Description: This vintage definitive postage stamp from Australia is finely printed in a rich emerald-green monochromatic ink on an off-white cream paper base. The centerpiece design spotlights a highly detailed, engraved illustration of a fuzzy native koala tightly gripping a vertical eucalyptus tree branch amidst stylized gum leaves. Encasing the animal vignette is an elegant, ornate frame adorned with a repeating geometric triangular pattern along its interior edges. The country designation "AUSTRALIA" is proudly displayed in a bold serif typeface centered across the upper banner, while the word "POSTAGE" spans the bottom baseline. Flanking this lower text are two mirrored denomination markers reading "4d", establishing a face value of four pence. The specimen shows standard comb perforations and features a faint, weathered black ink cancellation mark sweeping along its left edge.
Circa: 1938-1950s
Condition: Used - Hinged
Notes:
This celebrated 4d koala design is highly sought after by specialized Australian pre-decimal philatelists due to three distinct production phases. The early 1938 printings were struck on paper with a subtle "C of A" (Commonwealth of Australia) watermark and featured a comb perforation of 13½ x 14. Due to wartime supply adaptations, a scarcer 1942 emergency issue was rolled out with a tighter 15 x 14 perforation structure. Finally, in 1956, a clean, unwatermarked edition was printed on smoother paper right before Australia eventually prepared to shift away from the old British pound system. Advanced collectors analyze the tree branch engraving for plate flaws, occasionally encountering minor ink missing zones or doubled outlines that attract nice premiums.