Jay Smith & Associates: Sweden: Test Stamps: 1967 Uppsala Cathedral Design

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Sweden: Test Stamps: 1967 Uppsala Cathedral Design

Test Stamps (also called Dummy Stamps in the U.S.) are created by post offices, stamp printers, and printing press manufacturers to test printing and production processes and machines. While a few test stamps have had extensive philatelic distribution, most were never intended to be known to collectors and are very scarce. Some test stamps exist in both common mass-produced and philatelically distributed versions and also visually different "real use" versions that range from unusual to scarce to rare. New discoveries continue to be made.

The first Swedish test stamps of which I am aware date from the mid-to-late 1930s and include the well-known 1937 "Miranda" design (used at least up into the 1970s or early 1980s). Early designs also include the 1935 60 öre Riksdagen and the 1936 5 öre Postal Service issues, using defaced dies and overprinted "MUSTER"; and the 1941 St. Bridget using a defaced die. The 1960s and 1970s-1980s designs include the well-known "Uppsala Cathedral" interior by engraved by SLANIA. Lesser-known modern designs include "Snurran" (rotating design), "Classic Bust" by Jorpes, the "Postman", "Drottningholm Theater" engraved by Jakus, and a "PFA" design engraved by Jorpes combined with a geometric designs stamp in a combination plate. Though not all of these designs are yet included on the website, I do have many of them in stock and available for approval viewing.

All test stamp items, whether or not listed on the website, are available for viewing on approval. I have a constantly changing stock of Swedish and all Scandinavian essays, proofs, reprints, specimens, and test stamps. Most such items sell before they get to the website or price lists. What are you seeking?

The 1967 Cathedral stamp design (Scott #721, Facit #600), engraved by SLANIA, was initially prepared and used in 1963 to test a new 3-color stamp printing press which was eventually delivered to Sweden in 1965. Various colors, combinations of colors, and perforation formats of the original test stamps exist. Some of the original versions are relatively common while others are very scarce. Over the years, these test stamp versions have been recorded by collectors in various journal articles, but I am not aware of any attempt at a complete cataloging of them. Beyond that original use of the design to test printing and processing equipment, two other versions, both in booklet form and quite inexpensive, were created by the post office to be given away to collectors (during stamp printing plant tours and at stamp shows): Single-color dark ultramarine and multi-colored. The test stamps have the same design as the issued postage stamp except in the bottom panel, the "SVERIGE" country name extends the entire width and there is no denomination.

I am sorry, all of the items offered on this page have been sold (or the page is still in the process of being created and filled). I will be filling/refilling this page soon, but if there is something you are seeking, please email me to let me know about your interest.

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