Tonga 1962 (7 Feb) "Emancipation" Air 10s yellow and black Official, type O3 overprint, left marginal block of 8 (4x2) from R3-4/1-4 of the 6x5 setting, showing constant flaw "Blob in 2 of 1962" on R4/2, SGO15.
A fine used positional block with part strikes of Nuku'alofa circular date stamps, dated "12 FE 62".
A fine stamp depicting Queen Salote III who reigned between 1918-1965. She was the only child and heir of King George Tupou II.
An impressive and rare multiple, with only 20 sheets overprinted.
The overprinted Air Mail 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 £240+.
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