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February 1938. 4d Koala replaces the 4d Olive
KGV. The design was taken from a photograph of a
popular Koala at the Castle Hill Koala Park in Sydney, NSW. A business still operating in
the late 1990's.
Designed and engraved by FD Manley.
All imprints are in the standard lower left pane position.
This denomination was introduced for military concession
mail, and for airmail postage.
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Printing records for the 4d Koala 480 on first series on 25 x 27 inch printsheets are:
| 11.11.37 |
500 |
| 4-7.12.37 |
14,500 |
| 23-28.10.38 |
30,000 |
| 4-5.12.40 |
20,000 |
| 6-7.11.40 |
20,000 |
| 13-17.2.42 |
30,000 |
| Date |
Perf |
Watermark |
Imprint |
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| February 1938 |
13½x14 |
CA |
Ash |
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| 10 October 1942 |
15x14 |
CA |
Authority |
2 line gutter |
| February 1955 |
15x14 |
CA |
none |
2 line gutters |
| 18 August 1956 |
14x14 |
none |
none |
2 line gutters |
Green
Deep Green |
February 1938 2 x 480on copper plates
2nd plate introduced in October 1938.
Issued, naturally, in panes of 80.
Flush and extra hole perforations are equally common. |
Green |
10/10/42 By the time this issue appeared in the new perforation (and plates)
McCracken had changed to the impersonal Authority imprint.
Nine 640on electros,
2line gutters
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Yellow Green (Aug 55)
Deep Green (Jan 56) |
Although withdrawn in 1954, it was
re-introduced in Feb 1955 with no imprints. |
Green
Greyish Green |
Unwatermarked
paper Printings after 18th August 1956 are on
unwatermarked paper in line with the policy of only using watermarks on denominations 5/-
and above.
In fact, this printing, comprising of 30 million stamps was
an emergency issue pending the supply of the 4d Olympic. A 3½d Olympic had been prepared
and printed but due to an increase in postal rates was shredded and new plates prepared.
Until this new printing came on stream, the 4d koala plates were resurrected.
Two plates from previous printings were utilised, together
with 2 new electros manufactured for this purpose.
The only recorded examples of plate numbers (5 and 7) come
from these printings. |
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The two line security gutter
continued throughout the 2nd series, regardless of watermark or imprints. |
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