This is an area of interest to a lot of collectors, and happens when the stamp sheets fail to make it through the entire printing process. The sheets might be passed through seven different inking plates and if one has “run dry” or simply stopped working, then this results in incomplete stamps.

1966 Bird Issue

The most striking errors occur when the ink runs dry during the process of the print, resulting in normal prints, then a whole array of lighter tones throughout the sheet until the colour no longer appears.

Officially, all of these stamps are removed during the quality control process so should never reach the public. Despite this fact many colour variations and omissions exist.

One of the most famous missing colours, was of the GB 1966 Birds issue. The source of the stamps is unknown but to a few select people, but are believed to have escaped through the back door of a post office somewhere in London. The stamps are missing the Bistre colour which gives the comical effect of the birds having no legs!

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