Description:

1887 Queen Victoria Black on Coloured Papers ½d to 2/- (missing the 2d), plus Colour on Coloured Paper 5d all with italicised 'Specimen' handstamp (KTM Type 24b), the 10d with Triple 'Specimen' Handstamp. The 1½d is badly defective, but the others are mostly extremely fine to superb with large-part o.g. (a few being possibly unmounted). Gorgeous stamps. Ex Ray Kelly: acquired on 1.12.2007 for $1092. [For this issue, the text "Board of Land and Works" was changed to "the Victorian Railways Commissioners"]



KTM devote 14 pages to the two sub-types of this 'Specimen' type but make no mention of its use on Railway Stamps. Given that all the other Speciimens from Ray Kelly's collection are listed, this is a curious oversight but the absence of any such issue from their listing strongly suggests that this is the only known set. (11)