1895 1d Burelé band PE of Penny omitted (SG 206a)

This page seeks to show all the 1895 1d red-orange PE of Penny omitted (SG 206b and Scott 102a) examples I have seen

This variety appears on Plate 3 (1892 - 1895) of the 1d issued in 1887 and was printed in February 1895 on plain paper with the Burelé band on the back, perf 12.5 / 13 comb. It is a type 2 die and is in position no 2 (2nd stamp from the left on the 1st row) on the sheet

The "PE" of Penny is almost entirely obliterated. It is a transient flaw and is known on stamps of both red-orange and pale yellow-orange shades

It is believed that no more than 180 sheets were produced before the flaw was spotted and the defect corrected. Stanley Gibbons lists it as SG206b and prices it both mint and used. However, I have never seen a used example, which strongly suggests that the sheets containing this flaw never went on sale at post offices, and therefore any existing examples came from within the Queensland Post and Telegraph Department 

This is confirmed by Samuel Dalby, writing in the Philatelic Journal of Great Britain (Philatelic Fragments, 20 September 1914, p. 160), where he wrote that "the faulty sheets were not thrown out, but were included in the quantity sent to the Postal Department". They would have come from the Government Printing Office where they were printed

How did this flaw occur? Dalby suggests the following: "Soon after the printing of this emission was started, an unnoticed air bubble on the inking roller burst and the composition from the bubble clogged the letters PE on one of the stamps. In the earlier feedings the defect appeared as a large blot; as it became more consolidated by repeated pressure an even surface was formed which gave a clear impression, "ONE --NNY” until a few sheets had gone through the machine, when the fault was discovered and the electrotype was
cleaned."

Ken Scudder (Queensland Postage Stamps 1879 to 1912, p. 170), provides additional information. "Initially this bubble of ink sat upon the tops of the "PE" but soon worked down to obliterate these two letters. Curiously, this flaw is known on stamps of both Red-Orange and Pale Yellow-Orange. As the flaw was transient, it would seem that the changes in colour may have, to some extent, been random. It is believed the air bubble came about when a new inking roller was used for the first time." 

It is believed that at least 2 complete sheets containing this flaw have survived, one held by Ken Scudder and the other by Dr Andrew Mortlock.

A block of 15. Red-orange. In my collection 

Red-orange. In my collection 

A strip of three. Red-orange. In my collection 

A strip of three. Red-orange. In my collection 

A strip of three. Red-orange. In my collection 

A block of six. Red-orange. In my collection. Ex Butler

From the sheet held by Dr Andrew Mortlock

Millennium auction no 19 lot no 357

Seen in Prestige Philately auction no 146 lot no 1136 with this wonderful description: "NO WATERMARK BLUE BURELE BAND: 1d upper-left corner strip of 3 with an Early State (Black Cloud Descending) of the 'ONE NNY' Flaw, full unmounted o.g. ["The Australian Philatelist" of March 1895 at page 104 states: "After printing a few sheets, the fault was discovered...This error was corrected..." However the early state of the flaw goes unmentioned]". Ex Manning

Seen in Prestige Philately auction no 146 lot no 1137 and Spink auction no 20030 lot no 206. Ex Manning and Diffen

Seen on Ebay

Seen in an auction catalog somewhere on the Internet

Millennium auction no 17 lot no 159 

Spink auction no 12043 Lo no 1305. Ex Griffiths

Spink auction no 13011 Lo no 2291

Seen at Status auction in May 2017

From the collection of Dr Andrew Mortlock

Prestige Philately auction no 96 lot no 411. Ex Colonel Harries

Phoenix auction no 19

In the collection of Carl Burnett 

In the collection of Carl Burnett 

In the collection of Carl Burnett and uniquely cancelled to order for presentation to members of parliament and other dignitaries

Seen in the Queensland Stamp Collecting Facebook Group

Courtesy of Dave Elsmore

Stanley Gibbons sales. Ex Butler 

Stanley Gibbons sales. Ex Butler 

Ebay, June 2018, and then Gartner 49

Seen in Corinphila auctions, October 2017:1 d. vermilion-red, no wmk. with burelê in blue, a fine unused strip of three, central stamp (position 2 on sheet) showing the variety "PE" of PENCE missing. Unapparent diagonal bend but fresh and fine, large part og.

A strip of 3 for sale on Ebay in October 2020

A block of 6 seen in Status auctions in September 2022

A block of 6 seen on Ebay in November 2022

Seen on Ebay in March 2023