14(X) Datestamp

Brisbane Datestamp Page

This was a special series introduced for use on mail posted at the Brisbane General Post Office and is quite different from previous types. Octagonal in shape, measuring 21.5 to 23 mm between opposite points, they fall into four groups, with the letters 'H', 'O', 'T' and 'X' placed in the top angle. Immediately below is a code number, flanked by the letters 'P' and 'B', 'BRISBANE' across the centre, and the date in two lines below (the year in two figures). The top letters referred to four pillar boxes at the Brisbane General Post Office as follows:

• 14(H) - (Home) mail intended for delivery in Queensland outside the Brisbane city delivery area. Codes H1 - H9 (October 1891 - 11 October 1910)
• 14(O) - (Overseas) mail addressed beyond Australia. Codes O1 - O5 (12 November 1886 - 11 October 1910)
• 14(T) - (Town) mail to the Brisbane delivery area. Codes T1 - T9 (15 August 1892 - 31 July 1905)
• 14(X) - (Intercolonial / Interstate) mail. Codes X1 - X7 (24 March 1888 - 22 August 1910)

Letters posted in the wrong box would, if the mistake was not picked up, be impressed with the wrong datestamp; this frequently happened and are well worth collecting. 

An example of mail posted in the wrong box. It was posted to Rockhampton and deposited in the 'X' box (mail intended for Interstate delivery) instead of the 'H' box ((Home) mail intended for delivery in Queensland outside the Brisbane city delivery)

The Code letters represented a time code. The 30 implements had short lives and frequent replacement of type was necessary. At least nine varieties of O1 and ten of T1 are known and varieties are discussed and shown HERE.

They were introduced in January 1886 and up to the end of 1896 the stamps were cancelled by obliterators with the  datestamps appearing elsewhere on the cover. They then came to be used as obliterators and were in use until October 1910. Most, but not all, of these pillar box codes are very common and I therefore only show a representative sample with the emphasis on covers and clear, complete examples where no covers have yet been seen.

The earliest known date. 6 January 1886. A code 1 but the letter is unknown

Type 14(X) Codes are X1 - X7. Numerous varieties known. Dates range from 24 March 1888 - 22 August 1910 but dates before 1897 can really only be collected on cover. Rated Common - 5R

• Code X1 (21 October 1889 - 26 May 1906) rated Common - $3, $8 on cover
• Code X2 (24 March 1888 - 2 April 1910) rated Rare - $11, $20 on cover
• Code X3 (14 September 1898 - 13 March 1909) rated Common - $8, $20 on cover
• Code X4 (1 August 1893 - 22 August 1910) rated Common - $6, $18 on cover
• Code X5 (5 September 1896 - 12 February 1906) rated Common - $6, $18 on cover
• Code X6 rated 5R
• Code X7 (13 July 1898 - July 1907) rated Common - $8, $50 on cover

L-R: Type 14(H), 14(O), 14(T), 14(X), from Campbell

Code X1

1889

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X1. Dated 21 October 1889. Rated common. Seen in Leski auctions

1894

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X1. Dated 8 May 1894. Rated common. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X1. Dated 6 September 1894. Rated common

1897

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X1. Dated 12 November 1897. Rated common. Seen on Ebay

1898

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X1. Dated 16 September 1898. Rated common. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X1. Dated 30 December 1898. Rated common. Seen in Triple S postal history workshop

1899

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X1. Dated 1 September 1899. Rated common. Seen in Reinhard Fischer auctions

1900

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X1. Dated 27 April 1900. Rated common. Seen on Ebay

1903

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X1. Dated 11 December 1903. Rated common

1904

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X1. Dated 8 June 1904. Rated common

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X1. Dated 27 June 1904. Rated common

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X1. Dated 8 July 1904. Rated common. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X1. Dated 1 August 1904. Rated common

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X1. Dated 17 October 1904. Rated common

1905

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X1. Dated 3 February 1905. Rated common. Seen in a private collection

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X1. Dated 1 March 1905. Rated common

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X1. Dated 21 September 1905. Rated common

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X1. Dated 22 September 1905. Rated common

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X1. Dated 10 October 1905. Rated common

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X1. Dated 20 November 1905. Rated common. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X1. Dated 4 December 1905. Rated common. Seen on Delcampe

1906

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X1. Dated 12 January 1906. Rated common

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X1. Dated 13 February 1906. Rated common. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X1. Dated 15 February 1906. Rated common. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X1. Dated 2 April 1906. Rated common

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X1. Dated 7 April 1906. Rated common. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X1. Dated 20 April 1906. Rated common

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X1. Dated 24 April 1906. Rated common. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X1. Dated 26 May 1906. Rated common

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X2

1888

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X2. Dated 24 March 1888. Rated rare. Seen on Ebay

1906

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X2. Dated 3 September 1906. Rated rare. Courtesy of Dave Elsmore

1907

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X2. Dated 13 July 1907. Rated rare. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X2. Dated 11 September 1907. Rated rare. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X2. Dated 30 December 1907. Rated rare

1909

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X2. Dated 20 Janaury 1909. Rated rare. Seen on Stampboards

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X3

1903

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X3. Dated 13 October 1903. Rated common

1905

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X3. Dated 4 April 1905. Rated common

1906

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X3. Dated 12 April 1906. Rated common

1907

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X3. Dated 21 December 1907. Rated common. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X3. Dated 24 December 1907. Rated common. Seen on Ebay

1909

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X3. Dated 13 March 1909. Rated common. Seen on Ebay

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X4

1893

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X4. Dated 1 August 1893. Rated common. Seen in a private collection

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X4. Dated 1 August 1893. Rated common. Seen in a private collection

1894

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X4. Dated 2 January 1894. Rated common. Seen on Ebay

1898

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X4. Dated 14 August 1898. Rated common. Seen on Ebay

1899

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X4. Dated 31 May 1899. Rated common

1905

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X4. Dated 7 October 1905. Rated common. Seen in the Wytenburg Brisbane GPO exhibit

1907

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X4. Dated 1907. Rated common

1910

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X4. Dated 22 August 1910. Rated common

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X5

1896

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X5. Dated 5 September 1896. Rated common

1899

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X5. Dated 14 January 1899. Rated common. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X5. Dated 18 April 1899. Rated common. Seen in the collection of Tony Griffin

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X5. Dated 11 November 1899. Rated common

1903

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X5. Dated 21 July 1903. Rated common. Seen in Prestige Philately

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X5. Dated 21 September 1903. Rated common

1904

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X5. Dated 25 January 1904. Rated common. Seen in the Wytenburg Brisbane GPO exhibit

1906

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X5. Dated 12 February 1906. Rated common. Seen on Ebay

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X7

1898

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X7. Dated 5 July 1898. Rated common

1899

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X7. Dated 31 January 1899. Rated common

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X7. Dated 17 April 1899. Rated common

1901

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X7. Dated 4 July 1901. Rated common

1903

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X7. Dated 2 October 1903. Rated common

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X7. Dated 7 October 1903. Rated common. Seen in the Wytenburg Brisbane GPO exhibit

1904

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X7. Dated 12 April 1904. Rated common. Seen in the collection of Tony Griffin

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X7. Dated 7 July 1904. Rated common

1905

Brisbane date stamp type 14(X). Code X7. Dated 21 February 1905. Rated common