1909 8c stamp sees $21,000 to lead at Kelleher Auctions

One of just 80 examples of the 1909 8c stamp on bluish paper has seen top bids in Daniel F Kelleher Auctions' Flagship US, British and Worldwide Stamps and Postal History sale, held on September 9-10.

1909 8c bluish-paper stamp
The bluish paper came as a result of experiments with composite papers, which were never fully adopted



The Connecticut auction house offered an impressive array of US stamps, with the 1909 8c selling at $21,240.

The stamp came to fruition following experiments with different types of paper, including composites of rag or cloth. All of the papers have a slightly blue tint, and are known to collectors as "bluish paper" stamps.

There were more than 3m stamps printed on the paper, though they only appeared for a short time and the composite material was never fully adopted. As such, all of the denominations are quite rare.

The main appeal of the 8c at auction was its fantastic centring, with the issue known to be mostly off centre.

1915 Panama-Pacific 10c block
The stamps were issued to mark the Panama-Pacific Exposition



The second highest bids of the sale were seen by a 1915 10c Panama-Pacific block of six, which boasted an "incredibly rare" full wide top selvedge.

Selling at $20,060, the pane is of the "perf 10" variety. At the time of issue, the post office was experimenting with different numbers of perforations on the stamps, and examples were printed with both 10 and 12 perforations. The "perf 10" examples are much rarer.

Paul Fraser Collectibles has some exceptional British and Commonwealth stamps for sale - add to your collection today.


Register to receive more in-depth articles from our dedicated team.

Register Here

Featured products

Elvis Presley Authentic Strand of Hair
Elvis Presley Authentic Strand of Hair
Sale price£399
In stock
Fidel Castro signed certificateFidel Castro Signed Certificate
Fidel Castro signed certificate
Sale price£2,995
In stock
King Henry VIII Autographed DocumentKing Henry VIII Autographed Document
King Henry VIII Autographed Document
Sale price£55,000
In stock