I was wondering if anyone knew what the entry on Scott 3a meant? I think I could make a good guess, but could use help understanding it.
It says "Half used as 6p on cover".
Does this mean the person cut the stamp diagonally in half and put it on an envelope? Or does it mean a horizontal cut in half or a vertical cut in half?
Adam, that's correct. The 1' stamp would have been cut roughly in half. Depending on who cut the stamp, could be in any configuration. It would have to be on cover, and best tied to it with a cancel. Definitely a certificate would be needed.
This situation happens when a certain stamp value runs out and a stamp is needed. The post office will bisect another stamp usually with a face value of double that needed, with 1/2 a stamp indicating half face value for postage paid. Sometimes such actions were authorized, sometimes not. There are even stamps that have been purposely printed with bisected perforations so that the stamp could be used at full or half face value as needed. For example, Guatemala and Paraguay have done this in the past.
If you type in SG 6a you should get another Bisect. This was the 1 shilling printed by John Richardson in Auckland NZ. Incidentally 26 covers have been recorded. There are only 8 covers with the London Print of the 1 shilling Bisect 3a.
