Black Prints

Does anyone know where this one originated? Was it a subscriber bonus, yearbook bonus, exhibition freebie?

The way things are going, I may not have to post anything!

Nice one, stampie78

OK, finally got around to uploading these and will now post!

As alluded to earlier, the current usage of the term black prints includes what others have called test print, black proof, proof prints... over the decades. The way we use the term today, the Penny Black would be a black print! The reality is, philatelic definitions are usually determined by usage, and dealers often lead the way in this respect -- leave it to dealers to totally redefine mint panes as mint sheets!

Normally, I only consider a multiple colored stamp that has been reprinted in its entirety in black ink (or grayscale) as a black print. Everything else, I consider to be black proof, black test print... But I'm probably alone in this respect. So for the purposes of this thread, I'll include what dealers also refer to as "black prints".

Here is an example of what I would strictly call a black print. The original normal multiple color S/S is shown first, followed by the same S/S in grayscale (only the Control Number is in color).


Scott Hong Kong #605(25Aug1991), Hong Kong Post Office, 150th anniversary.
2018 Scott catalog mint = $15


Scott Hong Kong #605v(25Aug1991), Hong Kong Post Office, 150th anniversary.
2018 Scott unlisted
2004 Yang Hong Kong catalog for 150th Anniversary Commemorative Album (book contains 23 complete mint sets and black print) = HK$1500 (~US$192 in 2004)
-- black print is item of value from album
-- recent typical sold price of black print alone is US$100-$150

25,000 albums were produced, and the black prints were individually numbered in red for each book -- mine being #10086.

khj I would expect Scott not to mention tjese, much less list them. Aren't black prints strictly souvenir items, not valid for postage?

Looking back the Hong Kong Post Office 150th Anniversary black print, I just noticed that the "150th" on the black print is in black, whereas in the original S/S it was uncolored! Interesting -- looks like they made a special plate just for this black print?!?