Various styles of specimen overprints have been applied to Finnish stamps. Some examples of the Serpentines official reprints and 1875 4-Numerals official reprints were overprinted Specimen. The 1885 4-Numeral stamps were overprinted as were the 1889 Perforation 12.5 3-Numeral stamps. The 1891 "Rings" issue exists with a Russian (Cyrllic) overprint that translates to specimen. Additionally many of the early-to-1900 postal stationery issues were overprinted with varying sytles of specimen. In most cases, the specimen-overprinted items are much scarcer and more valuable than the catalog listings suggest. Scott numbers have been used unless otherwise indicated.
(23) [(1875) 32 penni 4-Numeral] Perforation 12.5 Official Reprint with boxed 23 x 8 mm black "SPECIMEN" overprint by metal handstamp (diagonal lower left to upper right, reading up from right). Mint with VF centering and full original gum. Extremely scarce. Both 500 unoverprinted and 500 specimen-overprinted reprints (supplies of the original stamps were exhausted) were ordered in 1892; the specimens were sent to the Russian postal administration for onward distribution. They were likely largely distributed via the UPU to other UPU member countries and thus most are still in postal archives and museums; the few examples available to collectors have likely been "liberated" one way or another. Examples are seldom seen and are grossly undervalued in the market, largely due to never having been properly listed in the specialized catalogs.
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238765
25 [1882 2 penni 4-Numeral, perf 12.5] original-issue stamp with boxed 23 x 8 mm black "SPECIMEN" overprint by metal handstamp (vertical, reading down from left). Mint with VF centering and full original gum, but ink stain on reverse. Wonderful appearance. Extremely scarce. It is believed that 500 were so overprinted in 1892 and sent to the Russian postal administration for onward distribution. They were likely largely distributed via the UPU to other UPU member countries and thus most are still in postal archives and museums; the few examples available to collectors have likely been "liberated" one way or another. Examples are seldom seen and are grossly undervalued in the market, largely due to never having been properly listed in the specialized catalogs.
ACTUAL item.
95.00
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238766
27 [1882 10 penni 4-Numeral, perf 12.5] original-issue stamp with boxed 23 x 8 mm black "SPECIMEN" overprint by metal handstamp (vertical, reading up from right). Mint with VF centering and full original gum, but slight paper aging and very small thin spot. Extremely scarce. It is believed that 500 were so overprinted in 1892 and sent to the Russian postal administration for onward distribution. They were likely largely distributed via the UPU to other UPU member countries and thus most are still in postal archives and museums; the few examples available to collectors have likely been "liberated" one way or another. Examples are seldom seen and are grossly undervalued in the market, largely due to never having been properly listed in the specialized catalogs.
ACTUAL item.
85.00
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238767
28 [1882 20 penni 4-Numeral, perf 12.5] original-issue stamp with boxed 23 x 8 mm black "SPECIMEN" overprint by metal handstamp (vertical, reading up from right). Mint with F-VF+ centering and full original gum. Extremely scarce. It is believed that 500 were so overprinted in 1892 and sent to the Russian postal administration for onward distribution. They were likely largely distributed via the UPU to other UPU member countries and thus most are still in postal archives and museums; the few examples available to collectors have likely been "liberated" one way or another. Examples are seldom seen and are grossly undervalued in the market, largely due to never having been properly listed in the specialized catalogs.
ACTUAL item.
130.00
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238768
29 Aniline Red [1882 25 penni 4-Numeral, perf 12.5] original-issue stamp with boxed 23 x 8 mm black "SPECIMEN" overprint by metal handstamp (vertical, reading up from right). Mint with SUPERB centering, JUMBO MARGINS and full original gum. Extremely scarce. It is believed that 500 were so overprinted in 1892 and sent to the Russian postal administration for onward distribution. They were likely largely distributed via the UPU to other UPU member countries and thus most are still in postal archives and museums; the few examples available to collectors have likely been "liberated" one way or another. Examples are seldom seen and are grossly undervalued in the market, largely due to never having been properly listed in the specialized catalogs.
ACTUAL item.
160.00
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236627
38 [1890 2 penni 3-Numeral, perf 12.5] with typographed "SPECIMEN" overprint. Mint VF, lightly hinged, upper left corner margin example. Though the denominations were supposedly overprinted in equal quantities, in my experience, this denomination seems to be scarcer. Wonderfully fresh.
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236628
39 [1890 5 penni 3-Numeral, perf 12.5] with typographed "SPECIMEN" overprint. Mint VF, left margin example. Wonderfully fresh.
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236629
40 [1890 10 penni 3-Numeral, perf 12.5] with typographed "SPECIMEN" overprint. Mint F-VF+, left margin example. Wonderfully fresh.
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236630
41 [1890 20 penni 3-Numeral, perf 12.5] with typographed "SPECIMEN" overprint. Mint VF, left margin example. Wonderfully fresh.
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236631
42 [1890 25 penni 3-Numeral, perf 12.5] with typographed "SPECIMEN" overprint. Mint VF, left margin example. Wonderfully fresh.
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43 [1890 1 mark 3-Numeral, perf 12.5] with typographed "SPECIMEN" overprint. Mint VF, lightly hinged, bottom margin example. Though the denominations were supposedly overprinted in equal quantities, in my experience, this denomination seems to be scarcer. Wonderfully fresh.
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236633
44 [1890 5 mark 3-Numeral, perf 12.5] Clean Perforations, with typographed "SPECIMEN" overprint. Mint Superb, lower left corner margin example. The 5 and 10 mark were printed in the same quantity as the penni values, however, the 5 and 10 mark are each divided into clean and rough perforation types; thus there are fewer of each perforation type of these two values.
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236634
44 [1890 5 mark 3-Numeral, perf 12.5] Rough Perforations, with typographed "SPECIMEN" overprint. Mint VF. The 5 and 10 mark were printed in the same quantity as the penni values, however, the 5 and 10 mark are each divided into clean and rough perforation types; thus there are fewer of each perforation type of these two values. In my experience, the rough perforation type seems to be scarcer.
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236635
45 [1890 10 mark 3-Numeral, perf 12.5] Clean Perforations, with typographed "SPECIMEN" overprint. Mint VF, lightly hinged. The 5 and 10 mark were printed in the same quantity as the penni values, however, the 5 and 10 mark are each divided into clean and rough perforation types; thus there are fewer of each perforation type of these two values.
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236636
45 [1890 10 mark 3-Numeral, perf 12.5] Rough Perforations, with typographed "SPECIMEN" overprint. Mint F-VF+. The 5 and 10 mark were printed in the same quantity as the penni values, however, the 5 and 10 mark are each divided into clean and rough perforation types; thus there are fewer of each perforation type of these two values. In my experience, the rough perforation type seems to be scarcer.
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