Rare British Commonwealth Stamp Errors Collection
A major catalyst has led to a spike of interest in one specific area of the stamp market.
Prices are already going up and look set to rise considerably more.
The headline in the UK newspaper, The Daily Record, caught my eye last September:
“Expert claims Queen Elizabeth II stamps will rise in value following her death.”
We have certainly noticed an increase in sales of Queen Elizabeth II stamp errors in recent months as they become more valuable.
The news article went on to state:
“Collectors with rare Queen Elizabeth II stamps can likely expect their worth to rise dramatically in the next few years.”
The expert, James Constantinou, considers a rise in the value of Queen Elizabeth II stamps is all but inevitable.
He also believes that errors will be the most sought after stamps.
The evidence supports this view…
At a recent auction, a 1963 3d Red Cross Centenary stamp error missing the Red Cross sold for £40,000 at a Swiss auction house.
With only 18 known examples, there will be few opportunities for collectors to ever get to purchase this major rarity.
What makes collecting stamp errors so exciting?
Finding errors on stamps has captivated collectors since the dawn of philately.
A simple error made in the production process can turn a stamp worth no more than its face value into a major rarity worth an extraordinary amount of money.
For some, the money involved can be life-changing…
Back in 1967, a collector paid a visit to his local post office in the north England town of Rochdale.
He paid one shilling and ninepence (about 10p) for a pair of the new commemorative stamps celebrating the invention of the Television…
It wasn’t until much later he noticed a glaring anomaly. The Queen’s head was missing on one of the stamps.
He went on to sell it at auction in 2014 for a staggering £23,600!
Whilst you might not be as lucky as the Rochdale collector, with my advice, you can still profit from this most fascinating and popular area of collecting.
Unique Collection of Queen Elizabeth II stamp errors
I’ve built a collection for you of Queen Elizabeth II stamp errors from across the British Empire.
Each stamp is highly rare. Highly desirable.
This is a unique collection, with each stamp carefully chosen for its rarity, condition and visual appeal.
You’ll discover a wide variety of printing blunders, including missing colours, design errors, inverted overprints and imperforate stamps.
It is a fascinating introduction into the field of stamp error collecting.
And your pathway into a dynamic market, which has enjoyed growth in the past, with a major catalyst which could lead to it growing much quicker in the near future.
Rare error stamps offer you the pleasure of owning the world’s most improbable stamps.
And, this is probably your last chance to get in at these prices.
Let us now begin the journey of a comedy of errors across the British Empire…
Australia - superb missing colour positional block
Australia 1975 45c 'wild flowers' ERROR YELLOW-GREEN (TWIGS) OMITTED lower left corner block of 10 (2x5), middle row showing error, SG609b.
A stunning superb positional block of this very visual error of missing colour, all unmounted mint with full original gum.
Very rare with only 20-30 examples recorded.
PRICE: £1,000
Barbados - major design blunder
Barbados 1988 Cricket 50c error WRONG PORTRAIT showing E. Lawson Barlett, lower right corner block of 4 with '1C' (x4) plate numbers, SG856a.
A superb unmounted mint positional block with full original gum (trivial gum bends, which do not detract, mentioned for accuracy).
Only 101 examples are reported to have been sold in the ordinary course of business by the Parcel Post Department before instructions to withdraw the stamps were received.
This is a rare positional multiple of what is a very popular British Commonwealth modern error.
In 1988, the Barbados Philatelic Bureau was set to release a series of five stamps celebrating famous Barbadian cricketers. Walsall Security Printers were sent the basic artwork for the stamp.
They were also given a selection of photographs of the players. However, there were no suitable single photos of Herman Griffith so the printers were given a full team photo. Instructions as to where Griffith was located on the photo were written on the back. Somehow the printer got confused and Lawson Bartlett ended up on the stamp.
The day prior to the release the young son of Herman Griffith was given a sneak preview of the stamp with his father on it. Yes, you've guessed it - his son spotted it wasn't his father on the stamp!
PRICE: £2,250
Canada – rare block with missing perforations
Canada 1982-87 Heritage Artifacts 2c 'Fishing Spear', block of eight (2x4) from the lower right corner of the sheet. Error with the lower pair imperforate, the adjoining pair partly imperforate, SG1055ba.
A very fine positional block, unmounted mint with full original gum.
A very rare error as only 10 blocks are known to exist.
The Canada Unitrade catalogue #918ab lists a value of $3,000 for 'Blank corner block of four'.
PRICE: £1,100
Ceylon – green buffalos!
Ceylon 1970 Wildlife 5c 'Water Buffalo', error magenta omitted (leaving the animals green instead of brown), SG561a.
A fine left marginal, unmounted mint example with full original gum. Suspicion of gum yellowing, still fine and dramatic appearance.
Also shows printing flaw at left adding further value to this dramatic stamp error and very rare.
The error is sold with the normal stamp for comparison.
The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £150+.
PRICE: £120
Falkland Islands – wrong value in the wrong place
Falkland Islands 1971 5p on 1½d 'Pig Vine', ERROR OF SURCHARGE ON THE WRONG VALUE, with surcharge AT RIGHT, SG264b.
Post Office fresh example, unmounted mint with full original gum.
Extremely rare error as only one sheet of 60 stamps originally existed (with surcharge on right).
PRICE: £2,000
Malta – Council error of missing colour
Malta 1965-70 2s 'Gozo Civic Council', error 'Gold (framework) omitted', SG343b.
A pristine lower right corner block of 6 (3x2) with plate numbers '1A' x5 (should be 6!), unmounted mint with full original gum.
A rare positional multiple accompanied with matching normal block ('1A 1A 2A 1A 1A 1A') for comparison.
PRICE: £550
New Hebrides – famous overprint error
New Hebrides 1977-78 French issue 25f on 25c 'Shell', Port Vila local surcharge, lower left corner horizontal pair with sheet number '55377', the left stamp showing the error 'FHN' for 'FNH' (R5/1), SG250a.
A superb unmounted mint pair with full original gum.
Attractive example of this famous error and rare in this se-tenant positional form.
Accompanied with a Roumet Histoire Postale certificate of authenticity, (1999).
PRICE: £750
Pitcairn Islands – men overboard?
Pitcairn Islands 1967 Decimal currency ½c on ½d, ERROR deep brown omitted, SG69a.
A pristine unmounted mint example with full original gum.
A rare and sought after error with the missing brown colour resulting in some of the people on the boat being omitted.
Accompanied with an example of the normal stamp for comparison. The stamp features a Pitcairn Island Longboat.
PRICE: £1,400
Sierra Leonne – inverted overprint on just one sheet
Sierra Leone 1965 (19 May) Airmail Fireball Lily 15c on ½d, ERROR SURCHARGE ('AIRMAIL' and '15c') DOUBLE, ONE INVERTED, SG373a.
A very fine unmounted mint example with full original gum.
A rare error as it is believed only one sheet originally existed.
The stamp issue related to the Commemoration of Sir Milton Margai (1895-1964) and Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965) "in memoriam two great leaders". Sir Milton Margai was prime minister of Sierra Leone from 1954 until his death in 1964.
PRICE: £160
South West Africa – missing face value
South West Africa 1973-79 Succulents 10c "Gasteria Pillansii', error BLACK OMITTED, SG249a.
A very fine unmounted mint example with full original gum. Presented with the normal stamp for comparison.
A very scarce Queen Elizabeth II British Commonwealth stamp error with missing face value and inscriptions.
PRICE: £275
Tonga – famous and very rare ‘Emancipation’ error
Tonga 1962 (7 Feb) "Emancipation" 1s blue and black, type 59 overprint, ERROR OVERPRINT INVERTED, SG125a.
A fine used example of this great rarity with part circular date stamp. In superb condition, other than a trivial surface mark.
A key British Commonwealth rarity, being one of 28 examples used on first day covers at Vavau (from a half-sheet of 30 issued).
The overprinted stamps were issued in celebration of the Centenary of Emancipation. Emancipation Day remains a public holiday in the Kingdom of Tonga to this day celebrating the abolition of the system of serfdom which had been used by the local chiefs for centuries as a means of forced labour.
On June 4th 1862, Tonga's first Christian king, George Tupuo I declared the abolition of serfdom in the official emancipation edict as part of his 1862 Code of Laws.
The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £200, which appears undervalued in the context of this stamp's rarity.
PRICE: £175
Uganda – missing surcharge
Uganda 1977 (80c) on 60c bananas, error SURCHARGE OMITTED, SG198a.
A pristine unmounted mint right hand marginal example with full original gum. Accompanied with the normal stamp for comparison.
A scarce modern stamp error.
PRICE: £180
Historic Price Analysis
The table below documents the historic pricing in SG catalogues for the items in the collection in 5-year intervals over the past 20 years…
Overall, the collection has increased in value by 114% in the past 20 years (average of 6% per annum).
Performance of individual rarities in the collection shows some wide variances. Some items enjoyed strong price appreciation and others minimal or no growth in value over the past 20 years.
The catalyst in place with the heightened interest in Queen Elizabeth stamp errors could see a higher rate of growth in the next five years.
In some cases, the stamps which have not increased in value for 20 years look ridiculously under-valued. These stamps, in particular, could see large step jumps in value assuming the market, ultimately, correctly reflects their true value based on their rarity and desirability.
It looks like a good time to put money into this fascinating area of collecting.
Unique Collection of Queen Elizabeth II Empire Rarities
These twelve fascinating stamp errors from across the British Empire can be yours today for £10,000 ($12,550).
Together, they make a most attractive and rare collection of key Queen Elizabeth II British Empire stamp errors.
If you want to secure the entire collection, you will need to let me know soon.
I will reserve all the items in the collection for you straight away if you e-mail me at mike@paulfrasercollectibles.com.
As always, your purchases come with our lifetime moneyback guarantee of authenticity and free international shipping.
Have a good weekend.
Kind regards
Mike Hall
PS. Next week we are attending and presenting at the Mello Investor Show. We would be delighted to meet you in person at the show if you can make it. Details as follows:
May 23, 2023, 9:00 AM - May 24, 2023, 6:00 PM
Clayton Hotel Chiswick, 626 Chiswick High Road, London, Greater London, GB, W4 5RY
