The 1904 1½d on 5d stamp

[Hobbit123]

I recently acquired on EBay a cover sent registered from Launceston to Melbourne, dated 21 NO 1912. Postage was prepaid by a 1d pictorial and 2 x 1½d on 5d, to make up the 1d interstate rate plus 3d registration.


The right hand stamp of the pair (which is clearly a joined pair) has the '1' of the overprint inverted. In the SG Catalogue, under #244, there is a note that states: "Stamps with inverted surcharge or without surcharge se-tenant with stamps with normal surcharge were obtained irregularly and were not issue for postal use."

L'ton Regd with invert.jpg (454.27 KiB) Viewed 2758 times

The stamp here has only part of the surchage inverted. The surcharge impression, when viewed under a glass, shows a triple impresssion, two faint but visible and one solid. The cover has evidently been correctly registered at Launceston and the cancellations are over the surcharges, so the cover evidently was posted to Melbourne. However, there is no Melbourne receiver on the reverse.

What am I to make of this? I suppose the obvious interpretation, given the lack of a Melbourne (Registered) receiver is that the cover was made up in the Launceston PO and cancelled per favour (and a Registration label supplied) by a compliant counter clerk.

Your thoughts and opinions will be welcomed!