The Lithographic issues of Papua

The Lithographic issues were based on the previous design of the British New Guinea 'Lakatoi' issue, but were inscribed with the single word 'Papua' instead of British New Guinea.

These stamps were issued in two different fonts, which will be referred to as 'small Papua' and 'large Papua'.
The first of the Papua stamps issued were the values of halfpenny and two and six pence. Hamilton Croaker (HC) states that the halfpenny Black and Yellow Green was issued in November or December, 1907. HC was unable to find any record of the number printed. The two and six pence Black and Chocolate was issued in 1907 ( Gibbons), but HC was unable to find a copy dated earlier than February 1910. 4080 were issued, but its current market price does not reflect this scarcity ($A60-mint/$A90-used[source: Juzwin 1998 direct order castalogue]). Both issues were inscribed with the 'large Papua' font and were perforated 11.

The next stamps to be issued were the 'small Papua' lithographs. These were issued between 1907 and 1910. No record of the numbers printed has been able to be ascertained, but as a guide to their scarcity, Juzwin's price list for the various issues follows:

6d green perf. 12 1/2 ( scarce)
the 6p perforated 12 1/2 were all to have been overprinted "OS" for official use, however two sheets (60 stamps) escaped overprinting ( source Shreves auction catalogue sept 2000).

The above example sold for $2100 (US) in sept. 2000.

Sold at Corinphila (Switerland) auction, for 1600SFr

Issue perf11
wmk upright		 perf 12 and a half
wmk upright		 perf11
wmk sideways		 per 12 and a half
wmk sideways
halfpenny   $A8-/ $A15- $A8-/ $A8-
one penny $A8-/ $A8-   $A15-/ $A12- $A12-/ $A15-
two pence $A10-/ $A8- $A25-/ $A20- $A10-/ $A12- $A15-/ $A25-
two and a half pence- brt. ultra $A15-/ $A30- $A125-/ $A200- $A12-/ $A20- $A15-/ $A25-
two and a half pence- pale ultra $A12-/ $A12- $A100-/ $A125-    
four pence $A10-/ $A12- $A20-/ $A25- $A10-/ $A15-  
six pence $A15-/ $A20-   $A20-/ $A25- $A2500- mint
one shilling $A25-/ $A40- $A60-/ $A125- $A75-/ $A125- $A35-/ $A40-

Stamps with major varieties, such as 'rift in cloud', are generally worth three times the ordinary stamp's valuation.

varieties present on small papua lithographic stones

The last of the Lithograph stamps to be issued were inscribed 'large Papua' and were perforated 12 and a half. A table of the numbers printed [source:HC] is given below:

halfpenny one penny two pence two and halfpenny four pence six pence one shilling two and sixpence
20,400 39,990 39,870 15,000 24,800 20,010 19,950 40,040

A sheet of the one penny large PAPUA.

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