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Post by paul1 on Aug 11, 2023 11:26:39 GMT
An area I know almost nothing about - I would probably and wrongly tend to call these things 'postal stationery' - but then maybe that's an adequate general term for what they are. U.K. collectors see plenty of these from the first half of the C20 and some from QV too - there is currently an article running in the U.K. magazine 'Stamp Collector' - with part two almost upon us. These things seem not to be collected with the same passion as adhesive stamps, but they're attractive and colourful if nothing else. Of this particular piece I know nothing other than what can be read .....which is that it's a postal item for which someone paid three shillings and seven pence (pre U.K. decimal value) and the embossed head appears to be that of George VI - Oz went metric currency in February 1966. The word MELBOURNE can just be read, but the date is illegible - though I'd take a punt and suggest somewhere around the late 1930s and the end of the 1940s - unfortunately my SG catalogue doesn't seem to list these things. Expect someone down under might be able to help - so thanks in advance:-) Sorry if I'm in the wrong place with this but couldn't see a sub heading for such things.
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vikingeck
Member
Posts: 3,269
What I collect: Samoa, Tobacco theme, Mail in Wartime, anything odd and unusual!
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Post by vikingeck on Aug 11, 2023 12:32:00 GMT
This looks like an awful tragedy! If I am correct it will have been cut from a special parcel label issued in response to the needs of a large Australian store company, the Myer Emporium.
In the 1940s ,during and just after the war , Australian citizens were exhorted to make up food parcels to mail to family or charities in UK to ease rationing shortages.
Standard parcel sizes cost 3/7 or 5/10d . Myer and others would make these up and post on request. The rates needed 3 adhesive stamps and licking these was time consuming if they had dozens of packages , so the Post office sanctioned these special stamped labels with a single embossed KGVI .
Complete 5/10d labels will fetch up to £100 , the 3/7d labels are much scarcer. I can’t afford one even if I could find one to buy, which is why I consider the cut out a tragedy!
The cut outs from parcel labels still have a value between £10 and £30. There is a similar 3/7d one on eBay at £102
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Post by paul1 on Aug 11, 2023 12:48:42 GMT
thanks Alex - that's a typically informative and very interesting reply from you, as usual - you've made my day - I'd not the slightest idea such pieces were of value, I must now go out and look for the 5/10d;-) I assume that the portion showing information relating to Myers Emporium - the part that's missing - is the cause of the 'tragedy', but good to know there is some value remaining in the embossed portion.
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vikingeck
Member
Posts: 3,269
What I collect: Samoa, Tobacco theme, Mail in Wartime, anything odd and unusual!
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Post by vikingeck on Aug 11, 2023 12:57:53 GMT
I think I had to pay about £30-£40 for my 3/7d cut out example. If you are interested in selling on eBay etc you should list it as “Australia Food parcel stamp WW2” Could fetch around £50+ here's my complete label for 5/10d (cost £200 from Argyll Etkin , the 3/7 would be 4or 5 times that ! hence "tragedy")
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vikingeck
Member
Posts: 3,269
What I collect: Samoa, Tobacco theme, Mail in Wartime, anything odd and unusual!
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Post by vikingeck on Aug 11, 2023 13:15:12 GMT
The Myer's label also excused filling out a customs declaration and was a great timer saver over the regular private dispatch form with its plus 3 stamps. The private ones are more interesting as they specify the kinds of food stuffs being sent paul1 or Admin do you think the heading of this thread could be corrected to "Australia , WW2 Food parcels "
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Post by paul1 on Aug 11, 2023 13:30:28 GMT
ah, thanks, and I see the whole picture now - appreciate that - though I don't sell anything, just hoard - and occasionally buy on ebay. Thanks again, and leave it to Admin to resolve your question regarding thread heading:-)
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