By Dr. Ngo Tiong Tak
SPECIMEN stamps were issued from 1978 to the
present primarily for the purpose of publicizing new issues of the
Republic of the Philippines.
There is a total of ten types of "SPECIMEN"
overprints known, with two subtypes for Type I:
TYPE I - Original "SPECIMEN":
"SPECIMEN" printed, in black, 22 mm. long and 2mm. high; slanted
diagonally, reading up.
TYPE Ia -
same as Type I, except "SPECIMEN" is 25mm. long.
TYPE Ib -
same as Type I, except "SPECIMEN" is only 14mm. long and
1 1/2 mm. high (in straight line).
(Types I, la and Ib - used for
locally-printed stamps of 1978-1979)
TYPE II -
Questa large
"SPECIMEN": only the word "SPECIMEN" printed, in black, 31 mm. long and
3 mm. high; slanted diagonally, reading up for 1978-1979 issues, and in
horizontal straight line for later issues (used for the topical sets
printed by the House of Questa).
TYPE III -
Large "SPECIMEN"
printed, in black, 19 mm. long and 2 1/2 mm. high; slanted diagonally,
reading up except for the 1983 Dental issue which is reading down; a
few, like the 60s and 1.20p People Power of 1986, ASEAN Summit of 1987
and Masons of 1987 are in horizontal straight line; with values crossed
out by two deleting bars, and with black control numbers (some stamps
have the "SPECIMEN" and/or control numbers in different colors; such
variations are noted after the Type in the catalogue listings).
TYPE IV -
Small "SPECIMEN":
printed, in black, 16 mm. long and 2 mm. high; slanted diagonally,
reading up except for the 1988 Zip Codes issue which are reading down;
with values crossed out by two deleting bars, and with black control
numbers (some stamps have the "SPECIMEN" and/or control numbers in
different colors, such variations are noted after the type in the
catalogue listings).
TYPE V -
Large handstamp
"SPECIMEN": in violet, 18 1/2 mm. long and 3 mm. high; with values
crossed out by two violet deleting bars; the "SPECIMEN" and deleting
bars were applied haphazardly in various styles in different positions;
the "SPECIMEN" are mostly slanted, reading down, but there are some
that are vertical, reading down, like the Juan Sumulong and Vicente Lim
definitive issues. On the Saint Teresa stamps, they are reading up,
with some in horizontal straight line. In fact, a few stamps exist
with two different types of placement of the word "SPECIMEN"; with red
control numbers (only the Concert at the Park "SPECIMEN" has black
control numbers).
TYPE VI -
Small handstamp
"SPECIMEN": in violet, 17 1/2 mm. long and 2 mm. high; slanted
diagonally, reading down; with values crossed out by two violet deleting
bars; with red control numbers (only 3 stamps known with this type).
TYPE VII -
Questa Small "SPECIMEN": printed, in
black, 20 mm. long and 3 mm. high; in horizontal straight line (used
only for the 1984 Parrots and L.A. Olympics
issues; plus the Espana '84 unofficial "SPECIMENS").
TYPE VIII -
Amstar Small
"SPECIMEN": printed, in black, with different types of letters, 16 mm.
long and 2 mm. high; slanted, reading up; with values crossed out by two
deleting bars and with red control numbers of different type (used only
for the Vinzons definitive issue).
TYPE IX -
Extra Large
"SPECIMEN": printed, in red, 23 1/2 mm. and 3 mm. high; almost in
straight line, with values crossed out by two deleting bars, and with
gold control numbers (used only for the Solar Eclipse stamps).
TYPE X -
Staderini "SPECIMEN":
printed, in red, 19 mm. long and 2 1/2 mm. high; in straight line (used
only for the 1981 Pope John Paul II issue).
