2017-10-09 Mon

New Zealand's largest stamp and coin auction Auctioneer John Mowbray of Otaki, is expected to sell $2.2 million worth of items next week. Some of these items are extremely old and rare.

A mint-condition HMS Vanguard, printed in New Zealand to commemorate the 1949 Royal Visit by King George VI is going to be offered for an estimated value of $50,000. The visit was cancelled because the King fell ill and the stamps were asked to be destroyed. One of the sheets somehow was not destroyed and today there are only seven known examples.

A mint-condition 1906 penny claret, printed by New Zealand Post has an estimated value of $30,000. The production of this stamp was suddenly halted to change the end-colour to orange. The auctioneer believes that one of the sheets was mistakenly sold at the Christchurch Exhibition. Between 1906 and 1958, NZ Post gave one of these stamps to every New Zealand Prime Minister, Governor General, Minister of Post and Post Master. For the first time, used penny clarets in the form of three post-marked versions on an envelope were offered since 1999 for $80,000.

Several other interesting coins, banknotes and medals are also going to be offered at the auction. Mowbray also received a New Zealand Philatelic Federation Service Award for his contributions in the field of philately last month. He is associated with Kapiti Philatelic Society. He is one of the founders of the New Zealand Stamp Dealers Association and has been president of the International Stamp Dealers Association as well.