The celebrate the 50th Adelaide Fringe Festival, Australia Post issued a souvenir stamp sheet.

This website will not class this issue as a reprint. The Sparklers stamp is a current definitive, and has simply been reissued in a new format; nor has the sheet been produced because stocks of this stamp have fallen below a particular level. More information on the difference between reprints and reissues is given on my reprint page.

Issue Information
The Sparklers stamp was originally issued on 23 September 2008 in a se-tenant block of four stamps (shown at right). This sheet provides four new specialist items:

• The first time this stamp has appeared in a vertical strip of three.
• The first time this stamp has appeared with tabs on the right (or left) (it has appeared in horizontal strips of five with tabs above and below)
• The first time in a sheetlet of nine stamps.
• The sheet is printed by RA Printing, while the original was printed by Energi Print.

Despite being printed by a new printer, this stamp is virtually indistinguishable from the original. Specialist collectors are advised to leave the tab attached to this stamp.

The nine tabs feature various Fringe posters:

• First column (top to bottom): 2007, 2002, 2000
• Middle column (top to bottom): 1996, 1994, 1992
• Last column (top to bottom): 1988, 1982, 1978

Gummed Sheetlet
As mentioned above this sheetlet produced a new vertical strip of three, and a new sheetlet of nine.

Sheetlet of nine

Vertical strip of three with tabs

Issue Summary
The table below summarises the above information. The cost of each item is given, along with a total for each section. In some cases the stamps are only available from self-adhesive booklets (sold at face value), or from prestige booklets, souvenir sheets or folders (sold above face value).

Item and Description	Cost
For the Specialised Collector
Stamps with tabs Sparklers stamp with tab on right (or left) Sheetlets Sheetlet of 9 stamps Blocks, pairs and strips Single stamp from sheetlet (new printer) Vertical strip of 3 from sheetlet * Can be obtained from sheetlet broken up for stamp with tab	$15.95   $15.95   * *
Total	$31.90
Grand Total	$31.90

References
Australia Post, Australian Stamp Bulletin, No. 303, March-April 2010

If you have more information, or spot an error, please e-mail me.