History of The Australian Commonwealth Specialists' Catalogue
 

AUSTRALIAN  STAMP  LISTS
Includes Colonial State Stamps and Postage Dues, as well as Current and Former Dependencies, Territories, and Mandates
Listings based on Date of Issue, Stamp Type, Denomination, and Colour
It generally excludes different Watermarks, Perforations, Shades, Papers, Printers, etc.

AUSTRALIAN COLONIAL STATE STAMPS
1850 - 1910
stamp
New South Wales
1860 - 1910
stamp
Queensland
1855 - 1910
stamp
South Australia
1853 - 1910
stamp
Tasmania
1850 - 1910
stamp
Victoria
1854 - 1910
stamp
Western Australia

Postage Dues AUSTRALIAN PRE-DECIMAL STAMPS
1890 - 1963
stamp
Postage Dues
1913 - 1924
dec
King George V - Kangaroos
1913 - 1930
dec
King George V - Heads
1913 - 1936
dec
King George V - Other
1936
dec
King Edward VIII
1937 - 1952
dec
King George VI
1952 - 1966
dec
Queen Elizabeth II

AUSTRALIAN DECIMAL STAMPS
1966 - 1975
dec
Queen Elizabeth II
1976 - 1985
dec
Queen Elizabeth II
1986 - 1995
dec
Queen Elizabeth II
1996 - 2005
dec
Queen Elizabeth II
2006 - 2015
dec
Queen Elizabeth II
2016 - 2022
dec
Queen Elizabeth II

SPECIAL STAMP GROUPS
1913 - 2022

Stamp Series & Sets
1970-2022

Miniature Sheets
1990 - 2021

Decorative Gutter Strips
1997 - 2022

Prestige Booklets
2000 - 2022
dec
International Post Stamps

AUSTRALIAN DEPENDENCIES, TERRITORIES, & MANDATES
1957 - 2022

Australian Antarctic Territory
1958 - 2022

Christmas Island
1963 - 2022

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
1947 - 2022

Norfolk Island
1916 - 1968

Nauru
1897 - 1949

New Guinea
1885 - 1949

Papua
1949 - 1975

Papua New Guinea

PRODUCT LIST:  DETAILS & ABBREVIATIONS
PRODUCT LIST DETAILS
Gummed Stamps
Gummed Stamps are Perforated, unless otherwise noted.
"x" The actual number of each Item.
Sheets An Individual sheet or sheets containing identical stamps.  Stamps with tabs are usually used for Australia Post's Personalised Stamp service. The opposite of a Composite Sheet.
Composite Sheets A sheet containing a combination of the listed stamps, arranged in se-tenant (horizontal or vertical) pairs or strips, blocks, or arranged in the form a visual pattern (e.g., a cross). 
Standard Gutters Standard Gutters include blank gutters or gutters containing colour registration marks (circles, squares, stars, and the like.).
Decorative Gutters A gutter strip with a special decorative design (images, illustrations, text, etc.) relevant to the stamp's theme.  Official and unofficial Overprinted Gutters are excluded.
Sheetlets A smaller sheet of stamps, typically with 10 stamps and usually with a narrow decorative surrounded.
Sheetlets with tabs are available for personalisation by Australia Post for a fee.
Miniature Sheets
A small sheet or sheets comprising either a single, pair, block, or a set of different stamps, usually with wider decorative boarder. Several issues have involved Imperforate sheets.
Booklets
A Booklet comprising gummed perforated stamps (usually imperforate on one or more sides).  Typically issued in booklets of 10 or 20 stamps.
Coil Stamps Coil stamps issued from a Post Office vending machine (available 24 hours/day).  Multiple stamps are issued in strips, and are perforated top & bottom. Stamps needed to be manually "torn" from the machine.  Commenced in 1966 and discontinued in 1975.
Frama Labels Gummed imperforate machine printed labels (no backing sheet) with values based on four button values (three of which have set values).  Commenced in 1984 and discontinued in 2003.
Vending Machine Booklets Gummed stamps, sides imperforate and top and bottom either rouletted or perforated.
Commenced in 1985 and discontinued in 1996.
Self-adhesive Stamps
Self-adhesive Stamps are Die-cut with the surplus printing paper either removed or retained.
 Sheetlets of 5  Sheetlets comprising 5 stamps consist of two types.

The first sheetlet (Display Sheetlet) was marketed as a self-service item, intended for counter display at the Post Office.  They have straight edges and a hole in the top edge. This type was introduced in January 1992 but has been discontinued.

The second and current sheetlet are detached from a Chequebooks of 20 x5 (20 sheetlets of 5 stamps).

Both Sheetlets comprise self-adhesive die-cut stamps on a backing sheet, with the surplus self-adhesive printing paper retained.
Booklets of 10 & 20
Booklets comprising either 10 or 20 stamps detached from a Chequebooks of 20 x10  (20 sheetlets of 10 stamps) or Chequebooks of 20 x20  (20 sheetlets of 20 stamps).

Booklets are intended to be folded, and are sometimes referred to as "wallet booklets".

Since 7th. June 2017, all self-adhesive booklet stamps incorporate "Micro Cuts", designed to improve adhesion (?) and prevent the removal of stamps for reuse.

Booklets comprise self-adhesive die-cut stamps on a backing sheet, with the surplus self-adhesive printing paper retained.
Chequebooks Chequebooks are primarily for Post Office counter staff to dispense Sheetlets of 5 and Booklets of 10 & 20 (supplied flat as detached from the Chequebook). Chequebooks contain either 20 Sheetlets of 5, 20 Booklets of 10, or 20 Booklets of 20. 

Their use commenced in xxxx.
Rolls Self-adhesive die-cut stamps on a backing sheet, with the surplus self-adhesive printing paper removed. Typically, in rolls of 100 and/or 200 stamps.

Rolls of stamps were first issued in May 1990.  Rolls appear to be phased out in favour of Chequebooks.
ATM Sheetlets Available at selected bank Automatic Teller Machines.

Commenced in xxxx and discontinued in September 1998.
Counter Printed Stamps Machine printed stamps on a strip of backing sheet.

Commenced in 1993 and discontinued by 2001.
Prestige Booklets Booklets contain either Gummed Perforated Stamps or Die-cut Self-adhesive Stamps
Also known as:

Premium Booklets
These Booklets contain mini-sheets of stamps (often in different combinations such as pairs, blocks, etc.) interspersed between information pages.

Also produced as Special Occasion Booklets, AFL Souvenir Booklets, other Souvenir Booklets, Zodiac Booklets , Stories in Stamps Booklets, Stamp Fun Books.

Sold at a premium above face value.  Currently available on selected issues.
PRODUCT LIST ABBREVIATIONS
Stamp Reference Numbers
Brackets are used to show which stamps are included in each sheet or item. Numbers shown are examples only.
blank The absence of "brackets" indicates that each stamp has an individual sheet.
( #     ). The Brackets contain which stamps are included in the sheet.
e.g. (#65). An individual sheet containing stamp 65.
e.g. (#65-#69). A composite sheet containing stamps 65 to 69.
e.g. (#65, #69). A composite sheet containing stamps 65 and 69.
e.g. (#65-67, #69). A composite sheet containing stamps 65 to 67, plus stamp 69.
e.g. (not #65). A composite sheet containing all the listed stamps except #65.
e.g. (#64), (#66-68). Multiple sheets with each bracket set indicating the stamps in each sheet.
Stamp Arrangements
Describes the arrangement of the stamps within a sheet.
....      Indicated that the listed Products are from the above Composite Sheet.
.... Se-tenant Pair. Two different stamps in a horizontal se-tenant arrangement.
.... Vertical Se-tenant Pair. Two different stamps in a vertical se-tenant arrangement.
.... Se-tenant Strip of [n]. [n] number of different stamps arranged in horizontal se-tenant strip.
.... Vertical Se-tenant Strip of [n]. [n] number of different stamps arranged in vertical se-tenant strip.
.... Se-tenant Block of 4. Four different stamps arranged in a block of 4.
.... Se-tenant Block of 6. Six different stamps arranged (usually 3 over 3) in block of 6.
.... Se-tenant 2x2 Block of 4 Two different stamps in a block of 4, arranged in a "checkerboard" pattern.
.... Se-tenant 3x3 block of 9. Three different stamps in a block of 9, arranged in a "checkerboard" pattern.
.... Patterned Block of [n]. A visual pattern formed by the arrangement of a number of different stamps within a block of [n] stamps.
.... Patterned Sheet. A visual pattern formed by the arrangement of different stamps within a full sheet or pane of stamps.
.... TĂȘte-bĂȘche Pairs. Pairs of the same stamp, in which one is upside down in relation to the other .

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