PICTORIAL STAMPS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 14, 17 January 1936, Page 6

PICTORIAL STAMPS

SEVERAL MINOR CHANGES DIFFERENCE IN PRINTING. NEW PROCESS IN USE. The discerning, especially those with a philatelic bent, may have noticed a slight difference recently in some of the pictorial stamps which are in use at the present time in New Zealand. The difference, is to be found at present in the lid, 2|d, and 3s denominations, but may extend later to the other stamps of the set. The original printings of the stamps were by the dry process on a rotary press. But recent printings have been by tho wet process. The paper of the original issue was passed through the machine dry, but in the second issue the paper was damped before printing, necessitating gumming after printing instead of before, as was previously the case. The different issues may be distinguished by the colour of the gum. the original issue having white gum and the second issue brown gum. Also, the original prints show an embossed effect of the design on the reverse side, whereas in tne second issue the gum fills the indentations. Another change will be. of interest to philatelists. The stamps of the New Zealand pictorial issue are of varying sizes, and for this reason difficulty has been experienced in obtaining in some cases a correct register of the watermark. Hence it. has been decided to print future supplies on paper watermarked over a ‘‘N.Z. Star.” Stamps on the new watermarked paper will not be issued before Al arch next. The penny stamps which arc now being sold in booklets of 24 vary slightly from the penny stamps obtainable in sheets. For the stamps in the booklets the design on the original die has been deepened, and a special plate has been made to give a better definition in the stamps.