The 'Black Empress' commands $425,000 in Spink Shreves' stamp auction

One of the choicest examples of British North American stamps in existence has a new home

In New York on January 27, Spink Shreves kicked off its sale of British North American stamps with a very special highlight...

"I've been in the business my whole life, four decades and I've never seen a stamp of that rarity or that age, a classic stamp, in that perfect a condition."

That's how Charles Shreve, President of Spink Shreves, described the stamp in his exclusive interview with Paul Fraser Collectibles, last week.

The piece is question was an exquisite example of the Canadian 1851 12d Black on laid paper which has been nicknamed The Black Empress.

The 12d black is always valuable, but this example is in freakishly good condition for a 150-year-old stamp. As the auctioneer put it:

"There is no question that this stamp is the finest mint example in existence.

"Its overall freshness, along with its extravagantly large margins, combined with the fact that it boasts full original gum that has never been hinged - places it in a category unlike any other world-class philatelic rarity in existence.

The Black Empress of Canada

"Truly, it is a miracle how this remarkable stamp survived for nearly 160 years in this condition. While there are two or three mint singles that exist which are quite well margined, along with five pairs (one of which is in the Canadian Postal Archives and another in the Tapling Collection), not one is as superb as the example offered here, nor is any other example never hinged (and certified as such)."

The Philatelic Foundation assigned a grade of Superb 98 to the stamp, which is unheard of when dealing with world-class rarities. Spink Shreves compares it to an example in Bill Gross's remarkable sale of British North American stamps.

"The last original gum, premium quality, mint example of the 12d Black was in our November 2009 sale of the William H Gross collection of Important British North America ...

"While the Gross example is a wonderfully choice stamp, its margins are not near as large as found on The Black Empress and, more significantly, it was hinged, as is every other known single or pair - except for the exciting example offered here."

The Empress did not disappoint achieving a bid worthy of a King's ransom: $425,000.

• Click here to view our stamps for sale
• Learn how you can get pleasure and profit by investing in rare stamps
• Read all the latest Stamps and Covers news

Join our readers in over 200 countries around the world - sign up for your free weekly Collectibles Newsletter today or download our free Collectors News app for your iPhone

Recent and related articles...

·  Abolition of Slavery stamps deemed 'too risky to issue' come to auction | 6 January 2011

Spink Shreves is offering the fascinating errors and rarities of the Mahfood Collection of Jamaica

·  'One of British philately's greatest rarities': an IR Official overprint sells at Spink | 4 January 2011

The auctioneer's great winter auction of rare stamps and covers will include some classic British pieces

·  Signed, sealed and delivered... Our Top Five stamp sales of 2010 | 29 December 2010

This week, we take a look back at some of last year's most spectacular philatelic auctions

·  Mauritius 'Post Paid' classic and Gambian rarities star at Spink's rare stamps auction | 9 December 2010

The sale included part of the great Vestey collection of British Africa, together with the Wilkin collection

·  The Collections of Bill Gross | 26 November 2009

The financial genius, philanthropist and stamp collector

www.paulfrasercollectibles.com

Images: Spink