Lot# 3544 - Auction 234-243

1885/95: Stamp Duty 5 s. lilac & green, overprinted POSTAGE in black, further overprinted "OS" in black (7 mm. spacing), wmk. NSW, perf. 11, a c.t.o. used example of excellent fresh colour, superb for this difficult issue. The stamp comes from the 1895 special printing for presentation / collectors sets, the 'OS' showing 7 mm. spacing rather than 9 mm. A total of 1'000 stamps were prepared, 900 of which were cancelled with the ovals handstamp in black. Only 158 examples are believed to have been sold and the rest destroyed. Rare and very fine. Cert. Ceremuga (2012) Gi = unlisted.rnrn