5d

December 1938.

The design was clearly based on the successful Macarthur Centenary commemoratives of a few years previous. This value replaced the 5d Brown KGV

Designed and engraved by FD Manley.

Produced for Registered Post & Internal Air both 3+2d, this was only one of two values printed in horizontal format, the other being the 9d platypus. From the beginning, imprints appeared in the lower left of each pane.

Date	Perf	Watermark	Imprint
December 1938	13½x14	CA	Ash
January 1941	13½x14	CA	McCracken
17 Dec 1945	15x14	CA	Authority

Reddish Mauve Deep Reddish Mauve	December 1938 Ash Imprints 3 copper plates, 480on. Naturally, only issued in panes of 80.flush perf
Reddish Mauve Deep Reddish Mauve	January 1941 McCracken imprints McCracken did not replace the imprint unless it also involved a plate change. These must have been new electros but interestingly the older perforation was utilised.
this is extra hole (bad scan)	December 1945 new perfs 15x14 Authority imprints The 5d value was effectively discontinued after the wartax surcharge of 1941. It was resurrected again on this issue, the last in fact, to appear in the 2nd series Zoologicals. Four electros produced from 640on master, but only two used for printing 3 printings were made. The stamp was obsoleted during 1952. Missing extension holes to the perforator in sheets A/C in right hand margin issued in December 1948.