The 7c stamp marking the centenary of the completion of the Overland Telegraph line was issued on 22nd August, 1972, for two weeks sale at post offices and six months sale at the philatelic sales centres. It was designed by Mr. John Copeland, of Adelaide, and the design shows the telegraph line crossing a lonely stretch of Central Australian landscape. The colours, in order of printing, are light ochre, dark ochre, red and black. Four cylinders – one for each colour – were used, and the stamp was printed by photogravure on Wiggins Teape coated unwatermarked paper incorporating helecon, by the Note Printing Branch, Reserve Bank of Australia, Melbourne. Stamp size is 37.5mm x 25mm, and sheet content is 100 stamps.
Details
- Date of Issue: 22 August 1972
- Withdrawn Date:
- Invalidated:
- Designer: John Copeland, Adelaide
- Printer: Note Issue Department, Reserve Bank of Australia, Melbourne
- Process: Photogravure
- Cylinders: Light Ochre – Dark Ochre – Red – Black (printing order)
- Paper: Wiggins Teape coated unwatermarked paper incorporating helecon
- Watermark: None
- Perf: 13.25 x 13.5 (comb)
- Sheet: Printed in two panes of 50 stamps (R10 x 5) divided by vertical gutter.
- Quantity:
Sheet Numbers
First Day Cover No.38 & No.39 (Official)
Mr. Copeland also designed the two official Post Office first day covers. One showed a morse key and map of the line, and the other an 1972 Darwin construction camp.
Philatelic Bulletin
Australia Post Philatelic Bulletin No.113 – September 1972