Postage Stamps

• A unique full Apollo 11 crew-signed block of 32 1969 10c "First Man on the Moon" stamps

The Apollo program was NASA’s third foray into human spaceflight and operated from 1961 through 1972. It succeeded in putting the first men on the Moon with the Apollo 11 landing in 1969, a defining moment in human history.

An original block of 32 1969 10c "First Man on the Moon" stamps signed by all three members of the Apollo 11 crew (Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins) in black ink on the left margin. It is the only known block of the stamps signed by any of the Apollo 11 astronauts. 

The Post Office released this commemorative issue on September 9, 1969. It proved hugely popular. The astronauts actually carried the master die with them on Apollo 11. 

Measures approx 9 x 10.5 inches. 

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Western Australia 1855 4d slate-blue mint, Swan, SG3c.

A fine quality mint example of the magnificent and iconic first stamp issue from Western Australia. The Swan was used as it was the emblem of the Colony and a reminder of when it was known as the Swan River Settlement.

Includes large part original gum, with four close to very large margins and horizontal gum creasing not detracting from its quality.

These stamp issues are hardly ever seen with gum and unused prices quoted in the SG catalogue are for examples without gum.

This is a particularly difficult and rare shade and very few examples are known with original gum.

The first 1d Swan stamps were engraved and printed by Perkins Bacon. Later in the year, the 4d values were produced by a local lithographer, Horace Samson by taking an impression of the 1d's swan vignette and adding different frames.

The SG catalogue price is £4,000.

Australia King George V 1914 (March) Perkins Bacon 1d die proof, SG21, state 4 (the final approved state, with wattles now fully shaded and Emu re-engraved), i carmine-rose on surfaces card (125x95mm).

Insignificant blemishes mentioned for accuracy (small crease at extreme NE corner of surround, trivial marks on reverse) but an important and most attractive proof of the highest rarity, being one of only 4 recorded full size proofs in this colour (including examples in the Royal and Australia Post collections), and endorsed 'final' in pencil on reverse. 

Australian Stamp Catalogue No: 70 DP(14)Ba/c

Bahamas 1942 'Landfall of Columbus' 6d olive-green and light blue, SG169a. Commemorative stamp issue on the 450th anniversary of the landing of Columbus.

Used pair with top stamp showing 'COIUMBUS' (R.5/2) variety, cancelled by fine strike from ''NASSAU BAHAMAS'' circular date stamp dated MAY 43.

Other than a few short perforations, mentioned for accuracy, a fine quality example particularly pleasing with such fresh colour. 

Used examples are rarer than mint examples for this difficult to find variety and scarcer as part of a pair.

The SG catalogue price is £1,500.

Bahamas 1954-63 set of 16 to £1, blocks of 4, fine used with central 'NASSAU' circular date stamps, dated '21 MAR 61'. Attractive. Used. SG 201/16

Bermuda 1938-53 5s dull yellow-green and red/yellow, SG118b/bd/be perforation 14¼ LINE, lower right corner block of 4 with plate number, showing varieties 'Broken top right scroll' (R5/11) and 'Broken lower right scroll' (R5/12) on lower pair with original gum, (varieties unmounted).

Typical lightly toned gum but a rare and attractive positional multiple. Only 200 sheets printed, with a high degree of postal usage.

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Bermuda 1943 (Mar) £1 purple and black/red, SG121cb.

Very scarce printing variety of this King George VI high value issue showing shading omission from the top right scroll, 'blank scroll'.

Very fine quality mint example with original gum and barely a trace of a hinge mark.

The SG catalogue value is £4,000.

British Virgin Islands 1883 (28 Feb) colour scheme proofs (160 x 215mm, headed "Appendix" in miniature sheet and with handstamped date at upper right) submitted by De La Rue to the Crown Agents in response to an order for a new ½d value. The problem was that the current 1d keyplate was already in emerald-green (SG24), although "green" was now the international colour for a ½d stamp.

To illustrate this, De La Rue affixed the current 1d (SG24) and 2½d (SG25) in the upper line, and IMPERFORATE ½d colour trials, watermark CA, in blue, carmine and green, below each item handstamped "CANCELLED" (type D7). In the event, the first printing of the ½d was in yellow, but the universal colours were adopted for the  ½d (green), 1d (carmine) and 2½d (blue) later in 1883-84. A unique and beautiful document with fantastic provenance, ex. J.L. Fredrick and De La Rue archives (The De La Rue Collection p.6506). 

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Brunei Japanese Occupation 1944 (11 May) $3 on 1c black, type 2 handstamp in orange-red on unoverprinted 1024-37 1c black, SGJ20a.

Three separate handstamps were used to apply the overprint. One for the top line, one for the bottom and the third for the two central characters.

A fine mint example with original gum.

One of the great Japanese Occupation Rarities.

Accompanied with a British Philatelic Association (BPA) certificate of authenticity (1999) for pair of which this is the left-hand stamp.

The SG catalogue price is £11,000.

Canada 1875-92 Registration Stamps 5c green (shades) perforations 12 x 11¾, unused, SGR11.

A fine quality unused example with large part original gum of this difficult to find shade of the earliest Registration stamps from Canada.

Provenance: Ex ‘Jura’ 2007.

Accompanied with a 1978 certificate of authenticity from the Royal Philatelic Society (RPS).

The SG catalogue price is £1,000. 

Canada 1875-92 Registration Stamps Unused in blocks of 4, SGR1, R7a, R8/9

A fantastic and difficult to assemble collection of the earliest Registration stamps from Canada (2c, 5c and 8c) in fine quality blocks of four, the 2c and 8c blocks as marginal examples.

Canada Registration stamps 2c orange marginal block of four from the foot of the sheet, SGR1. Large part Montreal imprint, large part original gum; one stamp with a tiny corner crease and some oxidisation on gum though remains of fine appearance.

Canada Registration stamps 5c dull sea-green block of four, SGR7a. Fresh unused with large part original gum, the lower pair being unmounted mint. The upper pair each with a tiny thin speck, otherwise fine and an attractive multiple of this scarce shade.

Canada Registration stamps 8c blue block of four from the lower right corner and showing trace of Montreal imprint, SGR8/9. A fine fresh example with large part original gum. A scarce multiple and highly attractive.

The SG catalogue price for single example of all 12 stamps comes to a total value of £2,750. Consequently, the offer price of £1,950 is exceedingly attractive, particularly when factoring in the expected premium valuation associated with rarer blocks of four.

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Canada 1928-29 1c orange, 2c green, 5c violet, SG275/9var, in matching imperforate blocks of 12 comprising two booklet panes of 6 (3x2) arranged tete-beche with narrow 4-5mm gutter between. Very fine with original gum, (trace of hingeing at centre of each block only). Spectacular and rare in this form.

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Ceylon 1921-32 Script wmk 100r grey-black (SG359he). 1921-32 Script watermark 100r grey-black, variety 'Break in lines below left scroll' (R4/9).

Well-centred very fine example with lovely fresh colour and original gum. The odd shortish perforation mentioned for accuracy only as this is a particularly prominent example of this variety.

Very rare. Accompanied by a Sismondo Certificate of Authenticity (2011) incorrectly describes the shade as 'brownish grey', but gives the correct SG number.

An ex Stanley Gibbons stock item with a Catalogue value of £5,500.

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China (Shanghai) 1893 (Dec), Chungking Local Post "Pagoda and Junk" 2ca red-orange, perforations 12½, SGM1.

Block of twenty comprising two complete lower rows of ten, margins largely intact except at lower right. Suffers from some characteristic gum toning, which is apparent on face in places, yet represents above average quality for this issue and surprisingly still retains full original gum across entire block of twenty stamps.

This is a very rare multiple and the only block of twenty we have ever seen for this issue.

Catalogue price is £5,000.

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China (Shanghai) 1896 Amoy Postage Due overprint in black, 2c blue (stone I), SGD14.

A fine quality marginal example. A couple of shortish perforations evident but benefiting from large part original gum.

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China 1878 1ca green, 3ca brown-red and 5ca orange, thin paper, 2½mm spacing, SG1/3.

A fine quality set of the first stamp issues of the Chinese Empire. The first two are unused without gum, the 5ca with part original gum. 

China 1883 "Candarins" thicker paper, 2 1/2mm spacing 1ca pale green, 3ca vermilion and 5ca chrome-yellow, SG7/9.

The odd small imperfection but still lovely used examples of the first stamp issues from the Chinese Empire, each used by part sea in blue.

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China 1894 60th Birthday of the Dowager Empress (first printing), used set of 9 to 24ca rose-carmine, SG16/24. Some toning or other small faults (9ca pinhole) although others including the 5ca are largely in fine condition, each used by part to large part seal cancel. SG16/24

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue price is £1,500.

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China 1897 (Aug) Tokyo Tsukiji type foundry printing, 50c deep green error of colour, SG104b.

A fine quality example with large part original gum and some typical light gum toning.

The error arose with the 10c colour being used in error instead of the intended bright yellow-green of the 50c stamps.

Very scarce with only 240 believed to have been issued.

China 1897 (Jan) Revenues 4c on 3c deep red, 'large' surcharge as type 19, SG90.

A pleasing quality example. Although rather heavily hinged, it is fresh and well centred with part original gum. 

China 1897 (Jan) set of 10 to 30c on 24ca rose-carmine, small figure surcharge on Dowager Empress, first printing, SG37/46. A fine quality mint set with large part original gum.

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China 1897 (Mar) Large figure on Dowager Empress, spaced 2.5mm, set of 9 to 30c on 24ca deep rose-red, SG57/65.

A fine mint set with large part original gum.

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