Australia Philately: 1989 Gardens of Australia (Part I)

A new $10 stamp will be issued by Australia Post on 12 April 1989. The stamp, which features a view of Adelaide Botanic Garden, will combine intalglio and photolithographic printing processes for the first time on Australian stamps.

The new $10 value replaces the Australian Paintings Coming South stamp which first appeared in 1977. Bu Australia’s Post’s issue policy Coming South was due for replacement in 1983. However, replacement was deferred because of widespread concern over escalating collecting costs. Replacement of the $2 and $5 values will occur later this year.

The decision to rrplace the three high value stamps in 1989 was a direct result of the cessation of “buying back” arrangements, which affects stamps issued after 1 October 1987. It was necessary to provide new designs that would enable post office staff to distinguish stamps sold after that date. Low value definitives were replaced by the Living Together issue in 1988, and the 1989 high value issues complete the process.

The Garden issue is a first for Australia Post, combining intaglio with photolithography. The stamps are being partially printed by CPE Australia Ltd on a six-colour Heidelberg press, at their plant in the Melbourne suburb of Scoresby. The stamps are then transported to Cragieburn on the opposite side of the city, where the Reserve Bank’s security printing division (Note Printing Branch) is located. There they are fed through the intaglio pree, adding the single-colour fine-line engraving. From Cragieburn, the stamps are returned to Scoresby to be perforated.

Details

Date of Issue: 12 April 1989
Date Withdrawn:
- 25 April 1989 (First Day Cover)
Designer: Jim Passmore, Australia Post Graphic Design Studio
Engraver: Bruce Stewart, Reserve Bank of Australia
Printer:
- CPE Australia Ltd
- Reserve Bank of Australia, Note Printing Branch
Press:
- Heidelberg Speedmaster 6-colour press (CPE)
- Koenig & Bauer-Gior intaglio press (RBA)
Process: Photolithography/intaglio
Colours:
Paper: Harrisons 104gsm
Perf: 14 (comb)
Sheet:
Quantity:

Stamp Packaging

Many mail order customers who ordered the new $10.00 Gardens stamp received their purchases in new protective packaging. Stamps were dispatched in a Hawid mount affixed to a stiffener inside a resealable poly-bag. Orders of single stamps, pairs, strips of three and blocks of four were forwarded in this manner.