Summary

First Day Cover for 'Famous Australians' Series, Issue 2, John & Reginald Duigan, issued by Postmaster General's Department, Melbourne, Australia, 16 November 1970. The cover has 5 x 6 Cents stamps showing portraits of Reginald C. Duigan (left) and John R. Duigan (right), the latter wearing a cap and raised flying goggles.

The stamps use engraved and recess printing, they were designed by Artist's of Note Printing Branch, Reserve Bank of Australia, Melbourne and printed by the Note Printing Branch, Reserve Bank of Australia, Melbourne.

The official first day cover envelope features a graphic design on the right divided into four quarters it would have been issued by the Philatelic Centre in the Post Office at the corner of Russell Street and Little Collins Street, Melbourne.

Released in 1970 as part of a four stamp standard issue, which formed the second issue of the 'Famous Australians' series of designs. The Australians featured in series 2 where Adam Lindsay Gordon (1833-1870), Poet; Reginald Charles Duigan (1889-1966) & John Robertson Duigan (1882-1951), Aviators; Edward John Eyre (1815-1901), Explorer; and, Lachlan Macquarie (1762-1824), Governor of New South Wales 1810-1821. The stamps were issued in booklet form only with perforation 13¾ x14 Imperforate.

There were five issues in the 'Famous Australians' series released as follows: Issue 1, November, 1968; Issue 2, November, 1970; Issue 3, May. 1973; Issue 4, August, 1975; Issue 5, November, 1976.

Physical Description

Stamps printed in blue ink on paper that was previously lithographed in pale pastel colours. First day cover envelope printed in black and 5 colours on a plain white envelope. The envelope features a graphic design on the right divided into four quarters which depict 1) E.J. Eyre and an accompanying explorer leading pack horses under a blazing sun; 2) a stylised plan view of the biplane build and flown by John & Reg Duigan at Mia Mia, central Victoria, in 1910; 3) a stylised view of Adam Lindsay Gordon riding a horse, leaping over a water, a mound of rocks and a bush; and, 4) the two-storey house of Lachlan Macqaurie in Sydney with a rising sun behind. In the centre of the graphic design is a concentric kaleidoscope of five different coloured heads in silhouette. The postmark 'FIRST DAY OF ISSUE - RUSSELL STREET 16 NOV 1970 VIC 3000 - FIRST DAY OF ISSUE' appears in the centre of the envelope and over the stamps.

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