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It would be ideal if we could determine the census for every stamp issued. That is an impossible task, but it would be great if all the current census data was in one place for handy reference. There is information on several sites concerning some of the famous stamps so I have included those below as a start. Siegel Auctions keeps a census of some of the rare US stamps on their website. I also found a census of the Hawaiian Missionary stamps.

But we need more data, especially for the not so famous stamps or stamps that are valued less than US$10,000 or have quantities greater than 100.

So please add to the list below. At a minimum, include a description of the stamp, quantity known to exist, and your source for the information (if appropriate). Include any additional notes as you like (quantity printed, value, condition of copies, on-cover quantities, provenance, etc.) and feel free to expand, correct or update the listings.

description, qty, notes, source
========================
British Guiana One Cent Magenta, qty. known =1, Last sold in 1980 for US$935K, various sites
Sweden 1855 Three Skilling Banco; Yellow Error of Color, qty. known =1, last sold in 2011 for undisclosed sum, various sites
U.S. 1867 Franklin Z-Grill, qty. known = 2, NY public library owns one; Bill Gross owns the other, various sites
U.S. 1918 Jenny Invert, qty. known = 100, values for unused singles range from US$100K-600K, various sites

A census of The Hawaiian Missionary issues of 1851-2.

Description, qty. unused, qty. used, on-cover, total
======================================
Scott#1 2¢, 1, 13, 1, 15
Scott#2 5¢, 12, 40, 10, 63
Scott#3 13¢, 7, 51, 13, 71
Scott#4 13¢, 8, 34, 9, 51

This data is a summary of the table found in the link in the first post above.

Canada's St. Lawrence Seaway stamp of 1959 with Inverted Center, Scott #387a

Qty. unused, about 200
Qty. on-cover, 16

see link.

This sounds like it could be a very useful tool.

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Enjoy every minute

Germany, Audrey Hepburn Smoking unissued stamp (2002).

Qty. used, 5
Qty. mint, 30 (3 complete panes)

see link.

If enough data are collected then what will be constructed from them may be far more useful, and free.

A worthy but massive project.

This one stamp below, we already have a 350+ post thread on a Census!

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This stamp is the single line perf ½d Green KGV head, SG 20a -- Cat £7,000 mint and £475 used. The normal stamp, SG 20 is cat £3.75 mint and £1 used - i.e. packet material basically.

Near all turn up by sharp eyed stampboarders and collectors spotting them in junk lots, so well worth taking a close look at this thread!

http://www.stampboards.com/posting.php?mode=reply&f=13&t=17322

The Pom's excellent primer on HOW to pick a ½d Single Line Perf stamp is here -

http://www.stampboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=12505

==============

The rare stamp looks like this - basically sharp pointy perf tips and "funny' looking corners as you can see -

OK, I'll bite


At least one vertical roll of 10,000 printed and used - and they must be printed with several rolls side-by-side - just four copies known so far in collectors' hands, on this mailing from the Sunday Times Wine Club.

The security overprint reads MRIL at the top right corner, and MA10 at the Queen's forehead.

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Ian Billings - Norvic Philatelics GB stamps info: http://www.norphil.co.uk - also /catalog for our ecommerce site, blog.norphil.co.uk, shop.norphil.co.uk and Ian_norvic on twitter

Thanks Glen and Ian. I will be looking closer at my ½d Green KGV heads and my Machins later this evening.

This is exactly the kind of information that should be available in one easy to find site. Although a separate thread for some is clearly warranted, especially for those census' which are ongoing. Perhaps just a summary and link posted here to that thread would be enough.

Keep them coming.

David

Indochina Scott #1 (Yvert #2), overprinted "86" instead of (18)89 on French general colonies stamps. This lower right corner stamp error appeared in a few first printed sheets (the exact number unknown), which led to printers' decision not to have any number at all for all stamps at that position in sheets issued. Maury lists this stamp as #2b, valued at 25,000 euros. One of these showed up for the first time ever - as far as I know - during an auction in New York earlier this year, but sold for only 9,000 US$. Record price for an Indochinese stamp though!

The CIA Invert, US 1979 $1 Rushlight from the Americana Series

A sheet of 100 was purchased by an employee of the CIA, hence the name. Singles are valued around US$15K. A block of 4 was sold in 2004 for US$60K.

Note the difference between the value of the CIA invert with the value of the other famous US invert, the 1918 Jenny invert stamp. The same quantity of each exist, however the Jenny invert sells for over 10 times the price of this invert.

source: Wikipedia

Baden, 1851, 9 Kreuzer color error.

4 known: 2 on cover, 1 on piece, 1 unused.

"On May 1 of that year, Baden's first postage stamps were issued. The "9 Kreuzer Green" stamp was a color misprint of the 9 Kreuzer denomination that was printed in green instead of pink. The green color was intended for the 6 Kreuzer value, but apparently the paper sheets were mismatched. Only three cancelled copies and one unused copy of this error are known, but more sheets of paper may have been printed."

Source: Wikipedia

India, 1948 "Service" overprint on Gandhi 10 Rs.

"Only 100 Mahatama Gandhi 10 Rs. stamps were overprinted with "Service" and issued for the use of C. Rajagopalachari, the Governor General of India, making it the world's least printed stamp. Of the hundred stamps that were overprinted with "Service", a few were gifted to dignitaries, while most remain at the National Archives, Postal Museums, etc. As per the recent book published by Dr. Reuben Ramkissoon and Dr. Rajagopalan, less than 8 copies of the Gandhi 10 Rs Service stamps reside in private hands."

source: Wikipedia

India, 1854, 4 Annas Inverted Head

30 known to exist, all used.

"Among these first printing stamps, at least three sheets with the red frames had been inadvertently placed in the press backwards. So, whilst the heads appear to be upside down, it was the red frames that were inverted.

"The surviving examples of this error are low in number. E. A. Smythies states, "Details and illustrations of all the known copies are given in that interesting publication, Stamps of Fame, by L. N. and M. Williams." All of these are postally used. Only two (or three) are known cut square; another 27 are cut to shape (that is, in an octagonal shape)."

source: Wikipedia

Australia 1855, Inverted Swan

15 complete copies exist, all used.

"In January 1855, additional 4d stamps were needed. When Alfred Hillman brought the printing stone out of storage, he found that two of the impressions had been damaged, so he had to redo them. One of the replaced frames was tilted; the other was accidentally redone upside-down. The stone's block of 60 was transferred four times to make the printing stone, and 97 sheets were printed before Hillman discovered the mistake and corrected it, resulting in a total of 388 errors being printed.

"However, the errors went unrecognized and unreported for several years. Only 15 complete copies, plus a part of a stamp in a strip of three, have survived. No unused copies are known.

"One example was discovered in Ireland in the 1860s, acquired by the Duke of Leinster, and bequeathed to Ireland in 1897. It is on display at a museum in Dublin. Other examples are in the Royal Collection, the Tapling Collection of the British Museum, and at museums in Sydney, and Perth, in addition to private collections."

source: Wikipedia

As Glen said earlier -- a massive project.

Interesting thread nonetheless.

Some of us collectors of Ugly material (India Feudatory States), have the last remaining copies of certain stamps / sheets, but there is no way of knowing their fair market value without putting them up for auction - and I don't think that will happen any time soon.

The US 1867 Grills

issue, qty known (all used)
=====================
30c Franklin - A grill, 8
5c Jefferson - A grill, 5
3c Washington - B grill, 4
Franklin - Z grill, 2
Lincoln - Z grill, 2
10c Washington - Z grill, 6

Source: Scott Catalogue and Siegel Auctions Census

One of the benefits of having a published census is to aid in determining a value. Start a census by listing them here, other holders of the issue may find this listing and update the quantity.

A census is a curious thing, once born, it never dies.

David

I recall when I first took an active part in Stampboards the Australian 45[?]c tree on cover was showing as only 3/4 in the collator's signature; now I think it is 8 or 9. This is an excellent project especially for less well-known scarce stamps.

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Ian Billings - Norvic Philatelics GB stamps info: http://www.norphil.co.uk - also /catalog for our ecommerce site, blog.norphil.co.uk, shop.norphil.co.uk and Ian_norvic on twitter

USA 1851, 1c Benjamin Franklin, Type 1
Scott# 5

from The Wagshal Census of 7R1E, 2001 (pdf)
http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/5/5.pdf

The link provides a fascinating story about how this plate variety earned its own Scott Catalogue number (the only plate position to do so). The published census for this stamp is a 143 page document!

Qty known, 90 total
unused: 3
used: 65
on-cover: 22 covers, some multiples on cover, see details below

further details
-------------------------------------------
Off-cover single used stamps: 56
Off-cover used 7R1E as part of a pair: 6
Off-cover used 7R1E as part of a strip of three: 3
On-cover singles (alone or with others): 10 (including one front)
On-cover 7R1E as part of a pair: 3
On-cover 7R1E as part of a strip of three: 9
Total number of used 7R1E's on or off cover: 87

USA, The Special Printings of 1880-83

Scott#, issue, qty known (all unused)
=================================
192, 1c Franklin - dark ultra, 25
194, 3c Washington - blue green, 14
203, 2c Jackson - scarlet vermillion, 20
204, 5c Taylor - deep blue, 18
205C, 5c Garfield - gray brown, 22
211D, 4c Jackson - deep blue green, 26

source: Siegel Auctions census

Any Idea on the price of one of these Ian?
And No I havent got one.

_________________
Regards
Byker1

Hello guys

Sorry, pardon my ignorance. I'm trying to figure out what exactly is it in the 2nd Blue
that makes it so valuable. What must we look out for?

Thank you.

This is why you should take what you read on wikipedia with a grain of salt.


I don't even collect PNG or German material, but I seem to recall reading in auction catalogues of various stamps with GRI ovpts that were printed in pretty small numbers, and IIRC there were some Yacht values with only 3 or 4 dozen copies done.

Only printing 100 examples, that is darned small on its own of course. Even the Post Office Mauritius had 500 copies each done.

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Collecting Mongolia; Thailand; Indo-China; Mourning Covers; OHMS.
My online 'store': http://stampsfromaethelwulf.blogspot.com/

byker1

What is it that makes this specific stamp a sort after item?

Cheers

Hi Spartacus
I think its the wavy line security printing thats on the Blue back ground around the Queens Head. If you look very closely between the red arrow heads I have marked You will see the letters MRIL - MA10 these are the rare marrkings ( I think)

_________________
Regards
Byker1

byker1

Thanks for the info. It's also that few exist, used only as far as I know, which have the
so called 'security slits' on them.

You can buy these, 2010 MA10 with security code 'R' MRIL, but without the 'security slits'.

Cheers.

One might think that these are not new, as a big fuss was made last year about the coils with security code MRIL. Those were self-adhesive coils of 10,000 stamps and no singles or strips were made available through Royal Mail's philatelic service despite the stamps being "visibly different" (to use their own terminology).

Now they have produced coils of 500 and 1000 - but these are different from the ones produced last year so if you collect them, you will want both! In the past these have been available as singles and strips as well as complete coils.

The new stamps have

- conventional gum

- security overprint (exact details not known)

- no security slits.

It has been suggested that these are mostly used in dispensers inside and outside post offices, and that may be the case. However, in post office branches which have Post & Go machines the coil dispensers have been removed, as they have in many branches without P&G machines.

Cheers

If you have one, it must almost be 'name your price'. None have been offered for sale on the open market, as far as I know.

_________________
Ian Billings - Norvic Philatelics GB stamps info: http://www.norphil.co.uk - also /catalog for our ecommerce site, blog.norphil.co.uk, shop.norphil.co.uk and Ian_norvic on twitter

The conventionally gummed stamps about which you write have been available at face value from the bureau since their official date of release which was 13 May 2010.

The original s/a coil stamps were the undated or 2009 versions. The 2nd class shown above is the 2010 version (of which as stated only 4/5 are known) and the 1st class 2010 are being sold by dealers (including myself) as well as on eBay, at fixed prices.

_________________
Ian Billings - Norvic Philatelics GB stamps info: http://www.norphil.co.uk - also /catalog for our ecommerce site, blog.norphil.co.uk, shop.norphil.co.uk and Ian_norvic on twitter

The St. Louis "Bears", Postmaster provisionals, 1845-47

The following summary and comments are courtesy of Mark Scheuer, Oct 17, 2011:

First Printing - 500 sheets of Plate 1 (3x5c, 3x10c) greenish paper
Second Printing - 500 sheets of Plate 2 (1x5c, 3x10c, 2x20c) mostly gray lilac paper,
Third Printing - 500 sheets of Plate 3 (3x5c, 3x10c) pelure paper

Therefore, on all papers, print quantities were:
5c - 3500 stamps
10c - 4500 stamps
20c - 1000 stamps

Very few of the 20c stamps were sold. The number of (presumed) destroyed stamps is
unknown).



Further information and images at the USPCS.

Australian decimals can be rare on occasions. Here are some missing colours currently in the next Prestige auction:

1970-75 Floral Coils 6c Sturt's Desert Rose vertical strip of 6, units three & four with the Magenta Printing (Flower Petals) Omitted BW #534cc (Pierron #936MCc), unmounted, Cat $12,000+ (£4000+) for used; unpriced mint. The only recorded mint examples.

1966 Christmas 4c marginal pair from the right of the sheet with the Olive Printing (Background) Partly Omitted resulting in the Value '4c' being Omitted BW #471cc (SG 407a), unmounted, Cat $10,000 (£6500+). One of the most spectacular of Australia's "Missing Colour" errors. [A similar pair in the "Cardinal" Collection sold for $13,225 at a Sydney auction in June 2002]. The ACSC states that only 2 or 3 pairs are known to exist.

1966 Birds 15c Galah vertical strip of 3 from the top of the sheet with the Grey Printing (tree branches). Largely Omitted from the first unit, and partly omitted from the other units (the last unit only slightly affected), unmounted. [This is derived from BW #455cb, a vertical strip of five from which the lower pair - the last unit with the Grey Printing Completely Omitted - has been removed. The ACSC states that only one pane - ten strips of 5 - has been recorded, Cat $5000 for a strip of 5]

1972 Rehabilitation 12c Wheelchair Worker vertical pair, the lower unit with the Green Printing ('REHABILITATION' and most of 'AUSTRALIA 12c') Omitted BW #595cc, minor ink flaw at upper-left on the normal unit, unmounted, Cat $2500. Two of the 5 that can exist are in this auction.

More here: http://www.prestigephilately.com/catalogue.php?auctionnum=169

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Tony

The St. Louis "Bears", Postmaster provisionals, 1845-47

Here is an update to include the census of singles, courtesy of Mark Scheuer, Oct 20, 2011:

Census of the Providence R. I. Postmaster Provisional Stamps, 1846-47

The following is a summary and comments by Mark Scheuer, Oct 20, 2011:

The Providence, Rhode Island Postmaster provisional stamps were printed in sheets of 12, each containing 11 5 cent stamps and one 10 cent stamp. 500 sheets were printed and delivered to the postmaster. 400 sheets were eventually gummed and were mostly sold from the postmaster. 100 sheets, known as the Hagan remainders, were later gummed with a dark mucilage and sold to the philatelic community.

The original printing plates were discovered and several sets of reprints were made. This census does not include the reprints.

The following table is from page 45 of The Stamps of the Providence, R.I. Postmaster, 1846-47 by A. B. Slater, 1930


The census according to Slater's book and Mark's records:


Further information and images at the USPCS.

I've got a 1st Olive color with security slits & overprint on cover that has 'MA10' at the Queens forehead and MTIL in the top right. Is it only the 2nd Blue with security slits that is rare ? How do you scan the Machins in to show the security markings ?

Thanks,

Darrin.

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Visit my Website - http://WWW.DJMSTAMPS.COM for Australia & World Stamps, Collections and Accessories

A few from Barwani:

1923 1 Anna brown-red on thin, smooth unglazed paper (SG 15):
3 - 4 mint, and 3 used (all on one cover) known

1923 ¼ Anna rose perf 7 on wove paper (SG 18da):
1? mint copy known

1927 4 Anna orange-brown on thin wove paper, perf 7, imperf between pair (SG 22a):
2 sheets of four, giving 4 pairs, known

1931 1 Anna rose-carmine, imperf between pair (SG 30a):
1? used pair known

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'First I'll steal all the money, then I'll kill everybody, and then I'll go away', Père Ubu

You may be able to scan a 2nd class and have the security overprint show, but 1st class is very difficult - almost impossible. I have a friend whose scanner can focus beyond the glass and so he can scan a slightly curled-up image.

To answer your first question, the MA10 MTIL comes from a booklet of 12 so is common, in fact possibly more common than sheet stamps (MAIL) with MA10.

The self-adhesive 2nd MRIL MA10 is rare and unknown in mint condition; the 1st is available from just a few dealers - price £2.95. The others we are not yet sure of the scarcity of. For example the 2nd large MA10 from business sheets is only known from one printing date and as the philatelic bureau does not separately identify the individual printings (2009-11 all have the same stock code) these have to be 'discovered' either in local PO stock or if you happen to get one from the bureau - increasingly unlikely as they are now sending out 2011 stock. Some dealers' lists show it at about £1 others at £6.

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Ian Billings - Norvic Philatelics GB stamps info: http://www.norphil.co.uk - also /catalog for our ecommerce site, blog.norphil.co.uk, shop.norphil.co.uk and Ian_norvic on twitter

I'm not sure if bumping this thread is the done thing but I was fortunate enough to get one of the wine club mailings with the elusive 2nd class Machin (and disorganised enough to still have it lying around in a pile of post when I stumbled on Ian's blog post about it )





I gather a few more of these have now turned up in kiloware but I suspect there may only be one other example still on cover (assuming the one in Ian's original pic was on cover too?)

Any ideas what it might be worth?

I have written much more on this 110+50c Audrey Hepburn unissued German stamp than anyone alive - in English OR in German!

A REAL history of them is below with photos and finders/owners - who needs a census.

Glen

http://www.glenstephens.com/snseptember10.html


The $A272,000 used and un-issued Audrey Hepburn postage stamp from Germany

Thanks Glen. Nice article, very thorough.

David

US #1, 5 cent, Benjamin Franklin
on cover census

Research and summary by Mark Scheuer

US #1, 5 cent, Benjamin Franklin
in use from 7/1/47 thru 6/30/51 although several covers are known beyond that date.

Number printed = 4.4 million
Number issued = 3,717,500

Number of covers in Alexander's census = 9584, not including combo covers with #2
Number of combination covers with #2 = 60 (58 in census, 2 subsequent)
Estimated number of duplicates in the list ~200
Number of additional covers found outside his census = 940
Total = 10,584 including combo covers and duplicates
Number of stamps on cover = 12,249

Obviously, many covers have more than 1 copy of #1. The postal rate was 5c per half ounce under 300 miles and 10 cents for over 300 miles. Double rated covers include both weight and distance. Many post offices did not receive 10 cent stamps.

US #2, 10c George Washington
on cover census

Research and Summary by Mark Scheuer

US #2, 10c George Washington
in use from 7/1/47 thru 6/30/51.

Number printed = 1,050,000
Number issued = 892,802

Number of covers in Alexander's census = 3573, not including combination covers with #1
Number of combination covers with #1 = 60 (58 in census, 2 subsequent)
Estimated number of duplices on list ~100
Number of additional covers found outside his census = 286
Total = 3919 including combo covers and duplicates
Number of stamps on cover = 4252

Note there are a lot of covers (~ 100-200) with the 10c stamp cut in half to cover a 5c rate. In many instances the matching half is on another cover. All bisect uses counted as 0.5 stamp in my count.

NewPhilatelist

Western Australia, 1855 Inverted Frame

14 complete copies exist, all used.

At one time there were 15 known but one (Williams No X, ex Col. Green) from the Isleham sale in 1987 was declared a forgery subsequent to the sale.

Kindest regards

Richard Debney

On the Blue 2nd Machin cover, just wondering why there was a wavy cancellation without any date and location of cancellation. Thanks!

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Mint, or used?

Malta's most expensive stamp - the 1919 10s black - wmk. Mult Crown CA

Catalogue value -
SG - £3250 mint, £4250 used
JB - €3000 mint, €4000 used (cheaper)



SG states that 1530 stamps were issued, however I think that more were printed but were destroyed or lost.

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My wantlist for Malta Revenues

Good question. The cover is a commercial mailshot so I assume the cancellation is applied by the sender and then the mail is treated like franked (metered) commercial mail rather than as stamped? That is my guess anyway - can anyone confirm?

Absolutely - there is a selection of them shown on the British Postmark Database thread

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Ian Billings - Norvic Philatelics GB stamps info: http://www.norphil.co.uk - also /catalog for our ecommerce site, blog.norphil.co.uk, shop.norphil.co.uk and Ian_norvic on twitter

Ian
I know there is another tread for these but could not find at the moment.
Here is a MRIL MA10 with security slits. Have we hit 30 used copies yet?




Tony

I'm sure we must have, Tony. There have been so many on eBay. I had a report of the same stamp being used on a local hospice charity mailing (though not by the charity), and my correspondent managed to find 5 from among his contacts which satisfied demand at the local stamp club.

I also had a report from Canada of 1 being found in kiloware but I haven't seen a picture of that and it may be lacking the security slits (ie the ordinary gummed version). Whilst many people may still be hunting, I think the price has definitely tumbled.

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Ian Billings - Norvic Philatelics GB stamps info: http://www.norphil.co.uk - also /catalog for our ecommerce site, blog.norphil.co.uk, shop.norphil.co.uk and Ian_norvic on twitter

Well, I finally found one, GB - Machin 2nd Class Mail MRIL MA10 after going thru 15000 machins, and a very nice one it is too.

I thought it best to keep this under Norvics (Ian) original heading although it is nothing like as rare as it was 2/3months ago and the price has dropped considerably.

It as near to Mint Used as I can get so hopefully it will bring a fairish price on feebay.



----

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Regards
Byker1