Australia Philately: 1972 Pioneer Life

The thousands of men and women who contributed so much during the formative years of the establishment of the Australian nation are the subjects of the Pioneer Life series of definitive stamps issued on 15th November, 1972. The series comprises 5c Pioneer Society, 10c Pioneer Water, 15c Pioneer Food, 40c Pioneer Shelter, 50c Pioneer Transport, 60c Pioneer Communications, and 80c Pioneer Commerce. Designed by Mr. Robert Ingpen, of Melbourne, they were printed in five-colour photogravure in sheets of 100 on the Chambon machine at the Note Printing Branch, Reserve Bank of Australia, Melbourne, on unwatermarked luminescent paper. Each stamp measures 25 mm x 37.5 mm, including perforations; the 5c, 10c and 60c stamps are in vertical format and the remainder are horizontal.

The seven designs relate to aspects of pioneer life in an agricultural environment of about 100 years ago. The Pioneer Society design shows a typical family, posed as for one of the group photographs so popular then, and typifying the family as the centre of activities. These activites are represented on the designs of the other stamps. Water, food and shelter are basic needs of every society, and these are depicted on the 10c, 15c and 40c stamps. With these primary needs satisfied, the pioneers moved to more sophisticated developments such as transport, communications and commerce, depicted on the 50c, 60c and 80c stamps.

Details

Date of Issue: 15 November 1972
Withdrawn Date: Philatelic Sales Centres
- 14 March 1980 (80c)
- 17 September 1980 (15c)
Invalidated:
Designer: Robert Ingpen
Printer: Note Printing Branch, Reserve Bank of Australia, Melbourne
Process: Photogravure
Cylinders: In printing order
- Grey – Yellow – Red – Blue – Black (5c)
- Grey (I) – Yellow – Brown – Sepia (I) – Black (10c)
- Grey (II) – Yellow – Brown – Sepia (II) – Black (10c – reprint)
- Grey – Yellow – Green – Brown – Black (15c)
- Grey (I) – Yellow – Red – Mauve – Black (40c)
- Grey (II) – Yellow – Red – Mauve – Black (40c)
- Grey – Yellow – Red – Brown – Black (50c)
- Mushroom – Yellow – Tan – Charcoal – Black (60c)
- Grey – Yellow – Blue – Red – Black (80c)
Paper:
- Wiggins Teape coated unwatermarked paper incorporating helecon
- KP5D paper (reprint)
Watermark: None
Perf: Comb
- 13.5 x 13.25 (5c, 10c, 60c)
- 13.25 x 13.5 (15c, 40c, 50c, 80c )
Sheet:
- Printed in two panes of 50 stamps (R10 x 10) divided by horizontal gutter. (5c, 10c, 60c)
- Printed in two panes of 50 stamps (R10 x 5) divided by vertical gutter. (15c, 40c, 50c, 80c)
Quantity: