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).