1853, 1d Black, Die Proof on Wove India Paper. Stamp size with full large margins all around, die sunk on original card, Extremely Fine, with 2016 2011 Sismondo and 2013 C.P.E.S. certificates. Minuse & Pratt No. 1TC2.
Scott No. 1 var.; Estimate $5,000 - 7,500.

ONE OF ONLY SIX RECORDED 1D BLACK DIE PROOFS ON WOVE INDIA PAPER.

This die state differs from the issued stamps in that its square lathework background runs in the four value tablets. The issued stamps have the background adjusted to leave the four squares clear. Est. $5,000-7,500 (Image)

Est. $5,000-7,500

1853, 1d Black, Plate Proof on India. Horizontal strip of six, large margins except touched at right, intense color; some light creasing and some trivial thins, F.-V.F., ex-Baillie, Fawn. Minuse & Pratt No. 1TC3.
Scott No. 1 var.; Estimate $750 - 1,000. Est. $750-1,000 (Image)

Est. $750-1,000

1853, 1d Red Brown. Large margins including full sheet margin at left, beautiful color and sharp impression, Very Fine and choice, ex-Praportchetovich, with 1997 Brandon certificate. SG No. 1.
Scott No. 1; $3,500.

A STUNNING UNUSED LEFT SHEET MARGIN SINGLE OF THE 1853 1D RED BROWN. Scott $3,500
(Image)

Scott $3,500

1851, 3d Dark Blue. Prooflike color and impression on bright paper, beautifully balanced full to large margins, without gum; trivial light corner crease, Very Fine appearance, with 2010 Scheller certificate. SG No. 2.
Scott No. 3; $2,250. Scott $2,250
(Image)

Scott $2,250

1851, 3d Dark Blue. Block of four, strong color with full to mostly large margins, o.g., some small h.r.'s; small scissor cut between two, small flaws including some thin specks and creasing mostly between stamps, light stain in left stamp, Very Fine appearance, ex-Kanai. SG No. 2.
Scott No. 3; $9,000 as singles.

A RARE ORIGINAL GUM BLOCK OF THE 1851 3D DARK BLUE. Scott $9,000 as singles
(Image)

Scott $9,000 as singles

1851, 6d Yellow Green. Large margins, beautiful rich color and strong impression on crisp paper, o.g., hinge remnants, Extremely Fine, ex-Ferrary, Lichtenstein, with 1971 A.P.S. and 1994 Holcombe certificates. SG No. 5.
Scott No. 4; $5,000.

A WONDERFUL ORIGINAL GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1851 6D YELLOW GREEN. Scott $5,000
(Image)

Scott $5,000

1857, 6d Dark Green. Unusually large margins, prooflike color and impression on bright paper, small part o.g.; insignificant thin specks, Very Fine, ex-Hewitt, Foxbridge, with 1989 B.P.A certificate. SG No. 6.
Scott No. 5; $11,000.

A VERY RARE FOUR MARGIN ORIGINAL GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1857 6D DARK GREEN. Scott $11,000
(Image)

Scott $11,000

1857, 1s Reddish Purple, Watermarked. Full to large margins, strong color on bright paper, small part o.g., Extremely Fine, ex-Argenti, Foxbridge, Baillie, with 2013 V.G. Greene certificate. SG No. 8.
Scott No. 6 var.; $32,500.

A REMARKABLE SOUND UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE 1857 1S REDDISH PURPLE CLEARLY SHOWING THE PAPERMAKERS WATERMARK. ONE OF ONLY SIX RECORDED UNUSED EXAMPLES, OF WHICH ONLY THREE ARE SOUND. Scott $32,500
(Image)

Scott $32,500

1857, 1s Reddish Purple. Large to huge margins, sharp impression with beautiful rich color, o.g.; light corner crease, Very Fine appearance, ex-Ferrari, Lichtenstein, Mayer, with 2004 B.P.A. and 2016 Eichele certificates. SG No. 8.
Scott No. 6; $32,500.

A WONDERFUL APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE 1857 1S REDDISH PURPLE WITH SUCH LARGE MARGINS. ONE OF ONLY SIX RECORDED UNUSED EXAMPLES. Scott $32,500
(Image)

Scott $32,500

1857, 1s Reddish Purple. Four even margins, tied by strong oval grid cancel and also by red London "Paid" cds on small piece, Very Fine. SG No. 8.
Scott No. 6; $5,250.

A CHOICE FOUR MARGIN USED EXAMPLE ALSO CANCELLED BY THE RED LONDON "PAID" TRANSIT CDS. Scott $5,250
(Image)

Scott $5,250

1851, 1s Cold Violet. Clear to mostly large margins, lovely color with a remarkably clear impression, without gum, fresh and choice Very Fine, ex-Ferrary, Lichtenstein, Argenti, Carey Fox, Kanai, with 1956 R.P.S. and 1990 Holcombe certificates. SG No. 7.
Scott No. 7; $25,000.

AN EXCEPTIONALLY EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 1851 1S COLD VIOLET, ONE OF ONLY SIX RECORDED UNUSED EXAMPLES IN PRIVATE HANDS. Scott $25,000
(Image)

Scott $25,000

1851, 1s Cold Violet. Remarkably large margins with beautiful color, lightly cancelled, Extremely Fine and choice, ex-Lichtenstein, Geldert, with 1956 R.P.S., 1956 Raybaudi and 2010 Eichele certificates. SG No. 7.
Scott No. 7; $6,500.

A SUPERB USED EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 1851 1S COLD VIOLET. Scott $6,500
(Image)

Scott $6,500

1851, 1s Cold Violet. Vertical pair, extra large margins except close at top, deep color, cancelled by two light strikes of oval grid cancel, Very Fine, ex-Lichtenstein, Halifax, Mayer and Wilkinson, with 1972 R.P.S. certificate. SG No. 7.
Scott No. 7; Estimate $15,000 - 20,000.

THE FINER OF TWO OFF-COVER 1851 1S COLD VIOLET PAIRS KNOWN. Est. $15,000-20,000 (Image)

Est. $15,000-20,000

1853, 1d Red Brown. Two singles, margins to touched, used with 1860, 5c blue (10), scissor trimmed as perforations were an unknown novelty, all tied by open oval grid cancels on blue folded cover from Halifax to New York N.Y., Halifax (10.2.1860) backstamp, endorsed "p. R.M. Steamer" at top, black "Boston Br. Pkt. '5' Oct 5" exchange cds; file fold through left 1d, a Fine and very rare cross border use., ex-Lichtenstein, MacDonald. SG No. 1.
Scott No. 1; Estimate $15,000 - 20,000.

THE ONLY RECORDED PENCE AND CENTS MIXED FRANKING RECORDED FROM NOVA SCOTIA. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CENTS PERIOD USAGES.

The 1860 Decimal issue was printed by the American Bank Note Company in sheets of 100 and the 1st printing was put on sale on or about October 1st. Pence stamps were withdrawn from sale at the end of September 1860, but could still be used legally in October. Later usages were tolerated.

This cover was carried by Cunard Line "Canada" from Halifax to Boston arriving Oct. 5th where 5¢ inland postage charged to New York. The 1d stamps equaled 2c postage.

Pence and Cents mixed frankings are rare in Canadian philately with this being the only example known from Nova Scotia, while there are only three from Canada and four from Newfoundland. Est. $15,000-20,000 (Image)

Est. $15,000-20,000

1853, 1d Red Brown. Full to large margins, tied by oval grid cancel on 1857 drop letter from Cape John posted as a drop letter at Pictou, reverse with "Pictou N.S. AP 25 1857" cds, with 1966 B.P.A. and 1980 Diena certificates, signed by Diena in pencil. SG No. 1.
Scott No. 1; Estimate $7,500 - 10,000.

AN OUTSTANDING DROP LETTER USE, ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED 1853 1D DROP LETTERS WE HAVE RECORDED IN THIS SUPERB QUALITY.

A postal carrier worked for the Post Office in Pictou starting in 1842. Est. $7,500-10,000 (Image)

Est. $7,500-10,000

1853, 1d Red Brown. Full to large margins except barely clear at top, tied by oval grid cancel on light buff cover to Annapolis, docketed "Homer & Davis, Boston, June 20th/59" at right; some edge wear and tears at top, otherwise Very Fine. SG No. 1.
Scott No. 1; Estimate $7,500 - 10,000.

ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED SINGLE 1853 1D RED BROWN FRANKINGS PREPAYING THE UNSEALED CIRCULAR RATE. Est. $7,500-10,000 (Image)

Est. $7,500-10,000

1853, 1d Red Brown. Vertical strip of three, mostly large margins except clear at right, deep rich color and paper, tied by two strikes of oval grid cancel on cover to Onslow, reverse with Antigonish (2.2) origin cds and Truro (2.5) transit; trivial flap tear, Very Fine, ex-Reford, Burrus, Kanai, Mayer, with 1964 P.F. certificate. SG No. 1.
Scott No. 1; Estimate $2,500 - 3,500.

ONE OF THE FINEST OF ONLY A FEW 1853 1D RED BROWN VERTICAL STRIPS USED ON COVER PREPAYING THE 3D SINGLE LETTER RATE. Est. $2,500-3,500 (Image)

Est. $2,500-3,500

1853, 1d Red Brown. strip of three, partially severed between stamps, deep rich color, tied by oval grid cancels on 1860 blue folded letter from Halifax to Maitland, reverse with Hamilton (10.26) origin cds, Very Fine, signed by Holcombe and with his 1996 certificate. SG No. 1.
Scott No. 1; Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.

THE LATEST RECORDED USE OF THE 1D RED BROWN DURING THE FIRST MONTH OF THE DECIMAL ISSUE.

Pence stamps were withdrawn from sale at the end of September 1860, but could still be used legally in October. Later usages were tolerated.

This is the latest recorded use of the 1853 1d red brown prepaying the 6c single letter rate. The 1d stamps equaled 2c postage. Est. $2,000-3,000 (Image)

Est. $2,000-3,000

1851, 3d Bright Blue. Beautiful rich color with large even margins all around, tied by light strike of oval grid cancel on orange cover to Bridgetown; small cover flaws including top right corner tear and light horizontal crease, Very Fine, ex-Greene. SG No. 3.
Scott No. 2; Estimate $500 - 750.

A WONDERFUL USE WITH THE STAMP PROPERLY AFFIXED IN DIAMOND ORIENTATION. Est. $500-750 (Image)

Est. $500-750

1851, 3d Bright Blue. Clear to large margins, rich warm color, tied by oval grid cancel on cover to Pictou, reverse with Truro (9.22.1859) origin and Pictou (9.22) arrival datestamps, original enclosed letter, fresh and Very Fine. SG No. 2.
Scott No. 2; Estimate $300 - 400. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

1857, 3d Pale Blue. Four large even margins, clear impression, tied by light strike of open grid cancel on cover to Granville, reverse with Berwick (7.1.1858) origin and Bridgetown (7.2) transit datestamps, Very Fine, ex-Ludin, Carr. SG No. 4.
Scott No. 2b; Estimate $400 - 600. Est. $400-600 (Image)

Est. $400-600

1857, 3d Pale Blue. Mostly huge margins including parts of adjacent stamps, rich color, tied by oval grid cancel on folded cover (no side panels) to Halifax, reverse with Bridgetown (6.25) origin and Halifax (6.27) arrival datestamps, Very Fine. SG No. 2.
Scott No. 2b; Estimate $500 - 750. Est. $500-750 (Image)

Est. $500-750

1857, 3d Pale Blue. Each with deep rich color, large margins to touched, tied by oval grid cancels on blue 1860 folded letter to Pictou at double the 3d letter rate, reverse with Halifax (1.6) origin and Pictou (1.7) arrival datestamps, central file fold away from stamps, Very Fine. SG No. 2.
Scott No. 2b; Estimate $500 - 750. Est. $500-750 (Image)

Est. $500-750

1851, 3d Dark Blue. Huge margins all around including full sheet selvage at right, cancelled by oval grid cancel, on light pink cover to Bridgetown, reverse with Annapolis (9.23) origin cds, 1857 docketing at left and reduced from opening, Very Fine, ex-Mackie, Foxbridge. SG No. 3.
Scott No. 3; Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.

ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED 1851 3D BRIGHT BLUE SHEET MARGIN EXAMPLES KNOWN ON COVER, A STUNNING STAMP PREPAYING THE 3D SINGLE LETTER RATE. Est. $1,500-2,000 (Image)

Est. $1,500-2,000

1851, 3d Dark Blue. Large margins all around, tied by oval grid cancel on 1858 blue folded letter from Tusket to Liverpool, red Barrington (7.31.1858) origin backstamp and magenta "3" credit rating, a Very Fine use at the 3d single letter rate. SG No. 2.
Scott No. 3; Estimate $400 - 600. Est. $400-600 (Image)

Est. $400-600