Tasmania - "Sideface" Issues

In an effort to standardise the territorial inscription on the various postage stamps available, in 1869 the Tasmanian Government sent an order to Thomas De La Rue and Sons in London to produce plates for new 1d, 2d and 4d stamps (to replace the designs inscribed "Van Diemens Land"), and for a new 10d denomination to pay the new rate for letters to England via Marsaille.
The initial supply of stamps was printed in Tasmania on paper watermarked single line numeral (ie "2" for the 2d, "4" for the 4d, and "10" for the 1d and the new 10d - subsequent printings used whatever paper was on hand, and specimens of the 1d are known on paper watermarked "4").
The stamps were issued 1 November 1870, and are known perforated 11.8 and 11.4, as well as sometimes imperforate.
From 1871, new printings were on paper watermarked "Lined TAS".
The 4d blue stamp is of particular interest as it was only available in limited quantities (from the initial printing of about 7,000), and was soon superceded by the same stamp in an ochre or buff shade.

1871 also saw the introduction of several new postal rates: 3d for the inter-colonial single-weight rate, and a new 9d rate for letters to England via Brindisi.
The latter stamp was required to be a blue colour, and so the 4d denomination was changed to the new buff - ochre colour. Some printings of this stamp were in bright chrome yellows, makeing it difficult to make out the printed design
At the same time a replacement for the obselete 5/- "St. George & Dragon" duty stamp was issued in a violet colour. This stamp saw limited postal use, and is mainly found with fiscal cancellations.

From 1878, the high usage denominations, 1d and 2d, were printed in London by De La Rue from new printing plates. A new 8d rate for letters to England via Brindisi was introduced in 1878, necessitating a new stamp. These were also printed in London.
All London printed stamps are on a slightly different watermarked paper (it's still the "TAS" watermark, but the letters are spaced closer together, and it is unlined), and are perforated 14.

The introduction of a newspaper rate in 1889, meant that a new half-penny stamp was required. This was initially met by overprinting existing stocks of the 1d stamp, and then by a new stamp printed in orange. This stamp has the distinction of being the only plate in the series not prepared in London - it was made in Melbourne by the Victorian Government Printer.
When Tasmania joined the UPU in 1891, a new ship letter rate to England and colonial destinations, gave rise to the new twopence-halfpenny denomination. Again temporary measures were employed by surcharging the existing 9d blue stamp (in a slightly paler shade) pending the issue of permanent stamps in the new "Keyplate" design.

Stamps from this series were eventually replaced throughout the last years of the 19th century, however, the 8d and 9d denominations survived into the early years of the Australian Federation until replaced by Australian stamps.

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Last updated 24 March 1998