
The Arch Issue of 1930-1935 Part 3
Postal History and Cancellations
There were some interesting postal rate changes during this period which make the collection of postal history challenging, as well as a fairly comprehensive range of postal history. The main rate changes that took effect during the life of this issue were as follows:
- The surface rate for non-UK letters was reduced from 8c per oz. to 5c per oz. on July 1, 1930.
- The 1c War Tax, which had been abolished in 1926, was re-instated on July 1, 1931, so that the domestic rate for the first ounce was now 3c, while US mail was now 3c per ounce.
- 1c orange -35 styles
- 1c myrtle green die 2 - 45 styles
- 1c myrtle green die 1 - 52 styles
- 2c deep dull green - 10 styles
- 2c deep red die 1 - 16 styles
- 2c deep red die 2 -20 styles
- 2c blackish brown die 2 - 20 styles
- 2c blackish brown die 1 - 6 styles.
- 3c deep red - 3 styles
- 5c dull blue - 2 styles
- Die 1 cards have horizontal shading lines behind the king' head.
- Die 2 cards have diagonal shading lines behind the king's head.
- Canada/Business Reply Card" in 2 lines in the upper left corner (Unitrade type 9).
- As above, but with additional line "Carte Reponse D'Affaires" (Unitrade type 10).
- No inscription (Unitrade type 1).
- "Canada Post Card" in centre of card (Unitrade type 5).
- Bilingual "Canada/Post Card" at top centre of card (Unitrade type 7).
- "Canada Post Card/Reply" in two lines (Unitrade type 12).
- "Canada/Reply Post Card - Carte Postale Reponse" in two lines (Unitrade type 14).
First Day Covers
This is the last issue in which first day covers are extremely scarce and expensive. Without exception, every value of this set is at least $300 on a first day cover, with the 50c and $1 being valued at $1,600 each. There are a number of different cachets that can be collected for these, and forming a complete collection is quite challenging indeed.
Coil Stamps
- A complete set of 6 regular pairs or strips of 4.
- A complete set of regular singles or pairs on cover.
- A complete set of 6 line pairs or strips without the cockeyed king variety.
- A complete set of 6 line pairs or strips showing the cockeyed king variety.
- A complete set of 6 start strips.
- A complete set of 6 end strips.
- A complete set of 6 repair paste-up pairs and strips.
- The 1c stamps with precancels in pairs or strips.
- Pairs and singles with different CDS town cancels.
Imperforate Pairs and Strips
This is the first definitive issue in a long time in which most of the low values do not exist imperforate. There were only 8 values, including the top five values, which can be found imperforate. Two of these are extremely scarce to unique:
- 1c orange - unique imperforate strip of 3
- 1c deep green die 2 imperforate pair - estimated to be 50 printed.
- 2c deep dull green imperforate pair - only 3 pairs known.
- 10c olive green imperforate pair - estimated to be 50 printed.
- 12c grey black imperforate pair - estimated to be 75 printed.
- 20c brown-red imperforate pair - estimated to be 75 printed.
- 50c dull blue imperforate pair - estimated to be 75 printed.
- $1 bronze green imperforate pair - estimated to be 75 printed.
Perforated 5-Hole OHMS Stamps
All values of this issue, and all die types exist with the 5-hole OHMS perforation, which can potentially exist in 8 different orientations:
- Upright reading from left to right.
- Upright reading from right to left.
- Sideways with the O pointing left and reading up.
- Sideways with the O pointing left and reading down.
- Sideways with the O pointing right and reading up.
- Sideways with the O pointing right and reading down.
- Inverted reading from left to right.
- Inverted reading from right to left.
Unitrade lists only the basic types in either fine or very fine used. They state that mint stamps are almost non-existent and that most of the stamps can also be found with a missing pin in "S" variety. The Wrigley's catalogue, or "The Catalogue and Guidebook of Canadian Official Stamps, by J&M Publishing Ltd. will give a more comprehensive listing of these stamps,s howing all the different orientations that can exist for each stamp. These stamps are all very expensive compared to the non-perforated stamps, with a basic VF used set, including the airmail and special delivery stamps listing for $3,730. For this reason, a great deal of caution has to be exercised in purchasing these stamps, as they have been widely faked. Ken Pugh has published a guide titled "Reference Manual of BNA Fakes, Forgeries and Counterfeits Series II - Release 5 A Photographic Guide to the Genuine and Faked Perforated and Overprinted Official Stamps of Canada". This should prove invaluable to anyone contemplating the collection of this aspect of this issue.
Proof Material
As if all the other aspects of this issue are not sufficiently challenging, there is a very large amount of proof and essay material in existence for this issue. It is all listed in the BNA Proofs website, the link for which is given below:
http://www.bnaproofs.com/can-arch.html
The site lists 58 different essays and die proofs including 6 of an unissued 7c value in brown. All of these are very expensive, selling for between $1,500 and $5,000 each. This you would need access to well over $150,000 and a lifetime to have any chance at acquiring them all. Generally, the material can be categorized into two groups of items for each value:
- Stamp sized essays in the issued colours, with the word "Post"in the design, instead of postage. These are either uninitialed, or bear the initials JPV and the date of approval.
- Stamp sized essays on wove paper in black, with the word "Post"in the design instead of "Postage".
- Stamp sized die proofs on glazed paper in issued colours. Again these can either be unmarked, or marked with approval initials and the approval date.
- Stamp sized die proofs on wove paper in issued colours. Again, these can either be unmarked, or marked with approval initials and the approval date.
- A 2c green essay of a rejected design, featuring the side bust of King George V as found on the coins of the period.
Scoping Out A Complete Collection
Ignoring unlisted varieties, the following gives you some idea of what is involved in forming a comprehensive collection of the best quality items available in this issue:
- Basic stamps in VFNH condition: $1,707
- Major re-entries: $360
- Other plate flaws in VFNH: $800
- Double paper variety on 10c: $750
- 1c orange unique imperf strip of 3: $5,000
- Imperforate pairs in VFNH: $22,000
- 1c orange plate blocks in VFNH: $48
- 1c myrtle green plate blocks in VFNH: $1,348
- 2c dull green plate blocks in VFNH: $2,298
- 2c deep red plate blocks in VFNH: $1,293
- 2c blackish brown plate blocks in VFNH: $1,966
- 3c deep red plate blocks in VFNH: $2,050
- Other plate blocks (4c-$1) in VFNH: $49,150
- Cancel collection: 1000 copies of each stamp in VF: $119,800
- First day covers: $8,975
- Coil stamps in VFNH pairs: $1,956
- Cancel collection of coil stamps - 1000 copies of each in VF: $30,500
- Booklets - all types and listed varieties in VF condition : $28,462.50
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