Tasmania

1897 Issue £1 (one type, two states)

These reproductions are printed on genuine watermarked and perforated stamp paper with the design decolored but genuine cancel retained. For the frame of this forgery, a genuine stamp of the same design was photographed and the value tablet over-painted. Another "SPECIMEN" stamp with a genuine Ł1 value tablet had the design over-painted. The two clichés were then used to make the final reproduction. There are two states of the main design cliché. The original cliché was retouched correcting the two white spots below the Greek key design at lower left. The second state example shown below was purchased by Rev. Freeland from Sperati in the 1956 and is the only example seen.  

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1. there are two white dots below Greek key design to left of value tablet

2. the circle surrounding the head has a small break at the right, opposite the ear

3. the frame color is grey-green

1. the background below Greek key design to left of value tablet is solid

2. the frame color is very pale yellow-green
(the break in circle may, or may not, exist on this state, it is obscured by a cancel on the only example seen)

additional information from Sperati I: Plate 19    Tasmania Text

Richard Frajola (April 26, 2020)