The 1d postal rate covered the local letter rate from 1890. Most known uses of the Hospital Charity stamps are on philatelic covers. There are only three Covers recorded using the 1d (1/-).

The covers shown here are for:

First Day Cover (?)

A possible First Day Cover is recorded but it is likely to be a forgery given the destination and the placement of the date stamp.

22 October 1897 (FDI).
Melbourne to Gympie, Qld.
There is a backstamp of One Mile Creek on the reverse of 26 October 1897.
The Melbourne cancellation is centered on the stamp and so the stamp is not tied to the cover. If genuine, the date stamp would almost certainly be tied to the cover. Hence there are at least suspicions as the validity of the cover.
In addition, the inter-colonial letter rate was 2d.
Phoenix Auctions, April 2021, Lot 1233.

Single franking.

28 October 1897.
1d printed matter rate.
Bendigo for local delivery.
Barred numeral 4 and duplex.

Listing of the known covers with a single franking of the 1d (1/-) stamp.

  • 22 October 1897 from Melbourne to Gympie, Qld.
    Phoenix Auctions, April 2021, Lot 1233.
  • 28 October 1897 from Bendigo for local delivery. Has Packet Only in the top left corner. Provenance: Status July 2008 Lot 1568.
  • 28 October 1897 from Bendigo for local delivery to same addressee and format as above cover. Has Printed matter in the top left corner. Status July 2008 Lot 1569.

    • Multiple franking.

    Only two covers sent with a pair of the 1d (1/-) blue Charity stamps are recorded.

    alt="Cover to Clark in St Kilda">
    25 October 1897 - St. Kilda for local delivery.
    The cover is addressed to J. H. Clark Esq, Post Office, St Kilda and is written in the same hand as the 2½d (2/6) single franking sent to Mr. H. Bromley at St Kilda. Both covers have the same date of posting (25 October 1897) and both were cancelled with a St Kilda 78 duplex.
    Abacus Auctions, May 2018, Lot 512.

    25 August 1898.
    Sale to Armadale.
    Franking correctly paid the inland postage rate for a letter weighing less than one ounce.
    Abacus Auctions Sale 261 September 2025.

    21 April 1898. righton to Dawes Point, NSW.
    5d inter-colonial registered letter rate (3d registration fee + 2d basic inter-colonial postage rate).
    Has a pair and a strip of 3 of the 1d (1/-) blue stamp.
    Provenance: Prestige Philately January 2004 Lot 628.
    Prestige Philately, December 2012, Lot 273.
    DUBOIS Collection, Corinphila November 2022, Lot 10420.
    Johnstone.

    Listing of the known covers with 1d (1/-) multiples.


  • 25 October 1897 sent from St. Kilda for local delivery. Has a pair of the 1d (1/-) blue stamps.
    Provenance: Rod Perry Auction - possibly in September 1993 and Abacus Auctions May 2018 Lot 512.
  • 25 August 1898 sent from Sale to Armadale. with a pair of the 1d )1/-) blue stamps.
    Provenance: Abacus Auctions September 2025, Lot 979.
  • >21 April 1898 sent from Brighton to Sydney with a stip of strip of 3 and a pair.
    Provenance: Prestige Philately January 2004, Lot 628 and in December 2012, Lot 273.
    Corinphila November 2022, Lot 10420.

    • See elsewhere for a listing of the 2½d (2/6) multiples used on cover.



    Mixed franking of the 1d (1/-).


    3 July 1901 - very late usage. Cover sent from Melbourne to Soerabaya, Java (Indonesia).
    Registered foreign letter rate (3d registration fee + 2½d foreign letter rate).
    Only known mixed franking cover with the 1d (1/-) stamp.
    Provenance:Harmers