Following on from their exciting sale in April in which they sold some fantastic Argentine and Columbian rarities, Cherrystone is back with a substantial sale of rare stamps from the US and Rest of the World.

One of the key highlights is a Republic of China (1923) surcharged in red on the first Peking printing 2 Cts on 3c blue-green. This surcharge inverted error boasts a deep bright colour, characteristic centring towards the bottom, and presents a fresh look with its full original customary flat and streaky gum.

It is believed that there are fewer than twenty examples known of this error. According to contemporary reports (Theodore Sidall), only thirteen of these stamps exist and were acquired at Wanhsien, (a small port).

One of the 'Treasures of the Republic' - the China 1923 surcharge invert

He applied two of the stamps to separate covers which he mailed to himself locally and sold ten mint examples to the French dealer Theodore Champion. Champion than sold a block of four and a single to M.D. Chow, two singles to Bush and one each to Hinds and Hawkins.

One of the 'Four Treasures of the Republic', this was previously from the collection of Sir Percival David and is listed at $150,000.

Yat-sen centre-invert stamp ($110,000)

Nestled alongside it in the sale is another intriguing invert: a 1941 Dr Sun Yat-sen, New York print $2 black and blue centre invert, to be precise.

With exemplary freshness, characteristic centring of the frame to the bottom and only light hinging, there is only believed to have been just one sheet of fifty from which this error came, making it a strong investment, and it is listed at $110,000.

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