2018-01-20 Sat

Several rare stamps were auctioned by Spink USA on 6th and 7th December 2017 in New York City. One of the highlights was a 1915 $2 blue and black Hall of Classics stamp from China, first Peking printing, with inverted centre. It is one among the Four Treasures of the Republic of China. Only 40 known examples of the stamp exist. Even though the stamps had poor centering and a few short perforations, it was sold for an amazing $81,000.

Chile’s 1910 1-centavo Oath of Independence stamp with inverted centre was sold for $24,000. Only two examples of the stamp exist. It was discovered recently and was offered at an auction for the first time.

The largest known multiple of the 1844 60-reis stamp on cover was sold for $57,000. It contains only the scarcer type II from the first plate. The stamps were used on a domestic triple-weight letter to be shipped.

The largest multiple with both type I and type II of the 1845 90r stamp, intermediate impression, was sold for $150,000. The bottom two rows had type I stamps instead of a combination of type I and type II. Only three multiples with such a combination exist. The earliest recorded cover with a Russian postmark: dated 1765, from St. Petersburg, was sold for $18,000. A set of three 1857 engraver’s progressive proofs of the first issue of Russia was sold for $69,000