Unreported 2001 Bhutan provisional set now Scott listed

Scott Publishing Company informed me on November 11, 2003 that it has
assigned catalog numbers 1347A and 1347B to two provisional,
previously unreported Bhutan stamps that were issued in 2001.

Illustrations can be seen at the web address:

http://philatelic.info/bhutan/dzong_surcharge_variety.html

It appears that the Bhutan Post was not aware that it's contract
printer in the Bhutan capital, Kuensel Press of Thimphu, had produced
and delivered two values of the set of four with two different
surcharges. The stamps were disbursed without any attention having
been paid to the differences.  Kuensel Press officials have stated
that the production quantities were as follows:


1344   4Nu/10ch Type I      499,000
1345   10Nu/25ch Type I     499,000
1346   15Nu/50ch               500,000
1347   20Nu/1Nu                500,000
1347A  4Nu/10ch Type II       1,000
1347B  10Nu/25ch Type II      1,000

It is not known why the variety was not produced in quantity, if the
plate wasn't liked, was retired, discarded and replaced, or whatever.
It doesn't appear that the variety resulted from an order that the
Post placed for two varieties.

Up to now, the lowest quantity issued for a provisional surcharge was
around 2,750 each in 1965, for Scott Nos. 65-66.  They catalog for
$52, but regularly sell for much more.  Michel values these at almost
$200.

Leonard Nadybal
PO Box 77121
National Capital Station
Washington DC 20013 USA

APS 174438