ONE PENNY overprint on 2d Pictorial, On Postcard

[Mike]

Of the many postcards originating from Tasmania that have passed through my hands over many years, only a very small number have had the ONE PENNY overprint on 2d pictorial on them. I guess there is a couple of reasons for this,

(a) These overprints were issued late 1912 to cover the lack of 1d pictorials on hand until the Australian Commonwealth stamps were issued in early 1913, ie 1d Roo.
So the overprint stamp was in general use for a only a short time.

(b) The postcard era/craze was comming to a quick end. By 1913 the number of postcards in the post had dropped off dramatically, mainly due to more people having telephones, better transport and WW1 etc.

I have always considered having a One Penny overprint on a postcard an added bonus. Just the other day I obtained a Tasmanian postcard with the overprint with a 1/2d pictorial paying the correct 1 1/2d rate to Germany.
This is the first time I have seen this combination on a postcard. The Hobart machine cancellation is dated 29th Oct 1912. Lancaster states his earliest date is 27th Oct 1912. So this card is an early date.

Am I correct in saying that this is a rare combination?

Your comments are welcome.

scan0125.jpg (319.54 KiB) Viewed 863 times

[David McNamee]

I believe it is an uncommon combination. By 1912, the rate to Br. Colonies was 1d, so it had to be to a foreign post office to need the extra Halfpenny. The overprinted stamp is hard to get on cover or card used in the period. Also scarce is the ONE PENNY overprint perf "T" on cover. David