British East Africa, 1891, Mombasa Manuscript Surcharge, ½a on 2a Vermilion, Initialed "A.B.", initials of Archibal Brown (cashier of the company), full o.g., strong color, Very Fine, ex-Krieger; with 1996 D. Brandon certificate. Scott No. 33 $17,000. SG No. 23  £11,000 ($15,660). ONE OF ONLY THREE RECORDED MINT EXAMPLES OF THE 1891 ½A ON 2A MOMBASA MANUSCRIPT SURCHARGE WITH "A.B." INITIALS. $0 (Image)

British East Africa, 1891, Mombasa Manuscript Surcharge, ½a on 3a Black on Dull Red, Initialed "A.B.", bottom margin block of three, right margin horizontal strip of three, right margin horizontal pair and bottom margin single, all tied by "Mombasa, Jy 2, 91" cds's on cover to H.L. Churchill, H.M. Vice-Consul in Zanzibar, reverse with receiving cds; cover reduced at right cutting away an additional vertical pair from cover and slightly cutting into bottom right stamp in block at lower right, otherwise Very Fine, still a remarkable franking of this rare 1891 Mombasa provisional issue, ex-Hunt, Reynard, Krieger. Scott No. 34b $24,750 for off cover singles. SG No. 24; £20,250 for off cover singles ($28,830)  Estimate $7,500 - 10,000. THE UNIQUE ON COVER USAGE OF THE 1891 ½A ON 3A MOMBASA MANUSCRIPT SURCHARGE ISSUE INITIALED "A.B.". This cover was first noted in the "Monthly Journal" for December 1899…"Our correspondent (H.L. Churchill) tells us that he was British Vice-Consul at Zanzibar in 1891, and being at Mombasa on July 2nd in that year he went to the post office to get some British East Africa stamps. He asked for ½ anna stamps, and finding that there were only about a dozen on hand he bought them all, put them on a envelope, and addressed it to himself at Zanzibar.". $0 (Image)