One of the initial proofs for the Papua overprinting, done by Wood (an unadopted design, recently put up for auction in Australia- it did not sell, reserved at $A3500).
Below is a list of the numbers printed of each respective value:
halfpenny.........................11,040
The above figures were published by Hamilton Croaker in 1983, in the publication LAKATOI 2 & 3, TERRITORY OF PAPUA. The figures seem very acurate, and any study of pricing reflects this scarcity.
The above example is also a rarity, being the vertically watermarked large papua opt. This particular stamp sold for $US 750, recently.
The Overprints made at Brisbane
The fabled "dull blue" shade. Probably only one printing was made of this shade, and similar to the Georgian 'salmon' shades is quite rare and very striking. The unoverprinted lakatoi of this shade is particularly rare, and I have seen very few examples over the past ten years.
Below is a list of printings made of each particular value:
halfpenny..............................18,150
A further breakdown of the numbers overprinted of particualr values is given by Hamilton Croaker:
The following stamp is one of the errors of overprint, and sold for $US 2600 at the Shreves auction in September 2000.
( The "Large Papua" Overprint).
one penny.........................12,960
two pence.........................29,610
two and a half pence.............12,000
four pence...........................2,970
six pence............................6,300
one shilling.........................5,970
two and six pence..................2,730
two and six pence value, overprinted large Papua.
Of the halfpenny value, all stamps overprinted were of thin paper, wmk vertical. This was also the case for the one penny value and the two penny value. Richard Juzwin's 1997 Australasian catalogue quotes prices of $A20 to 25 for each of these values, mint or used.
The two and a half pence value were all thick paper, wmk vertical, and priced by Juzwin at $A15 mint and $A20 used.
The four pence value was thick paper, but with wmks either horizontal or vertical. Juzwin prices the horizontal wmk as slightly more scarce ( $A250 mint/used) than the vertical ( $A225 mint/used).
The six pence was again on thick paper, with both horizontal and vertical wmks. Hamilton Croaker states that the numbers printed of each wmk were approximately equal, however Juzwin prices the vertical wmk at twice that of the horizontal ( $A100 and $A50 respectively).
Both the one shilling and two and six pence values were issued on thick paper, with wmk vertical and horizontal. The vertical wmk papers are very scarce indeed, with prices for the one shilling realising $A1000 and the two and six pence is estimated at $8000 in Macray Watson 31st March 1998 auction. Macray Watson state this stamp to be the rarest 'straight' stamp of Papua, with only one sheet overprinted. An example recently auctioned in Austra
lia is pictured below- a truly beautiful stamp, it was estimated at between $A6000 and $A8000.
(The "Small Papua" Overprint).
one penny..............................35,000
two pence..............................40,560
two and a half pence..................13,230
four pence...............................5,135
six pence................................5,255
one shilling.............................7,265
two and six pence.....................10,696
The one shilling value on thick paper, wmk horizontal and vertical was 2,400. Juzwin price the horizontal wmk as three times as scarce as the vertical wmk. On thin paper, only a vertical wmk was used, and 5,220 stamps were overprinted.
The two and six pence
value was again found on thick paper with wmk horizontal and vertical. Of horizontal wmk, 6,000 were overprinted and on vertical wmk paper, only two sheets ( 60 stamps) were overprinted. On thin paper, wmk vertical, 4,620 stamps were issued.
