Printers Waste

A number of Spanish-Philippine postage and telegraphic stamps are known with multiple impressions (double or triple), with the second or third impression applied either normally or inverted. These stamps are classified as Printers Waste.

Printers Waste generally refers to stamps that appear to be errors but are not, due to their origin. Most recognized errors are sold over the post office counter and are later sold to collectors or dealers. Printers Waste, however, is misprinted material, (either accidentally or intentionally), that was indented to be discarded. It is also possible that Printers Waste was produced as part of the cleaning process, where paper was run through the printing plates to clean off excess ink. Such material enters the philatelic market either through carelessness or theft.

This section focuses only on postage stamp Printers Waste. All known Spanish-Philippine Printers Waste were printed by the Fabrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre in Madrid, Spain, and exist on stamps issued between 1872 and 1889. No Printers Waste has been reported on the 1890s King Alfonso XIII issues.

Majority of the Printers Waste is found imperforate. Examples are known perforated 14 or perforated 12, the latter is believed to have been privately perforated. The additional impression(s) are seen in varying degrees of mis-alignment (where the additional impressions do not necessarily line up with the base stamp).

List of Known Stamps

(Click on Underlined Scott #s to view picture of stamps)

King Amadeo (1872)

Scott #	Value	Perforated or Imperforate	Description
43-P1	12c Rose-Carmine	Imperforate	Double impression, One inverted
43-P2	12c Mauve	Imperforate	Double impression, One inverted
44-P1	16c Blue	Imperforate	Double impression, One inverted
44-P2	16c Blue	Imperforate	Triple impression, Two normal, One inverted
46-P1	62c Mauve	Perforated (Perf 14)	Double impression, One inverted
46/47-P1	62c Mauve and 1p25c Brown	Perforated (Perf 14)	One impression of each, Both normal
46/47-P2	62c Mauve and 1p25c Brown	Imperforated	One impression of each, Both normal

Note: Printers Waste with both Scott #44 (16c Blue) and #46 (62c Mauve) has been recorded:
Perforated, One Impression of Each, Both Normal
This has not been seen to date.

King Alfonso XII (1875 – 1889)

Scott #	Value	Perforated or Imperforate	Description
52-P1	2c Rose	Privately Perforated (Perf 12)	Double impression, One inverted
52-P2	2c Rose	Imperforate	Double impression, One inverted
54-P1	6c Orange	Imperforate	Double impression, One inverted
55-P1	10c Blue	Privately Perforated (Perf 12)	Double impression, One inverted
55-P2	10c Blue	Imperforate	Double impression, One inverted
56-P1	12c Violet	Imperforate	Double impression, One inverted
62-P1	25m Black and Cuban 1p Telegraph stamp in Blue	Imperforate	One impression of each, Both normal (Known with Large Round Hole Cancels)
62-P2	25m Black and Cuban 1p Telegraph stamp in Blue	Imperforate	Double impression, One inverted (Known with Large Round Hole Cancels)
62-P3	25m Black	Privately Perforated (Perf 11½ - 13)	Double impression, One inverted
62/71-P1	25m Black and 250m Bistre	Imperforate	Double impression, One inverted
65-P1	62.5m Grey	Imperforate	Double impression, One inverted
68-P1	125m Blue	Imperforate	Double impression, Both normal
77-P1	2-1/2c Brown	Imperforate	Double impression, One inverted
78-P1	2-4/8c Ultramarine (Original State)	Imperforate	Double impression, One inverted
80-P1	2-4/8c Ultramarine (Second Retouch)	Imperforate	Double impression, One inverted
82-P1	6-2/8c Green (On Green Paper)	Perforated	Double impression, One inverted
88-P1	25c Dark Brown	Imperforate	Double impression, One inverted (Known Used)
138a-P1	1c Carmine and Green	Perforated	Triple impression. First in carmine; Second in green (inverted); and Third in green (normal)
139-P1	6c Yellow Brown	Perforated	Double impression, One inverted

Note: Scott #67 (100m Yellow-Green) has been recorded:
Imperforate, with Second Impression Inverted
This has not been seen to date.

Printers Waste with ‘Ultramar’

Printers Waste with values of 12c and 50c of the King Amadeo stamps are known with the heading of ‘Ultramar’ instead of ‘Filipinas’. The stamp values are not consistent with those issued for the Philippines; instead they align with the values in use at the time in Cuba. Although no official Amadeo stamps of this series were issued in Cuba, these could have been intended for use but replaced with the stamps issued in 1873.

There is mention in early Philippine references of the existence of a 12c green Printers Waste. I have not come across this to date, and it may have been mistaken for the one listed below with the ‘Ultramar’ heading.

List of Known Stamps

Reference	Value	Perforated or Imperforate	Description
PW-1	12c Green	Imperforate	Double impression, One inverted
PW-2	50c Mauve	Perforated	Double impression, One inverted
PW-3	50c Mauve	Imperforate	Double impression, One inverted

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 Last Update: 19.11.2022