A hugely rare specimen of Postmaster WB Perot’s First Issue at Hamilton (1849) is to star in Spink’s Bermudan stamps auction.

The issue is one of 11 known survivors (six in red ink, five in black).

WB Perot became postmaster of Bermuda in 1819

Perot was born to a family of merchants on the island in 1791. He was appointed postmaster in 1819, taking the money he collected for postage as his pay.

In 1842, the British General Post Office lowered its rates for delivery across the empire. This cut into Perot’s take.

He decided to set up a post box, into which letters and money would be deposited. However, after a few years locals started to realise they could post their letters without paying.

Alarmed, Perot made up his own pre-paid postage stamp, which he sold in sheets of 12.

While the Penny Black was introduced in the UK in 1840, it would be another 25 years before official postage arrived in Bermuda.

Perot’s provisionals remained in use until then.

This specimen is a particularly fine example, offering a bold strike of the design.

With an estimate of £120,000-150,000 ($157,880-197,350) it could trouble the record, set at $210,000 for another example on a cover in 1988.

Take a look at our selection of stamps from around the world for sale.  

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