KGV 1d Red Shades- Smooth Paper Part 1

The Australian KGV 1d Red is the most collected single group of stamps in the world.Classification of shades should be left to the experts but for those willing try are often confused by the simplified UV reactions available in the ACSC.The ACSC only has a brief ID of the UV reactions. If you are serious about classifying 1d KGV red shades, the "Redhead" is the book you need.

The information in the Redhead is compiled from research over the last 80 years & by those people regarded as the "Experts" in that field.

G30 Carmine Rose (ACSC71V). ACSC states UV is "Dull Purple Red". Whereas the Redhead tells us that there are FOUR TYPES OF UV REACTION.

The UV depends on which printing it is from

1 Dull purplish red to Dull Red

2 Bright Light Red

3 Very Dull Violet Red to Deep Dull Violet Red

4 Red to Bright Red

G31 Carmine Red (ACSC71Y) ACSC states "Dull to Bright Red". Where again there is 4 different UV reactions

1 Dull Purplish Red to Dull red

2 Red to Deep Bright Red & very variable in depth & brightness

3 Very Dull Violet Red to Deep Dull Violet Red

4 Purplish Red to Purple Red

So as you can see , these 2 common shades have 7 different UV reactions between them. I also see a problem as they both share a common reaction #1 .What make matters worse is the vastness of range of colour in the reaction is so great that it covers nearly all the other shades.

The Redhead gives detailed information on what dates the shades started to appear.The UV reaction can be used to back that up. The catalogue value for the scarcer shades is based on the stamp having a date cancellation.

Below a photo of each smooth paper shade, except Pink Eosin.

Keep in mind that this represents only 1 shade of each group as all groups have more than 1 shade

G10 - G19

G10, ACSC71A Carmine Red - Earliest known Postmark is August 7 , 1914