2018-12-31 Mon

Spink China is going to auction a rare unused 1897 Imperial China stamp from 18th to 20th January in Hong Kong with an estimated value of HK$5 million to HK$6 million. In 1897, new currency surcharges with small figures were introduced. The offered 9-candareen dark green Dragons and Shou stamp from the Empress Dowager stamp has an inverted 10¢ surcharge. The stamp has a little residue of gum and a pulled perforation at the bottom. The stamp colour is bright on white paper. Experts believe that it’s the rarest Dowager surcharge. It belongs to the collection of Small Dragons, Dowagers and 1897 surcharges by Lam Man Yin. Out of the four existing examples of this stamp, two are used and the other two are unused.

Part 1 of the Fortune Wang collection of the treaty ports of the Shanghai postal system is going to be offered at the auction along with other interesting stamps and covers of China and Hong Kong.

An imperforate-between vertical pair of the 1883 China 3ca Large Dragons stamp on thicker paper is going to be offered at an estimated value of HK$900,000 to HK$1 million. The stamp features a faint black seal cancellation and a light fold in the margin. Experts believe that only four such pairs from two different sheets exist today.

Image Courtesy: Spink Auctions