Sale 1287 — Worldwide Stamps and Postal History
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 23-24 May, 2023
Category — Ascension thru Canada
ASCENSION, 1924, 8p Bright Violet & Gray, Cleft Rock (SG 17c). Position R 5/1, well-struck "Registered C, 20 JU 34" oval datestamp though leaving variety clear, rich color, minute corner crease, otherwise Very Fine, scarce in used condition, with 2023 B.P.A. certificate, SG £700
ASCENSION, 1944, 4p Ultramarine & Black, Perf 13, Mountaineer Flaw (44Bd var; SG 42da). Original gum, mild h.r., excellent centering, Extremely Fine, a handsome example of this scarce variety, SG £1,000
BECHUANALAND PROTECTORATE, 1889, 4p on -1/2p Vermilion, Inverted Surcharge (68a; SG 53c). Brigh color, light barred cancel "679" of Tati (as are all known examples), nicely centeredVERY FINE. A CHOICE EXAMPLE OF THE 1889 4-PENCE INVERTED SURCHARGE. A RARE ERROR THAT IS ONLY KNOWN USED.
Our limited research shows that a majority of these errors have minor faults. With 1989 R.P.S. certificate. Scott $4,500.00. SG £4,000
BERMUDA, 1942, 2sh6p Red & Black on Blue, Line Perf 14-1/4, Lower Right Scroll with Broken Tail (SG 117ac). Position R. 2/10, original gum, lightly hinged, well-centered and exceptionally freshVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A HIGHLY DESRIABLE EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THE MORE CHALLENGING KING GEORGE VI KEYPLATE VARIETIES.
The "Lower Right Scroll with Broken Tail" is the most elusive of all of the King George VI plate varieties. It exists only on the 1942 printing of the 2sh6p, 5sh, and 10sh values. This was an emergency war-time printing by Williams Lea, and saw limited use.
With 2017 B.P.A. certificate. SG £4,250
BOTSWANA, 1966, 7-1/2c Gray Hornbill, Yellow Background (10 var; SG 211a; SASC 6a). Mint N.H., freshVERY FINE. ONE OF THE KEY ERROR RARITIES OF THE ENTIRE BRITISH COMMONWEALTH AND CERTAINLY ONE OF THE MOST FASCINATING VARIETIES FROM THE QEII ERA.
In 1966 the Protectorate of Bechuanaland became the Republic of Botswana. To produce the first stamps, the 1961 Definitive set of Bechuanaland was overprinted "BOTSWANA". The 7-1/2c value is pictured with an African Gray Hornbill bird on a green background. However, a tiny number were printed on a yellow background instead. These were sent to post offices and sold over the counter. Nearly all were used and the majority of those are lost to philately forever. This is the only unused example we have seen. Interestingly, the underlying Bechuanaland stamp (without overprint) is not known with the yellow background error.
Having the background printed in the wrong color is one of the most unusual types of errors in philately. It is far more rare (and desirable) than having a color omitted, which is how most modern errors are produced. In the case of this error, the difference between the green and yellow background is obvious and striking. The South African Stamp Catalogue specifically notes "This is the only QEII commonwealth error of colour recorded; 5-8 examples are believe to exist."
Not listed in Scott. Listed in Stanley Gibbons, but only priced used (as unused never come to market). The only catalogue that prices it unused is the South African Stamp Catalogue, which lists it at ZAR 700,000. That is a huge difference in value to the ZAR 15,000 it assigns to a used copy, which suggests that nearly all of the 5-8 recorded are used.
With 2015 B.P.A. certificate
BRITISH COLUMBIA & VANCOUVER ISLAND, 1867-69, $1.00 on 3p Green, Perf. 14 (13; SG 33). Unused (regummed), uncommonly well-centered for this tightly spaced stamp, bold color, Very Fine, dealer backstamp, with 2022 Greene Foundation certificate, Scott $2,000.00, SG £1,100, Unitrade C$1,600.00
BRITISH COLUMBIA & VANCOUVER ISLAND, 1869, 5c on 3p Bright Red, Perf 12-1/2 (14; SG 23). Vibrant color on bright paper, partial strike of blue Wells, Fargo & Co., San Francisco oval cancel, improved perfs at top (only mentioned on most recent certificate), Very Fine appearance, with 1977 Brandon, 2008 P.F., and 2022 B.P.A. certificates, Scott $1,400.00, SG £1,200, Unitrade C$1,800.00
BRITISH COLUMBIA & VANCOUVER ISLAND, 1867-69, 25c on 3p Orange, Perf. 12-1/2 (16; SG 25). Well-centered, wonderfully rich color, clear strike of "8" barred numeral cancel of Clinton, indiscernible pressed corner crease, otherwise Very Fine, a particularly scarce cancel to find as according to Wellburn, only one sheet of 240 was sent to the Clinton Post Office, ex Wallace, with 2014 Greene Foundation (not noting crease) and 2022 B.P.A. certificates, Scott $850.00, SG £600, Unitrade C$750.00
NEWFOUNDLAND, 1857, 8p Scarlet Vermilion (8; SG 8). Mint N.H., huge margins on all four sides, deep color and wonderfully sharp impression, Extremely Fine Gem, a handsome example and scarce in Mint N.H. condition, ex "Scarsdale", with 2007 P.F. and 2021 Greene Foundation certificates, Scott $900.00, Unitrade C$1,800.00
NEWFOUNDLAND, 1865, 5c Brown (25; SG 26). Original gum, trivial h.r., uncharacteristically well-centered for this notoriously difficult stamp, rich color and a crisp impression, Extremely Fine, ex "Malibu" and Dr. Killien, with 1980 and 2016 Greene Foundation certificates, Scott $750.00 SG £600, Unitrade C$800.00
CANADA, 1851, 3p Red, Laid Paper (1; SG 1). Large margins all around, attractive color, neat seven-ring cancel, Extremely Fine, with 1984 and 2022 Greene Foundation certificates, Scott $1,200.00, SG £1,100, Unitrade C$1,600.00
CANADA, 1851, 6p Slate Violet, Laid Paper (2; SG 2). Full to ample margins, strong color and impression, clear laid lines, blue cancel, Very Fine, Scott $1,500.00, SG £1,400, Unitrade C$2,000.00
CANADA, 1853, 3p Brown Red, Wove Paper (4a; SG 8). Part original gum covering over half the stamp, large to close margins, deeply rich color and an excellent clarity of impression, tiny trace of a thin speck, strong Fine, Scott $2,750.00, SG £3,000, Unitrade C$2,600.00
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CANADA, 1857, 7-1/2p Green (9; SG 12). Original gum, two large h.r.'s (noted as "slightly disturbed" on certificate), margins close but easily clears all around, deeply rich color and a highly detailed impression, Fine, a rare original-gum example of Scott No. 9, with 1976 R.P.S. and 2022 Greene Foundation certificates, Scott $15,000.00, SG £15,000, Unitrade C$12,000.00
CANADA, 1857, 6p Reddish Purple, Very Thick Soft Wove Paper (10; SG 23). Large to full margins all around, rich color and crisp impressionVERY FINE USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1857 6-PENCE ON VERY THICK SOFT WOVE PAPER.
With 2022 Greene Foundation certificate. Scott $6,750.00. SG £6,000. Unitrade C$9,000.00
CANADA, 1859, 17c Blue, Imperforate (19b; SG 42a). Horizontal pair, without gum as issued, full margins all around, rich color, scissor cut in bottom margin between stampsVERY FINE IMPERFORATE PAIR OF THE 17-CENT CARTIER. ONLY 100 STAMPS (50 PAIRS) WERE PRODUCED.
With 2022 Greene Foundation certificate. Scott $6,000.00. SG £6,500. Unitrade C$10,000.00
CANADA, 1868, 6c Black Brown on Thin Paper (27f; SG 50). Unused (regummed), strong color in this distinctive shade, excellent centering, light horizontal crease, Very Fine appearance, with 2018 Gratton (as original gum) and 2022 Greene Foundation certificates, Scott $2,600.00, SG £1,800, Unitrade C$4,000.00
CANADA, 1890s, 2c Green, Ottawa Printing (Unitrade 36i). Block of six, original gum, certificate states only the center stamps hinged, though one or two others may also be hinged, bright shade, excellent centering, top left stamp with mild natural gum bend, Very Fine-Extremely Fine, with 2018 Gratton certificate, Unitrade somewhere in the C$600.00-C$1,700.00 range
CANADA, 1870, 3c Copper Red, Perf 12-1/2 (37d; SG 79a). Well-centered (an uncharacteristic trait on this difficult stamp), wonderfully rich color, two-ring numeral cancel, Very Fine and choice, with 2005 Gratton and 2022 Greene Foundation certificates, Scott $1,500.00, SG £900, Unitrade C$2,000.00
CANADA, 1897, 10c Brown Red (45; SG 110). Mint N.H., exceptionally well-centered, beautiful fresh color and an excellent clarity of impressionEXTREMELY FINE. A SELECT QUALITY EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT BROWN RED, OTTAWA PRINTING -- SELDOM FOUND IN SUCH CHOICE NEVER-HINGED CONDITION.
With 2016 P.F. certificate. Scott $1,900.00. Unitrade C$2,700.00.
CANADA, 1897, $3.00 Jubilee (63). Original gum, barest trace of hinging (if any) - see certificates for conflicting opinions on hinging, well-centered with wide margins, rich color, Very Fine, with 2009 P.F. certificate "previously hinged at top right" and 2019 Greene Foundation certificate "OG, NH", Scott $1,300.00 ($3,750.00 N.H.), Unitrade C$2,000.00 (C$8,000.00 N.H.)
CANADA, 1897, $5.00 Jubilee (65). Mint N.H., well-centered and with wide margins, gorgeous rich color and a deeply etched impressionVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A HANDSOME AND SCARCE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1897 5-DOLLAR JUBILEE.
With 2022 Greene Foundation certificate. Scott $4,250.00. Unitrade C$8,000.00
CANADA, 1938, 50c Vancouver Harbor, Large Die Trial Color Proof in Dull Violet on India (244TC). Die sunk on 228 x 154mm card, with die no. XG-678 and imprint, printed in the color of the $1.00 stamp, card with small stain at extreme bottom, Very Fine and scarce
CANADA, 1939, 10c Dark Green Special Delivery, Imperforate (E7a). Vertical pair, Mint N.H., large even margins all around, brilliant color on immaculate white paper, Extremely Fine, with 2018 Greene Foundation certificate, Scott $1,000.00, Unitrade C$1,400.00