzwin.
  11. 27 July 1900 at Brisbane. Millennium February 2005 Lot 95 and Status Feb 2007 Lot 1568.
  12. 29 July 1900 at Warwick. Difficult date to read. Status December 2002 Lot 1046.
  13. 29 July 1900 at Brisbane. Unusual octagonal date stamp. Phoenix Auctions November 2009 Lot and Ebay January 2018.
  14. 15 August 1900 at Townsville.
  15. 8 September 1900 at Brisbane.
  16. 16 September at Brisbanr Registered. Ebay September 2013.
  17. 24 September 1900 at Roma. Matthew Bennett January 2004 Lot 2417.
  18. 6 November 1900 at Stanthorpe. Gibbons September 2001 Lot 1326 and Prestige Philately September 2011 Lot 241.
  19. 5 December 1900 at Gladstone. Status May 2006 Lot 1349.
  20. Cancelled at Nelson with a Numeral 263 but no date. Sandafayre September 2010.


Multiples.


1d Qld vertical pair

A 2d (1/-) pair in bright violet is the only recorded multiple.
It has reinforcing for perforations on reverse.

Provenance: Bernie Manning.

Rodney Perry 1999 Lot 621.
Prestige Philately June 2009 Lot 1211.