Updated: November 13, 2008

Constant Varieties

There are many constant "flyspeck" varieties on most values of this issue, making it possible to plate the positions of most stamps. Some of the major constant varieties are listed below. More will be added as they are discovered.

This major variety appears only on stamps with border type C2 (coarse screen). The 25c value (1979-D01-10) is part of the original printing, while the 10c (1979-D01-07a) and 40c (1979-D01-13a) are reprints, originally having fine screens. The original prints with fine screen C1 do not have this constant variety. The 45c sheet with the mixed screen types (plate 1A) does not have this variety, as screen type C5 appears in the position at row 1, stamp 3.

Variety Summary:

1. 10c Regular stamp, coarse screen C2
2. 10c Official stamp, coarse screen C2, litho overprint
3. 25c Regular stamp, coarse screen C2
4. 25c Official stamp, coarse screen C2, litho overprint
5. 25c Official stamp, coarse screen C2, typo overprint (very rare)
6. 40c Regular stamp, coarse screen C2
7. 40c Official stamp, coarse screen C2, typo overprint

Position:

Row 1, Stamp 3
(Labels and gutters are not counted)

1c Squirrelfish Broken "Q"

This variety exists on the fine screen printings (C1) only (1979-D01-01). It appears to have been corrected on the coarse screen reprints.

Variety Summary:

1. Regular stamp, fine screen C1
2. Official stamp, fine screen C1, typo overprint

Row 5, Stamp 1

This variety exists on the C2 coarse screen reprints only.

Variety Summary:

1. Regular stamp, coarse screen C2
2. Official stamp, coarse screen C2, litho overprint

Update 2008-Sep-21: This variety may NOT be constant, despite several examples known.

The exact location is unknown, but it comes from stamp 2 in one of the rows from 3 to 8. Marginal blocks are known from booklet panes. More information is required.

Bleeding Fish (Plate 1A only)

Variety Summary:

1. 45c regular stamp
2. 45c official stamp, litho overprint

Position: (Plate 1A)

Row 7, Stamp 1

This stamp is often found in booklets, as the panes were created from blocks of 4 torn from this side of the sheet.

Frame Line Scratch (Plate 1A only)

Variety Summary:

1. 45c regular stamp
2. 45c official stamp, litho overprint

Position: (Plate 1A)

Row 3, Stamp 4

Frame Line Flaw Below "Cod" (Plate 1B only)

Variety Summary:

1. 45c regular stamp
2. 45c official stamp, litho overprint

Position: (Plate 1B)

Row 9, Stamp 4

50c Hammerhead Shark (C4 coarse screen only)

Plate Scratch

Variety Summary:

1. 50c regular stamp
2. 45c on 50c surcharge, typo overprint (very rare)
3. 45c on 50c surcharge, litho overprint
4. 50c official stamp, litho overprint

Row 7, Stamp 3

Broken "0" in "50"

Variety Summary:

1. 50c regular stamp
2. 45c on 50c surcharge, typo overprint (very rare)
   Often blocked by the overprint bar
3. 45c on 50c surcharge, litho overprint
4. 50c official stamp, litho overprint

$5 Spur on "5"

The $5 stamp only exists with the C1 fine screen.

Variety Summary:

1. Regular stamp
2. Official stamp, typo overprint
3. Official stamp, litho overprint

Row 9, Stamp 4