The Zimbabwean Concise Postage Stamp Catalogue
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THE ZIMBABWEAN CONCISE First published by: The Harare Stamp Company (Pvt) Ltd Abbey House POSTAGE STAMP 13 George Silundika Avenue (P.O. Box 2371), CATALOGUE Harare, Zimbabwe The front cover depicts a stylised version of the Great Zimbabwe bird. At least eight birds carved in local soapstone were originally located at Great Zimbabwe, Masvingo. The finest of these, known as the “Zimbabwe Bird”, is the country’s national emblem, being depicted on both the flag and coat-of-arms, and, since 1985, on all definitive stamps. Winner of Large Silver medal at Egoli 2001 at National Philatelic © Copyright H K Allanson, M J Amos and G N Brakspear Exhibition at Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the copyright may be reproduced or transmitted in any manner or form; including graphic, electronic, mechanical, reprographic copying or stored in a retrieval system; without the prior written permission of the copyright owners. First published January 2001 ISBN 0-7974-2232-3 Harare, Zimbabwe Page 1 PREFACE THE PRINTING PROCESS This catalogue covers the stamps issued from 1980 by Zimbabwe’s postal Apart from the three SAPOA issues,ll Zimbabwean stamps have been printed locally by authority, the Post and Telecommunications Corporation (PTC) and, from 2001, Mardon Printers (Pvt) Ltd, and from 1988 by National Printing and Packaging (Pvt) Ltd Zimbabwe Post (ZimPost), and stamps are listed and numbered in the order in (also known as Natprint). which they were issued. All stamps listed are illustrated and all a, b, c numbers must be considered to be the same basic design as their main catalogue number. All Zimbabwean stamps have been printed by a planographic printing process When referring to stamps from this catalogue the prefix ZSC (Zimbabwe Stamp known as offset lithography. In the offset method the image of the design is not Catalogue) should be used before the number. transferred directly from the printing plate to the paper, but indirectly through an intermediate roller from which it is then offset onto the paper. The stamps are The publication was originally produced in two parts. The main text is shown printed in a maximum of four colours and when four colours are used it is usual for the within this document, originally in loose leaf format to allow for amendment and three subtractive primary colours of cyan, yellow and magenta together with black additions. This section can be used as a check list and marked accordingly by to be used to reproduce by printing the range of colours of the original artwork. collectors in boxes provided on the right side of each page. There evidence however that a fifth printing plate has been used. Where this has It was originally intended that the pricing section would be separately produced, been found it has been a second black plate printing the country name and/or the however The Harare Stamp Company ceased trading in 2009 and so it is no longer stamp’s face value. Where there is a likelihood of an additional plate this has been available. noted. With the printing of the first non-denominated stamp (ZC 533) two additional plates were used to print the country name and Zimbabwe bird. The catalogue in its present form would not have been possible without the following people: Each colour to be printed has two separate plates of images which lie side by side in Mike Amos: for the technical information based on extensive research until 2002; the press and which are known as plates 1A and 1B. When a sheet of paper and passes through the press it receives the impressions of the images on both plates. This means that the uncut printer's sheet of stamps contains two panes of stamps, Cecil Russell: for kindly providing the printing details on the Postage Due/To Pay 1A and IB. These printer's, or press sheets, are then perforated and consecutively labels numbered, each sheet being numbered twice as the 1A and 1B panes are given the same numbers. These sheets are then cut into individual post office sheets and the Ken Allanson, one of the editors, was murdered in Harare in 2003. Mike Amos 1A sheets packaged separately from the 1B sheets. passed away in 2014. In multicoloured offset lithographic printing it is sometimes difficult for the printer to It has now been almost twenty years since this stamp catalogue was first issued. ensure that all stamps printed within each press run are of the same 'colour', as this The format has changed from being an A5 loose leaf format for easy updating, to process is prone to marked differences of shade, even within the same sheet on this complete catalogue in A4 landscape format which can be sent electronically. occasions. A shade is often a matter of opinion only and colours can change when Thanks also go to the Rhodesian Study circle for hosting the catalogue on its subjected to ultraviolet radiation, e.g. sunlight, moisture or chemicals. website to give it worldwide distribution. Sheet marginal inscriptions on the post office sheets consist of the name of the Geoff Brakspear printer (Imprint), which plates printed the sheet and the colour registers or "traffic Somerset, United Kingdom lights" (both incorporated in the Cylinder Block) and the total face value of the August 2020 sheet and the PTC sheet serial number (both incorporated in the Number Block). Page 2 Since June 1981 for definitives and from November 1983 for postage due stamps an QUANTITIES PRINTED identifying prefix has been printed on sheets whenever new or additional printings have been made. This prefix is printed before "PTC" and the sheet serial number, eg. These are given where known. A figure in parenthesis following a known number Rl = second printing, R2 = third printing, R3 = fourth printing etc.. printed indicates the numbers of separate printings, each of which can be identified by reference to the sheet number blocks. Where quantities printed are not as yet known In 2001, with the change in administration from PTC to Zimpost, the prefix of PTC only the number of separate printings is given. Not all printings were available was dropped. Thereafter the name "Zimpost" was printed above the printed sheet from the Philatelic Bureau and consequently in some instances printing quantities do number. This printing of the name takes place during the printing of the sheet, and not not accurately reflect the scarcity of a particular stamp. like the prefix PTC during the printing of the sheet number. PAPERS AND GUMS In 2002, with the change in administration from PTC to Zimpost, the prefix PTC was dropped from the sheet number. Thereafter the name Zimpost was printed The papers used for printing Zimbabwean stamps consist of an unwatermarked base above each sheet number. This printing of the name and any R number is now paper which has been converted by being coated on one side and gummed on the incorporated on the printing plate, while the No. followed by the sheet number is other. applied in a separate operation. The base paper itself may or may not contain optically fluorescent agents. If it does, Note: Although Zimbabwean stamps are printed from plates the term "cylinder" then the gummed side will always fluoresce under long wave ultraviolet radiation. is used in this catalogue, as being thought a more appropriate description of stamps Regardless of whether or not the base paper contains fluorescent agents, if the paper printed on a rotary-type press (offset litho) as against those printed on a flat-bed coating itself contains them then that coating will naturally fluoresce in UV. type, where "plate" would be the correct term. Fluorescence in this context means that the optical property of the paper changes from 'whitish' to a 'bright-to-brilliant whiteness' - various degrees of bluish-white. Phosphor-coated paper will likewise fluoresce on the coated side under UV but such COMPLEMENTARY NOTES TO THE MAIN TEXT fluorescence may not necessarily be 'white'. The phosphor in the coating will exhibit phosphorescence or an afterglow of some duration when viewed in darkness MEASUREMENTS after the UV source has been extinguished. Where stamp sizes or perforation gauges are given the horizontal measurement is All papers are deemed to be white in colour and all PVA gum (polyvinyl alcohol) is quoted first followed by the vertical. shiny or somewhat reflective in appearance. The following types of paper have been used: SHEET FORMAT AND STAMP POSITIONS A: 1980 -1981. The early paper, being stocks remaining from the Rhodesian Where the sheet format (layout) is described the number of horizontal rows is given first followed by the number of vertical columns. The position of a stamp in a sheet is administration, was officially described as "white coated gummed". Fluorescent described first by identifying its horizontal row followed by its position within a front and back. PVA cream gum. vertical column. For instance, when the position of a variety is quoted, Row 6/3 means the third stamp from the left in the sixth row down. B: 1981 - 1987. The early paper was superceded by "Harrisons HS6 coated blue- gummed postage stamp paper". HS6 is a fluorescent base paper converted by Harrison & Sons Ltd, England with a fluorescent clay coating especially for lithographic printing. Fluorescent front and back. PVA gum often with a bluish/greenish tinge. Page 3 C: 1981 - 1985. Some stamp issues were printed on a paper known as PRINT COLOURS "Postmaster", manufactured and converted by Smith & McLaurin Ltd, Scotland. The coating is not as fluorescent as the previous papers and the gum is described as The colours used in the printing process as shown in the sheet colour registers or 'particle gummed'.