The 1868 2c Large Queen on laid paper, Canada's rarest postage stamp, has sold at the top of Ron Brigham's first auction of his vast collection - becoming the most valuable Canadian stamp ever auctioned.
 The stamp is used, with an attractive blue straight line cancel, and is the most desirable of three known examples |
The Brigham Collection is among the finest of Canada postage ever assembled. The first of 12 planned auctions took place this weekend (February 21-22 ) in Toronto, offering Brigham's Large Queen issue stamps from 1868-1897.
The most desirable of the three known to exist, the 2c Large Queen made $427,193.
The last time an example of the stamp sold, in 1998, it made "over $200,000", according to John Jamieson of Saskatoon Stamp Centre, who arranged that sale.
The Large Queen issue was the first by the Dominion of Canada, and was normally printed on good quality wove paper. However, the low values (1c, 2c and 3c) were also printed in small numbers on laid paper and, although the 1c and 3c were known, a laid paper example of the 2c was not discovered until 1925.
The third of the trio was announced in July 2013 by the Greene Foundation, which states the owner discovered it in an American Philatelic Society catalogue for less than $5. This example will be offered at auction by Gary Lyon in October.
Paul Fraser Collectibles is offering for sale the previous record holder, the unique 1851 12d Black known as the "Black Empress" - the only example of its kind in mint unhinged condition and a flawless philatelic gem.
