Stamp Collecting Down-Under Style

15 Points Per Correct Answer - No time limit  

1. Australia Post issues stamps for use by personnel posted to the Australian Antarctic Territory (A.A.T.). Are these stamps valid for use in Australia? Yes No

2. What year was the first A.A.T. issue? 1957 1967 1947 1907

3. Why was the 1980 15cent stamp, depicting the ship SY Nimrod, reissued with a different design? The original stamp showed the wrong ship. The first stamp showed a recognisable person, which was contrary to issuing guidelines at that time. Copyright agreement with the owner of the photograph used had not been obtained. The initial issue was deemed offensive in a public-opinion poll.

4. What did the first A.A.T. miniature sheet (issued in 1995) depict? Antarctic Landscapes Explorers Penguins Whales and Dolphins

5. There are 4 Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition (A.N.A.R.E.) bases, each with its own postmark. Three of the bases are Macquarie Island, Casey and Davis. What is the fourth? Answer: (One Word. Named for a famous Antarctic explorer. (6 letters, starts with M))

6. Moving away from the frozen south, can you give the common name for the first stamps issued by the State of New South Wales in 1850? Sydney Views Queen Victoria Sidefaces The Governors Boer War Patriotic Fund

7. One of the philatelic world's better known error rarities is the fourpence blue Swan, issued by Western Australia in 1855. What (erroneous) name is given to this stamp? Inverted Swan Missing Colour Swan Miscoloured Swan Inverted Jenny

8. What was unique about the kangaroo booklet of 20 stamps issued on November 2, 1994? The word 'Australia' did not appear on the stamps. They were printed on gold foil. They were obtainable from Advance Bank Automatic Teller Machines (ATM's). All 20 stamps were different colours.

9. The 1994 kangaroo booklet stamps created another Australian 'first', in that they are not square or rectangular. What shape are they? Free-form i.e. Kangaroo-shaped. Circular Triangular Octagonal

10. In 1946, seven different values of Australian stamps were overprinted for use by Australian members of the post-war occupation of Japan. What did the overprint say? B.C.O.F. Japan 1946 P.W.O.J. 1946 J.O.F. Japan 1946 R.A.A.F. Japan

11. What date did Australia convert to decimal currency? January 1, 1970 October 20, 1965 January 26, 1988 February 14, 1966

12. Australia Post had a long-standing policy not to portray living people (other than Royalty) on their stamps. This policy was changed in 1997 with the introduction of the 'Legends' series. Who was the first famous Australian to have his exploits recognised? Arthur Boyd (artist) Sir Donald Bradman (cricketer) Slim Dusty (country music singer) Paul Hogan (actor)

13. Who was the first monarch featured on a post-federation stamp? Queen Elizabeth II King George VI King George V Queen Victoria

14. Let us take a quick trip across the Tasman Sea to visit our New Zealand neighbours. In 1958, New Zealand and Australia issued identical stamps portraying which famous aviator? Amelia Earhart Yuri Gagarin Charles Lindbergh Charles Kingsford-Smith

15. Since 1929, New Zealand has issued special stamps with a surcharge applied. What is the money raised from this surcharge used to fund? Health camps for children Protection of native flora and fauna Medical research Politicians retirement funds

16. The New Zealand Parliament building was featured on a 1975 issue. What is the nickname given to this edifice? The Bearpit The Shearing Shed The Beehive The Big House

17. In 1996, NZ Post issued a Health stamp promoting road safety. However a VERY major mistake in the stamp picture led to the cancellation and re-design of the stamp. The original design showed a baby in a car safety capsule with a Teddy Bear beside it. What was wrong with the original picture? None of the capsules restraining straps were fastened. The capsule was facing the wrong way. The capsule was in the front seat, which is illegal. The Teddy Bear was not restrained.

18. What is the name of the quarterly publication issued by NZ Post, for the benefit of collectors? The Kiwi Stamp Magazine Stamp Focus NZ Stamps Update The Kiwi's Collector Guide

19. When did New Zealand issue its first stamps? 1865 1900 1845 1855

20. Time for a few questions on the terminology of stamp collecting. If two stamps are attached upside-down in relation to each other, either intentionally or accidentally, what term is used? Overturned Tete Beche Upsy-Daisy Head up-head down

21. Collecting by subject, rather than country, is extremely popular.(Examples are Dogs, Olympics, Trains, etc.). In America this is known as 'topical' collecting. What is the Australian term for this type of collecting? Design Collecting Alternative Collecting Specialist Collecting Thematic Collecting

22. Perforations are a major method of enabling stamps to be separated from each other. To a serious collector, perforation measurements can differentiate between different printings of the same stamp. What would a notation of 'perf 14' mean to a collector? 14 perforation holes per inch 14 perforation holes every 2 centimetres 14 perforation holes on each side of the stamp Each perforation hole has a diameter of 0.14 centimetres

23. Is a stamp classified M.U.H. more valuable that the same stamp classed M.H.? Yes No

24. What is rouletting? Gambling on the future value of a stamp or collection. Study of the stamp issues of Monaco. Collecting stamps with a gambling theme. A method of separating stamps, similar to perforating.

25. What name is given to Australian labels, that look like stamps, but are not actually valid for postage? Examples are Red Cross seals, bogus issues, advertisement labels, tax stamps, etc. Mickey Mouse issues Phantoms Cinderellas Ephemera