Zimbabwe 1980 - 2010.pdf - FILATELISTYKA - Pontus4555

THE ZIMBABWEAN

CONCISE

POSTAGE STAMP

CATALOGUE

First published by:

The Harare Stamp Company (Pvt) Ltd

Abbey House

13 George Silundika Avenue

(P.O. Box 2371),

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.

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 i

PREFACE

THE PRINTING PROCESS

Apart from the three SAPOA issues all Zimbabwean stamps have been printed locally by

Mardon Printers (Pvt) Ltd, and from 1988 by National Printing and Packaging (Pvt) Ltd (also

known as NatPrint).

This catalogue covers the stamps issued from 1980 by Zimbabwe’s postal authority, the

Post and Telecommunications Corporation (PTC) and, from 2001, Zimbabwe Post

(ZimPost), and stamps are listed and numbered in the order in 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. When referring to stamps from this

catalogue the prefix ZC (Zimbabwe Concise) should be used before the number.

All Zimbabwean stamps have been printed by a planographic printing process known as

offset lithography. In the offset method the image of the design is not 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 printed in a maximum of four

colours and when four colours are used it is usual for the three subtractive primary colours

of cyan, yellow and magenta together with black to be used to reproduce by printing the

range of colours of the original artwork.

The publication was originally produced in two parts. The main text is shown within this

document, originally in loose leaf format to allow for amendment and additions. This

section can be used as a check list and marked accordingly by 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 been

found it has been a second black plate printing the country name and/or the stamp’s face

value. Where there is a likelihood of an additional plate this has been 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.

It was originally intended that the pricing section would be separately produced,

however The Harare Stamp Company ceased trading in 2009 and so is no longer

available.

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 the

press and which are known as plates 1A and 1B. When a sheet of paper 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, 1A and IB. These printer's,

or press sheets, are then perforated and consecutively 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 1A sheets packaged separately from the 1B

sheets.

Mike Amos:

for the technical information based on extensive research

Geoff Brakspear:

for typesetting, layout and printing using illustrations from his own

collection to 2005; and

Cecil Russell:

for kindly providing the printing details on the Postage Due/To Pay

labels

In multicoloured offset lithographic printing it is sometimes difficult for the printer to

ensure that all stamps printed within each press run are of the same 'colour', as this process

is prone to marked differences of shade, even within the same sheet on occasions. A shade is

often a matter of opinion only and colours can change when subjected to ultraviolet

radiation, e.g. sunlight, moisture or chemicals.

Dave Trathen:

for allowing use of his collection post 2005 for illustrations

Ken Allanson, one of the editors, was murdered in Harare in 2003. Mike Amos has now

retired, and no longer involved in this catalogue.

Geoff Brakspear

Somerset, United Kingdom

July 2012

Sheet marginal inscriptions on the post office sheets consist of the name of the printer

(Imprint), which plates printed the sheet and the colour registers or "traffic lights" (both

incorporated in the Cylinder Block) and the total face value of the sheet and the PTC

sheet serial number (both incorporated in the Number Block).

Page ii

the sheet number blocks. Where quantities printed are not as yet known only the number of

separate printings is given. Not all printings were available from the Philatelic Bureau and

consequently in some instances printing quantities do not accurately reflect the scarcity of a

particular stamp.

Since June 1981 for definitives and from November 1983 for postage due stamps an

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. Rl =

second printing, R2 = third printing, R3 = fourth printing etc..

PAPERS AND GUMS

In 2001, with the change in administration from PTC to Zimpost, the prefix of PTC was

dropped. Thereafter the name "Zimpost" was printed above the printed sheet number. This

printing of the name takes place during the printing of the sheet, and not like the prefix PTC

during the printing of the sheet number.

The papers used for printing Zimbabwean stamps from 1980 to 2000 consist of an

unwatermarked base paper which has been converted by being coated on one side and

gummed on the other.

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 above each

sheet number. This printing of the name and any R number is now incorporated on the

printing plate, while the No. followed by the sheet number is applied in a separate

operation.

The base paper itself may or may not contain optically fluorescent agents. If it does, then the

gummed side will always fluoresce under long wave ultraviolet radiation. Regardless of

whether or not the base paper contains fluorescent agents, if the paper coating itself contains

them then that coating will naturally fluoresce in UV. Fluorescence in this context means

mat the optical property of the paper changes from 'whitish' to a 'bright-to-brilliant

whiteness' - various degrees of bluish-white.

Note:

Although Zimbabwean stamps are printed from plates the term "cylinder" is

used in this catalogue, as being thought a more appropriate description of stamps

printed on a rotary-type press (offset litho) as against those printed on a flat-bed

type, where "plate" would be the correct term.

Phosphor-coated paper will likewise fluoresce on the coated side under UV but such

fluorescence may not necessarily be 'white'. The phosphor in the coating will exhibit

phosphorescence or an afterglow of some duration when viewed in darkness after the UV

source has been extinguished.

COMPLEMENTARY NOTES TO THE MAIN TEXT

All papers are deemed to be white in colour and all PVA gum (polyvinyl alcohol) is shiny

or somewhat reflective in appearance. The following types of paper have been used:

MEASUREMENTS

1980 -1981. The early paper, being stocks remaining from the Rhodesian

administration, was officially described as "white coated gummed".

Fluorescent front and back. PVA cream gum.

Where stamp sizes or perforation gauges are given the horizontal measurement is quoted first

followed by the vertical.

SHEET FORMAT AND STAMP POSITIONS

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.

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 described

first by identifying its horizontal row followed by its position within a 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.

1981 - 1985. Some stamp issues were printed on a paper known as

"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 'particle gummed'. It is a very different adhesive from PVA as it has a matt,

QUANTITIES PRINTED

These are given where known. A figure in parenthesis following a known number printed

indicates the numbers of separate printings, each of which can be identified by reference to

Page iii

non-reflective appearance. It is what is known as 'dry gum'.

comb, which results in the widths or heights of some stamps differing from normal due

to wider or closer (double) perforation holes on part of the sheet. These varieties are not

common and caution should be exercised when attempting to measure perforation gauges

on stamps from such sheets, which can vary slightly.

1987 -1996. Harrisons HS6 was replaced by their HS8 which is another type of

lithographic paper. Fluorescent front and back. PVA cream gum. Also used briefly

in 2000.

The perforating of the miniature sheets the printer uses the comb perforators of the sheet

stamps in a different way by the removal of individual pins, With the first two miniatures

sheets (1980 Rotary MS1 and POSB MS2 issues) two of the margins have been perforated

through with the pins between sheetlets removed. Miniature sheets printed by NatPrint since

2001are without perforations though the sheetlets’ margins. These miniature sheets have been

taken through the perforator in two operations, firstly with the use of the “head” pins of the

comb and then subsequently with the “teeth” pins. The pin at the junction of the “head” and

“teeth” of the comb is usually kept with the “teeth”, resulting in a gap between pin holes in

the “head” perforations. As the sheetlet is perforated in two separate operations the

registration variations give the appearance of a fault in the perforations. This is normal. To

date one miniature sheet shows that one of the junction pins was not removed from the

“head”, thus giving an appearance of a double perforation hole (2009 Contemporary

Paintings MS23).

August 1996 - January 1997. An altogether different paper. It is slightly thicker

than HS8 and the gummed side is noticeably non-fluorescent and very dark (mud

coloured) under UV. Front fluorescent. PVA creamish gum. Was also used

briefly in 2000.

1996 - 2000.Although still officially described as HS8, the paper properties

changed in 1996. This is fluorescent front but non-fluorescent back and the gum

is whitish PVA. The main change is that as the base paper does not contain

optical brighteners the gummed side is non-fluorescent, but nowhere near as

dark as paper E under UV.

July 2000. Phosphor-coated paper. The phosphor is possibly copper-

activated zinc sulphide which exhibits a short yellow-green afterglow and a long

white afterglow following excitation by UV. The long white afterglow may

also be seen when the phosphor has been activated by ordinary incandescent or

fluorescent light. The paper coating itself fluoresces yellowish-cream under

UV; back non-fluorescent.

All SAPOA miniature sheets have used a Harrow perforator set up and designed specifically

for the individual issues

POSITIONS OF MARGINAL INSCRIPTIONS ON SHEETS

(With examples)

2001. The HS8 properties again changed in 2001. The paper is off- white and non-

fluorescent front and back. PVA creamish gum. The shade intensity of the

gummed side may vary occasionally under UV.

Printer's Imprint (Imprint Block)

Type 1 Bottom Centre

1/1 Centred under 1 stamp

1 /2 Centred under 2 stamps

1 /3 Centred under 3 stamps

1 /4 Centred under 4 stamps

Type 2 Top Centre

2003. Paper described as “Chancellor Litho PVA”. This paper produced by Tullis

Russell Coaters of Glenrothes, Fife, Scotland. Under UV there is no fluorescence

either front or back, and the stamp appears to be very dark.

PRINT COLOURS

2/1 Centred above 1 stamp and so on

Printer’s Name

The colours used in the printing process as shown in the sheet colour registers or "traffic

lights" are listed down from top to bottom.

Mardon Printers (Private) Limited, Salisbury, Zimbabwe

Mardon Printers (Private) Limited, Harare, Zimbabwe

PERFORATIONS

National Printing & Packaging, Harare, Zimbabwe

NatPrint, Harare, Zimbabwe

All stamps are comb perforated, unless otherwise stated. During the perforating process

variations can occur when, for example, sheets slides too far or not far enough under the

Page iv

Sheet Number and Value of Sheet (Number block)

Type 1/4 A

2 3

Type 1

Bottom right corner

Type 2

Top left corner

Type 3

Top right corner

Type 1/3 B

Type 4

Bottom left corner

4 1

Type a

Printed “Zimpost”

Type 1/4 C

Type 1/2 D

Cylinder Numbers and Print Colour Registers (Cylinder Blocks)

Type 1

Bottom left corner

4 2

Type 2

Top right corner

Type 1a (from 3 rd printing)

Type 3

Bottom right corner

Type 2

Type 4

Top left corner

1 3

Type 1

Type 2

Page v

Zimbabwe 1980 - 2010.pdf

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