2018-08-02 Thu

The earliest known cover with first stamp issues of Imperial China known as Large Dragons set a new record in Chinese philately after it was sold for a whopping $2.43 million by InterAsia Auctions on 16th June in Hong Kong. It was offered as part 3 of the Jane and Dan Sten Olsson collection of Large Dragons. The cover was mailed on 5th October 1878 to Shanghai. It carries a pair and a single of the 1878 thin paper 5-candareen stamp in bistre orange.

When we talk about expensive bids in philately, an 1847 Mauritius Bordeaux cover was sold at for $3,829,500 by David Feldman in Zurich, Switzerland in 1993. This cover carries the 1847 Mauritius 1-penny and 2d stamps and was mailed to Bordeaux, France. An 1856 British Guiana 1¢ Magenta stamp was auctioned on 17th June 2014, at Sotheby’s in New York City for $9.48 million. This is the highest amount paid for any philatelic item at a public auction.

Image Courtesy: InterAsia Auctions