Australia #279/313, C8 (SG#282/307) 1956-1958 Commemoratives and 1954-57 Definitives, A Specialized Lot of 26 Mostly Fine Used Stamps

A group of 26 mostly fine used stamps (some VF), comprising most all the commemoratives issued from 1956 through 1958, plus the 1954-1957 Queen Elizabeth II definitives, and 1957 airmail, showing a variety of shade differences that are not listed, either in Gibbons, or Scott. There are a few missing stamps, namely SG#282d, 283, 287, 292-293, and 302-303.

Most all of the engraved stamps issued during the Elizabethan period can be found printed in different shades of the basic colour, and this lot includes several of these. In addition, both the watermarked and unwatermarked paper can be found in both thinner and thicker versions, which can easily be distinguished by looking at the relative opacity of the stamps when viewed from the back.

Gibbons lists the basic stamps at 9.05 pounds (approx. $18.10) for fine used. The stamps here grade between 70 and 84, but mostly all between 70 and 75.