Frama label: festive

 

Issued in 1996, these Australian Frama labels show a graphic design.

This is known as the Festive Frama.

Frama label: waratah

Issued in 1994, these Australian Frama labels illustrate waratahs.

The 3000 postcode belongs to Melbourne.

Frama label: emu

Issued in 1992, these Australian Frama labels illustrate emus.

The 5000 postcode belongs to Adelaide.

Frama label: koala

Issued in 1990, this Australian Frama label illustrates koalas.

Some collectors don't call Frama labels as "labels" but as stamps...hence Frama stamps.

Frama label: echidna

Issued in 1987, this Australian Frama label illustrates echidnas.

Frama labels were used like postage stamps in franking mail. These were gummed and sold through vending machines, not at post office counters.

counter printed stamp

A Counter Printed Stamp of Australia made by the ADEL General Post Office (now the Adelaide GPO).

This CPS was issued in 1995.

The kangaroo and joey design was part of a regular set of six issued by Australia Post in 1994.

OS perfin

This 9d Kangaroo & Map stamp was perforated OS for official use.

The perforated initials (perfin, for short) stand for Official Service.

EFO: Two Tasmanias

Normal Copy

EFO

There's a printing flaw in this 1d Kangaroo & Map stamp: an "extra island" above the first N of PENNY.

Kangaroo & Map

Australia's first issue was the Kangaroo and Map series (commonly known as Roos) that first came out in 1913.

Nine values are shown above.

Since then kangaroos on stamps have been issued by Australia several times!

1899 provisional

The last issue of Canada in the 19th century were two surcharged stamps.

These provisionals, which were the first stamps of Canada to be surcharged, came out in 1899.

Surcharged were the 3c Maple Leaf and the 3c Numeral (shown above). The new value was 2 cents each.

Christmas 1898

Known as the Imperial Penny Postage Issue, this two-stamp set features a map of the British Empire (in carmine) with the inscription XMAS 1898.

Some collectors consider this to be the world's first Christmas stamp...some other collectors don't (you'll have to read elsewhere about this!).

The only difference in the two stamps, which were both issued on December 7, 1898, are the the three colors used: Top stamp has black, lavender and carmine, and Bottom stamp has black, blue and carmine.

These stamps were issued to mark the inauguration of the Imperial Penny Postage rate, which became effective throughout the British Empire on Christmas Day 1898.

Numerals

Looks the same as the Maple Leaf Issue...but with a difference: numerals instead of maple leaves on the lower left and right corners.

The Numeral Issue has more stamps than the Maple Leaf Issue, as follows: 1/2c (issued in 1898), 1c (1898), 2c purple (1898), 2c carmine (1899), 3c (1898), 5c (1899), 6c (1898), 7c (1902), 8c (1898), 10c (1898), and 20c (1900).

Shown above are the six lowest values.

Maple Leaf

Flag cancel

The Maple Leaf Issue of Canada came out in 1897 and 1898.

Eight values make up this set: 1/2c, 1c, 2c, 5c, 6c, 8c, and 10c (all issued in 1897) and 3c (issued in 1898).

Shown above are the four lowest values.

Jubilees II

Aug 31, 1897 Ontario

Aug 19, 1897 Toronto

Flag cancel

Aug 20, 1897 Summerside, Prince Edward Island

July 14, 1897 British Columbia

This time, five stamps with different cancellations.

A circular date stamp (CDS) cancel looks better than smudge cancellations.