Spink are holding a sale of Fine Stamps and Covers in covers of Hong Kong and China on January 24 2010. We've already reported that the top lot was expected to be a sheet of Large Dragons worth HK$300,000-400,000 (that's up to US$52,000). It may still be.
More recently, however, a joint highest estimate has appeared. It is another complete sheet, this time displaying a monkey on an orange background to celebrate the Year of the Monkey in the Chinese Republic.
 Chinese Year of the Monkey stamp sheet |
The eighty 8f stamps make up a fine, unfolded sheet, displaying some of the typical offsets on reverse, and the sheet has joined the Dragons at the estimate of HK$300,000-400,000.
Closely following the two leaders is a particular variation on a 1915 $1 stamp from the Chinese province of Sinkiang, which was previously part of the well known Dr Robert Yue collection.
 Chinese province Sinkiang stamp |
The black and orange stamp, with overprint in red, has the second and third characters switched. It is slightly perforated, but is still a fresh example with most of its original gum, nevertheless, and is therefore a highly covetable example of 'one of the four treasures of the Republic', estimated at HK$250,000-300,000 (up to US$39,000).
Of course, before this philatelists may wish to look in on Spink's London auction on January 14 2010.
