Thanks for calling attention to this error. It is not listed in SG Concise and I had not previously known of it. In checking my accumulation, of a total of 31 used copies, 3 are the variety with the "grey" floor tiles, vs the normal "brown" tiles.
Herewith images showing the two different items side by side.
JTH
I had never heard of this variety either.
I read this thread earlier today, and just now was working on preparing our Buckacover upload for Thursday, and, lo and behold, there is the 1973 Christmas FDC. Thought I'd have a closer look. Was quite surprised to see that it's the "grey tiles" variety (I'm not going to call it an error -- it seems too common for that).
Roy
There's another minor variety in the set that was listed in the old SG Commonwealth Varieties catalogue on SG 944, the second of the stamps on the strip shown on Roy's FDC.
This is a strong retouch on the bottom of the "3" which appears as a marked thickening.
This was constant on one position on one of the cylinder panes.
Interesting variation.
I'd like to see the other minor variety you mention as well - the retouched 3.
Anyone have a copy?
The retouched 3 is visible in the photos posted by Roy, as Nigel pointed out. The 2nd stamp from the left in Roy's 1st photo, then the enlarged area of the retouched 3 at the far left of the 2nd photo. A close look at the 3 shows a just discernable thickening of the it's bottom half.
I'm not sure if the stamp on the FDC shows this retouch or not.
Here's a scan from the SG catalogue:
and a smaller scan at 150 dpi of just the figure "3".
Think this illustrates the thick/thin 3p value.
I'm not really a "varieties guy", but I thought the essence of the SG varieties guide listing for this stamp was the "jog" in the outline of the "3", as I attempted to highlight in the edited version of the previous picture seen below. (Please forgive my shakey mouse work. It's the best I could accomplish).
Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Roy
Roy, it looked that way to me, which is why I wrote that I think it may illustrate the flaw/error. Could not find any other examples where there was a marked difference.
There is a visually obvious difference in the thickness of the 3, but maybe that was just overinking.
Regarding the 3½p sadly I have never found any with the missing colours.
"I'm not really a "varieties guy", but I thought the essence of the SG varieties guide listing for this stamp was the "jog" in the outline of the "3", as I attempted to highlight in the edited version of the previous picture seen below."
Have gone through my duplicates and can only come up with this slight flattening of the curve on the right hand stamp, as opposed to the rounded curve of the left stamp. Not really as pronounced as in catalogue illustration.
I assume there are minor variations across the sheets/cylinders and only the quoted retouch was identified as worth listing.
It would be interesting to know whether this or any other retouches on this Christmas issue are listed in the GB Specialised Volume 5 catalogue.
Had A look at what I might have. No retouch. Did however notice these nice shift in colors.
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Since these stamps were issued I must have seen thousands while going through Kiloware, in collections etc. I have always been on the lookout for this "common" error.
I picked out a small bundle of kiloware that I accquired in a mixed box last month. There were about 10 copies of this stamp and lo and behold I found not one but two copies of the missing colour in the floor tiles.
The error occurs in the left and right stamps.
re: Christmas 1973 Error
Thanks for calling attention to this error. It is not listed in SG Concise and I had not previously known of it. In checking my accumulation, of a total of 31 used copies, 3 are the variety with the "grey" floor tiles, vs the normal "brown" tiles.
Herewith images showing the two different items side by side.
JTH
re: Christmas 1973 Error
I had never heard of this variety either.
I read this thread earlier today, and just now was working on preparing our Buckacover upload for Thursday, and, lo and behold, there is the 1973 Christmas FDC. Thought I'd have a closer look. Was quite surprised to see that it's the "grey tiles" variety (I'm not going to call it an error -- it seems too common for that).
Roy
re: Christmas 1973 Error
There's another minor variety in the set that was listed in the old SG Commonwealth Varieties catalogue on SG 944, the second of the stamps on the strip shown on Roy's FDC.
This is a strong retouch on the bottom of the "3" which appears as a marked thickening.
This was constant on one position on one of the cylinder panes.
re: Christmas 1973 Error
Interesting variation.
I'd like to see the other minor variety you mention as well - the retouched 3.
Anyone have a copy?
re: Christmas 1973 Error
The retouched 3 is visible in the photos posted by Roy, as Nigel pointed out. The 2nd stamp from the left in Roy's 1st photo, then the enlarged area of the retouched 3 at the far left of the 2nd photo. A close look at the 3 shows a just discernable thickening of the it's bottom half.
re: Christmas 1973 Error
I'm not sure if the stamp on the FDC shows this retouch or not.
Here's a scan from the SG catalogue:
and a smaller scan at 150 dpi of just the figure "3".
re: Christmas 1973 Error
Think this illustrates the thick/thin 3p value.
re: Christmas 1973 Error
I'm not really a "varieties guy", but I thought the essence of the SG varieties guide listing for this stamp was the "jog" in the outline of the "3", as I attempted to highlight in the edited version of the previous picture seen below. (Please forgive my shakey mouse work. It's the best I could accomplish).
Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Roy
re: Christmas 1973 Error
Roy, it looked that way to me, which is why I wrote that I think it may illustrate the flaw/error. Could not find any other examples where there was a marked difference.
There is a visually obvious difference in the thickness of the 3, but maybe that was just overinking.
Regarding the 3½p sadly I have never found any with the missing colours.
re: Christmas 1973 Error
"I'm not really a "varieties guy", but I thought the essence of the SG varieties guide listing for this stamp was the "jog" in the outline of the "3", as I attempted to highlight in the edited version of the previous picture seen below."
re: Christmas 1973 Error
Have gone through my duplicates and can only come up with this slight flattening of the curve on the right hand stamp, as opposed to the rounded curve of the left stamp. Not really as pronounced as in catalogue illustration.
re: Christmas 1973 Error
I assume there are minor variations across the sheets/cylinders and only the quoted retouch was identified as worth listing.
It would be interesting to know whether this or any other retouches on this Christmas issue are listed in the GB Specialised Volume 5 catalogue.
re: Christmas 1973 Error
Had A look at what I might have. No retouch. Did however notice these nice shift in colors.
....
....