Black print? Blueprint? What do we do with it?
Upon purchasing the 500th first-day cover on June 1, 2004, we were surprised with a reproduction of the first Dutch postage stamp from 1852. Since then, the so-called blueprints have been included in later volumes of the NVPH Special Catalogue. Not much explanation is provided: The blueprint is issued by the NVPH. They are limited editions in which a well-known Dutch postage stamp from the past is depicted each time.
In the year 2007, it was already number 5 that could be added to the collector's collection as a blueprint, featuring a reproduction of the ½ cent stamp issued in 1907. A new phenomenon? Other countries have similar issues, but called black prints. Such as the former GDR, with an example of a block from 1977 issued on the occasion of an international stamp exhibition.
The face value and the surcharge in the block have been rendered 'invalid' for postage on the black print by black stripes. The stamp in the block is not perforated.
In 1978, a black print was also issued, likewise with stamps whose value had been crossed out, but this time a very light green background color had been added. Our southern neighbors are also familiar with the black print phenomenon, and in various ways. Just like the GDR, it was reproduced as a stamp in black on a small sheet of paper. A few examples have been taken from the year 2001. Here, the postage value was not crossed out with black stripes, but a fake stamp was placed in a corner of the stamp on the sheet. In the shape of the Post Office logo.
In three languages, it is indicated that the issue was produced by the Belgian postal service. But even without text, we see the counterfeit stamps. Such as on the black print of the stamp with an image of a dinosaur.
The 'stamp' features only the logo of the Belgian Post. Another method of producing a black print was to include it in the desk diary issued by the Belgian Post. As an example, a reproduction of the stamp from 1986: Year of Beer.
The black print of the stamp was included on a page that could be torn out by means of a perforation. And this stamp also featured a 'postmark' containing the logo of the Belgian Post.
Above it, on the small sheet, an explanatory text was included:
And there are other postal administrations that have issued black prints, such as Austria. But what is the status of these black prints? Are they collectible and should they be included in a collection? And the NVPH blueprints? What is your opinion? 
I incorporated the first one into my collection because it did align with the subject I collect. But I traded the rest with an enthusiast for other material. However, I am not going to purchase them specifically. It is utter nonsense to spend money on imitations that have absolutely nothing to do with the process (from design to use) of the stamp. The NVPH should first think about what really has to do with philately, rather than including this nonsense in their own production, the special catalogue.
Sometimes these images have something in common with the original editions, namely that the Post Administration puts them into circulation [Austria] and/or that they are printed in the same printing house as the originals using the same printing process.
In the case of the NVPH, none of the above applies. Any private individual can have such a picture printed, provided that permission has been granted if there are rights holders. Has this already expired?
In any case, from a philatelic point of view, this is pure nonsense and therefore does not belong in a stamp collection.
Or we will also cut out and include all the pictures/clippings from the NVPH catalogs and those of auction houses, respectively. And don't forget the TNT brochures themselves, or we'll print out the postage stamp blog in color….
Yes, coming up with something new isn't that easy; if it were up to the gentlemen above, we would still be stuck with only numbers 1, 2, and 3.
The first Dutch Black Print was included in the Catalogue of the Amphilex 1967 exhibition. All Black Prints were numbered! The print color was black and white. That, naturally, did not make it into the Special Catalogue of the NVPH.
'@AADB nos. 1-2-3 can also just go in the recycling bin!!!!
It is, of course, the Amphilex 1977 exhibition.
'@Aad
Isn't the news our AuntiePos comes up with for us enough for you???
The gentleman above offers you the free suggestion to have your own shop advertising printed in blue as well….
You should, however, first consult with the gentlemen of the NVPH to see if you are not infringing on their intellectual property, namely the blue stamps…
Rein@ I sometimes wonder how you would like it done, because I never read anything about that. Try promoting your hobby to young people in a modern way; I am curious, as well as about the price list / catalogue with realistic prices. (lol)
'@aad
Promoting blueprints among the youth???
The best idea of recent years is that of personal stamps: accessible to everyone with or without a modem or USB stick.
Long live TNTPost and the marketers behind them who came up with that (not very original, by the way, because they did something similar in Australia and Canada too, but still!)
And wouldn't you know it, organized philately [trade and royal] is vehemently opposed to that!!!!
I completely agree with what Rein writes about this. Get rid of all that mass-produced work.
Rein@ Responding to messages isn't that easy. I wrote somewhere that a blueprint promotes something; it is a gift from the NVPH that no one needs to collect, it's as simple as that. I did write to come up with something myself to attract the youth, but the only reaction is hiding behind what TNT is doing. The personalized stamps, whatever you think of them, are a nice promotion that takes the euros out of people's pockets, which is what you are so opposed to (because it gets so expensive this way). So I don't understand you at all anymore; just indicate once (Bos/Balkende) how it should be done, including the price list/catalogue with realistic prices (ha ha).
A blueprint is a gift. So, it is free! And let it remain free. So, no catalogue listing! Even on something they give away for free, the NVPH dealers are still trying to make a profit!
Stewie@ just don't buy that thing and get your information from somewhere else, e.g. from Rein. There's not much to be gained from free. By the way, have you already purchased a new NVPH and paid the full price?
'@Aad B,
I actually did do that (see also my recent Filadorado posts), but following your comment, I realize now that I could of course have bought it from you with a nice discount, couldn't I? And did you then grab the included blueprint as compensation … :-) just kidding!
Seriously though… the (un)thing is free, so I don't think we should complain. After all, we decide what to collect ourselves, right, regardless of any listing? Or are we all secretly letting ourselves be guided by the nice NVPH price list after all?
Emilio Bravo
'@ Very B
I haven't bought the new NVPH catalogue and I'm not going to. I bought the 2007 one two years ago (19,80!) and I have hardly ever used it.
Thanks, thanks… and now back to Filadorado quickly for a response there 🙂
'@aad
It’s fine that people are willing to spend money on their philately; it can even be a lot, as long as they know what they’re getting. NVPH blueprints are just like buying colored stickers from Bruna or HEMA. Stick them on your bike or something…. If only that had been stated so clearly when purchasing the SC!? By the way, do I understand correctly that you don't have to pay the full price?
Or am I reading your contributions through the wrong glasses for the umpteenth time??
The NVPH blueprints have absolutely nothing to do with philately. With the Austrian black prints, the situation is slightly more nuanced. For a period, the Austrian Post Office issued so-called black prints to the press as an announcement of an issue. These stamps were provided to the press to give them a preview of the upcoming issue, but only in black print. The stamps, gummed, were printed on the same presses as the official stamps (in color). It is therefore a kind of “sample.” You also see “press issues” with colored stamps bearing the imprint “sample” or “specimen.” Is this philatelic? I think that if you include it in a competition exhibition, a judge might say: “not good, because this stamp is not valid for affixing to a letter” (and that is exactly what Sir Roland Hill originally invented this piece of paper for). As a collector, I personally enjoy having a few black prints, samples, or specimen stamps alongside a few genuine stamps.
Rein @indeed with the wrong glasses. Unfortunately, I am bound by the so-called book price, which means not selling below the set price; a nice arrangement in a free market!! But don't worry, there is a free blueprint included and last year 4 entrance tickets for the Stamp Passion (haha). Hoogendoorn@ Willem, I would like your opinion on the rejected designs that appeared in Belgian black prints, philatelic or not?
Then what about the numbered Black Print, which is included in the Aphilex 1977 Catalogue?
Does that have anything to do with Philately? It was, as I recall, an “emerging fashion” at the time to collect black prints. In the Netherlands, this fashion never developed. Until the NVPH introduced the “unique” blue prints a few years ago.
In 2007, various “Dealers” leveled considerable unnuanced criticism at the gift given away by TNT Post in the form of a small sheet containing two Personal Stamps. This sheet was included in the NVPH Catalogue as a mention and photo in the 2009 catalogue. It was not listed.
Well, the “Trade” naturally had no stock of these block sheets. But they did have The Blueprints. Hence the Catalogue listing.
JHA Okay, what do you actually want then? A quotation, a quotation of let's say 20 euros. Who can supply them to me for roughly 50%, because that seems to be normal in these circles. How many sheets were produced (ask TNT)? The books remain closed regarding any printing technique used (TNT remains silent). The stock of mint 1-2-3 stamps is naturally present in large quantities at the trade, hence those high prices, which contradicts the situation with stamps from the 60s, 70s, 80s, and beyond; there is even more of those, so you would expect even higher prices. So it is just empty talk in the philatelic realm.
'@Aad B
Now that is a lame philatelic answer.
A listing of what? The print run of the Amphilex Catalogue 1977 is known, because the Black Prints are numbered. Why no mention?
JHA @Ask the people responsible for that, so the committee!
'@Aad
Indeed, we are asking the Omission Commission – because more and more is missing 🙂
In my opinion, the blueprint is nothing more than a sales technique that will work for some of us and not for others. In the past, the NVPH has also added genuine stamps, and this is simply a cheaper alternative. By including them in the catalogue and listing them in the catalogue, scarcity is created, and thus a demand that can be met by buying a catalogue again every year. Is it philatelic? It depends on how you look at it. I also have a number of proofs in my collection, and I consider them philately related, even though they are not of the chosen color or image. The blueprints can fulfill the same function. It complements your collection. Personally, I don't need it, and I certainly won't purchase a catalogue every year just to keep them complete.
HANS
I am glad that the NVPH is publishing these Blueprints. Why? So we don't have to collect these pieces of paper.
The NVPH does not treat the collector seriously at all, just look at the catalogue.
It is worse when a serious magazine like “Filatelie” passes this kind of thing on to its subscribers.
See the German “Philatelie,” which has been sending these things along for years as a “Jahresausgabe,” a so-called New Year's gift.
'@ Hans Moesbergen
Can blueprints fulfill the same function as proofs????? Hans, blueprints have absolutely nothing to do with the process from design to final stamps. The purpose of a proof is to obtain the desired results for a stamp issue. Blueprints are simply photos printed on a heavier type of paper. Anyone can make these kinds of things on their own printer. Therefore, from the perspective of design to the final stamp, the blueprint has nothing to do with it. Your statement that proofs are philatelic is correct, but the assumption that blueprints can fulfill the same function is incorrect because they were made decades later.
'@Cees
By adopting or citing evasive language
The blueprint is published by the NVPH. These are limited editions, each depicting a well-known Dutch stamp from the past.
it is suggested that this concerns an “issue” or “issue,” with all the associated “stamp issue” that entails…
They, the NVPH, merely had a picture printed with a copy of a stamp – is that allowed just like that – and included it as an attachment with their catalogue.
It is of course quite fun to start a discussion in this forum, but as a seasoned philatelist and former PTT employee, you naturally know perfectly well what the status of this printed matter is, as well as that of the printed matter distributed by others.
Is such a discussion useful then?
Or wouldn't it be better to take a clear stance with the escape clause that every fool should decide for himself what he collects…