Stamp on stamps

Receipt

Some postal matters do not give you hardly any additional information. Often there are more question marks than answers. This is one of them, it is a receipt from the Post Office Tyringe in the south of Sweden. This receipt form could be used for several purposes:
    - Stamps
    - Postage due
    - Christmas stamps
    - Stamp taxes, excise duties
    - Custom duties
    - Cash on delivery fee

There are five stamps on the receipt, four green 80 öre Rock Carvings type II issued in 1957. Type II means that the stamps belongs to the second or third issue of the Rock Carvings, the first one came 1954. Type II also meant that the initials of the designer (del. = latin  delineavit) and the engraver (sc. = latin sculpsit) were both added at the bottom of the stamps. A feature introduces by the Swedish Post in 1957. That feature is the easiest way to distinguish between the two types.

A fee of 3.60 kr was probably paid, but for what?
1957, 1 June. 80 öre green Rock Carvings type II. Qty: 57,000,000
1957, 15 October. 40 öre green Gustaf VI Adolf type II. Qty: 38,400,000

The Rock Carvings was an attempt to modernize the Swedish definitive stamps and it mostly complemented the long running Three Crown series that was issued from 1939. The design of the Rock Carvings felt fresh and modern at the time and it connected to Swedish ancient history instead of the usual theme for definitive series like the king or formal Swedish symbols. The motif was modern in a modest way.

The 40 öre green Gustaf VI Adolf type II was aimed to cover the rate for international letters  -20 g. The background of type II consisted of a cross pattern, which resulted in a tighter background pattern and the colours became more noticeable. Compared with type I that had a linear background engraved and that turned out to be to light and the colours were not distinct enough. The type II also got the initials of the designer and the engraver added at the bottom of the stamp.

A 40 öre green Gustaf VI Adolf type II was applied, this is an old stamp since the receipt is from September 3 1962. Why use an old stamp? The successor 40 öre green type II was issued already in October 23 1961 and should by September 1962 be already in use at the Post Office Tyringe. That is puzzling. It does not stop there.

The sum of the stamps are 3.60 kr but we do not know what was bought. Stamps? The receipt is not filled in correctly. There is no signature by the Post Office clerk, it is not specified what kind of purchase that have been done. Maybe they were a little careless that day in Tyringe and just hand over the receipt in a hurry?

Or maybe the purchase did not happen? Something went wrong . . .


Tyringe is situated 442 km SW of Stockholm. The distance by road is 532 km.