Specimens for approvals are created for virtually every country. They are the finished design that has been printed and affixed to a card and submitted for final approval. At times several variations of the same design are submitted, with the hopes that one will be selected over the others. Each printing company has it’s own design for the card or folder, and you will find several types illustrated below.
Cards for Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co, Ltd., UK
25 March 1973 - Martyrs of the Liberation War
Not approved essays for the 25 March 1973 Martyrs of the Liberation War stamps. The stamps are lighter in color, the name of the country is a lighter green and the numbers are slightrly different in the issued stamps.The essays were done by Bradbury Wilkinson and Company Limited. At the top in pen is “As Submitted 9 12 72”.
30 April 1973 Definitive and SERVICE overprinted
2p Definitive – both stamps are printed smaller than the actual size in which they were issued.
Definitive 5p – both stamps are printed smaller than the actual size in which they were issued.
Definitive 10p – both stamps are printed smaller than the actual size in which they were issued.
Definitive 20p – both stamps are printed smaller than the actual size in which they were issued.
Definitive 25p – the proof stamp is smaller than that actually issued.
Unissued design due to a period after the “p”, after the denomination. Unfortunately, this is not a good image and it is not visible. Definitive 50p – the proof stamp is smaller than that actually issued.
Definitive 60p – both stamps are printed smaller than the actual size in which they were issued.
Definitive 75p – both stamps are printed smaller than the actual size in which they were issued.
Definitive 90p – the stamp is printed smaller than the actual size in which it was issued. No SERVUCE stamp was issued in this denomination.
Definitive 1 Ta – both stamps are printed smaller than the actual size in which they were issued.
Definitive 2 Ta – the stamp is printed smaller than the actual size in which it was issued. No SERVUCE stamp was issued in this denomination.
Unapproved design. Definitive 5 T, rather than 10 Ta. – the stamp is printed smaller than the actual size in which it was issued. No SERVUCE stamp was issued in this denomination.
Definitive 5 Ta – both stamps are printed smaller than the actual size in which they were issued.
Unapproved design. Definitive 10 T, rather than 10 Ta. – the stamp is printed smaller than the actual size in which it was issued. No SERVUCE stamp was issued in this denomination.
Definitive 10 Ta – the stamp is printed smaller than the actual size in which it was issued. No SERVUCE stamp was issued in this denomination.
10 December 1973 - 25th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1973
Essays by Bradbury Wilkinson and Company Limited, of the two 25th Anniversary of Declration of Human Rights stamps issued on 10 December 1973. The notation on the front in pen reads, “Approved subject to the changes pointed out separately.” It is signed “A.M. Ahsunullah. Director-General, Bangladesh P.O.”. The reverse of the card has the date ” 30 7 73″. printed by the same pen as the writing on the front.
Revenues
The above card has six different Footwear Banderols imperforate stamps on it. Note that at the top of the card it states Bangladesh Post Ofice.
Cards and folders for Harrison & Sons, Ltd.
29 April 1978 - Flowers of Bangladesh
A typical Proof Card of any stamp printed by Harrison and Sons, Limited. Such cards are very scarce.
21 August 1980 – Welfare of the Families of Martyrs of Palestine
Very rare essay for the stamp. Note that the value in the essay is 40p. The value of the issued stamp was 50p. There is a punch mark in the upper left corner with some slight damage to the card, which would have little effect on the value.
31 January 1990 - Endangered Animal - Gharial
Folder of Approval prepared by Harrison & Sons, Ltd., the company that printed the stamps. The stamps in the folder are imperforate. This is a very rare item.
Folders for Mezhdunarodnava Kniga, U.S.S.R.
The Russian printed 30p definitive, with government markings applied to it. One stating it is not for sale and the green stating it is preserved in the archives. Since that time many things have been sold from the archives illegally.
29 December 1986 - International Year of Peace
Accepted design for the Tk. 10 stamp.
29 November 1988 - 32nd Meeting of Colombo Plan Consultative Committee, Dhaka
Unaccepted designs due to the multiple lines of text in the upper left corner. The great color differences may be due to different scanners in copying these items. Note that they are perforated, finished stamps stuck on a presentation card.
6 December 1988 - Silver Jubilee of Dhaka G.P.O. Building
Essay of stamp printed in Russia. Note that in the issued stamp the mountain on the left and the construction on the right just above the roof line of the building have been removed.
12 September 1989 - One Year of Bangladesh Army in UN Peace Keeping Operations in Iran-Iraq War Front
Unaccepted color schemes. The issued stamps did not have the black border.
16 July 1990 - Fruits of Bangladesh
All of the above proof cards were unacceptable designs. Evidently there are two types of cards as the stamp images are inside the embossed area and some stamp images appear larger when compared to the embossed area.
15 July 1992 - Definitive Chittagong Port
Above is an color essay of the stap in brown. Below is the final color chosen for the issue.
A proof of the stamp in the approved color.
Folders for The Security Printing Corporation (Bangladesh) Ltd.
All of the folders illustrated below are genuine. The market is flooded with fake folders and they are illustrated on the page Fakes and Questionable Items. Unfortunately, the list is extensive. The genuine folders are difficult to locate as it is believed only 2 to 3 of each stamp were made. Such items were never to be sold to the public, but many were sold illegally. Those listed below fall into that category. You will notice that there is a number, writtne in pen, inside the circular marking put on the stamps. The number represents the number of the stamp issued for that year.
This is the larger, earlier size of foler and like the second type, this is blank on the back outside cover. Only one type of paper was used for these and it differs from those used in the smaller folders. It has a smooth shiny surface to it. Also, the blue ink used for the printing is darker than the later, smaller folders. The size is approximately 111mm x 300mm when opened.
21 November 1997 - Silver Jubilee of Armed Forces
4 February 1998 - Mohammad Mansuruddin
15 Feb 1998 - Golden Jubilee of East Bengal Regiment of Bangladesh Army
17 May 1998 - 44th Death Anniversary of Bulbul Chowdhury
10 June 1998 - World Cup Football, France. ‘98
23 June 1998 - Bangabandhu Bridge Inauguration
Note that the second Bridge folder is the smaller size of the known sizes. It is also a darker creamy colord that differs from the listed smaller folders. The other three folders are not a tall as the fakes.
29 May 2003 - 22nd Death Anniversary of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman
This genuine folder has the SPECIMEN rubberstamped on it in red.
