Queensland 2 shilling brown covers

A census of Queensland 2 shilling 2nd Sideface covers with details of the postal rates used. Most of these stamps, being of a high value, were used for fiscal purposes. When used for postal purposes, it was mainly for parcels, so covers are scarce

1888

FORGERY. Ipswich registered letter to London dated July 1888. Total postage is 2s 10d. The registration fee was 4d. As the standard rate was 6d. it appears that the 2s was not required and has been added on afterwards. Further evidence of this is that the illegible barred numeral cancellation is facing the wrong way and has been added to with some extra lines where it joins the envelope

1890

Cover from Brisbane to Melbourne dated 12 June 1890. Ex Francis Kiddle. Philatelic use as it is hard to see how an envelope could attract such a high rate of postage and the use of the large chalon is also highly unusual

1898

Brisbane to Baden, Germany dated 12 February 1898. The postage paid was 3s including a registration fee of 3d. The letter rate was 2.5d per half ounce, so this is either a 13 x rate (highly unlikely and a ha'penny too much) or, more likely, a philatelic cover. Seen at Abacus auction no 239

1899

Posted at Samurai, British New Guinea on 19 September 1899 to Townsville, Queensland. Seen at Prestige Philately auction no 149 lot no 2028

Unknown date

A registered cover with a Brisbane datestamp. Seen in a private collection and the only genuine non-philatelic postally used cover seen used in Queensland so far

1900

George Street, Brisbane to Salzburg, Austria dated 2 January 1900. The postage paid was 3s 6d including a registration fee of 3d. The letter rate was 2.5d per half ounce, so this is either a 14 x rate (highly unlikely and 2d left over anyway) or, more likely, especially as the 1 shilling 3rd Sideface issue went on sale in June 1899, a philatelic cover. Seen at auction

1909

A stunning pair on cover from Brisbane to Germany dated 11 June 1909 which would indicate that it was of philatelic origin as these stamps were certainly not available at the Brisbane post office after 1902

1912

Qld 2/- brown & SA 10d orange thin postage, cancelled with poor Sydney registered of 7MY12, on parcel wrapper piece to Birmingham, England, with Sydney red & black registration label & oval 'REGISTERED/21/7JU12/LONDON' (A2). Seen at Premier Postal auction no 69 lot no 1013. Obviously philatelic in nature given the location and the date

A philatelic cover (the date is 1912) from Brisbane to Apolda, Germany with 2 x 2 shilling stamps. Seen in Gartner auction no 49 lot no 3101

1913

Registered cover from Melbourne to Austria dated 17 November 1913. Obviously philatelic. Seen in the Queensland Stamp Collecting Facebook Group