SOUTH AUSTRALIA Official Stamps South Australia Official Stamps
Sale No: 242
Lot No:1456
Symbol:F
Cat No:Collection
1874-77 Overprinted 'O.S.' Type 1 Perf 11½-12½ '3-PENCE' in Black on 4d ultramarine SG O7, short perfs at the top, GPO cds of JY11/78 over the 'O.S.' overprint, Cat £3500. RPSofV Certificate (2020). [With our vendor's comments in support of the overprint being authentic; and a 2010 article by Tony Presgrave challenging the bona fides of the issue]
A very rare stamp absent from major collections including those of Julian Beresford, John Griffiths, Sir Gawaine Baillie, Ron Butler, William Frazer, Peter Jaffé, Harry Lower and Michael Blake. Rev James Mursell (1964) had two that were offered in a mixed lot, neither of them being illustrated. An example was offered at a Sydney auction in 2006 with an estimate of $2000 and the comment "...possibly the rarest basic Colonial stamp...": it sold for $6116. Interestingly, Gary Diffen's example with No Stop after 'S ' SG O7a - stated by him "two examples recorded", Ex Marcel Burrus & with RPSofL Certificate - exhibits the same 'fuzzy' characteristics of the 'O.S.' overprint as the current stamp: it sold at auction in May 2020 for £2520.
1891 'POSTAGE & REVENUE' Perf 10 2/6d pale violet with Type 3 (Wide) 'O. S.' Overprint SG O86, a couple of ironed-out creases at the base as is often the case with this issue, unframed GPO Adelaide cds, Cat £6500. Chris Ceremuga Certificate (2018). [In our experience, used/CTO examples are scarcer than the more highly-priced mint stamps]
1886-96 'POSTAGE & REVENUE' Perf 10 5/- pink with Type 3 (Wide) 'O. S.' Overprint SG O87, CTO with GPO Adelaide cds, Cat £7500. A rare stamp, of which only one sheet of 60 was printed. BPA Certificate (1980). [The first CTO example we have offered for many years]
1891 'POSTAGE & REVENUE' Perf 10 5/- pink with Block 'O.S.' as used on Postal Cards with the 'S.' Partly Doubled, part strike of the 'PARCEL PO ADELAIDE' cds of '--5/91'. A great South Australian rarity that is unlisted by Gibbons. Chris Ceremuga Certificate (2018) states "...Only 20 examples are believed to have been overprinted...only four examples [all used] recorded".
Existence of this issue has been recorded for many years. Robson Lowe, in his 'Encyclopaedia...: Australasia', states "Only two examples are known, both dated 13.8.1891". He priced it at £30, compared to £25 each for the 2/6d & 5/- SG O86 & O87 (now priced used at £6500 & £7500 respectively). Despite this 'provenance', and the more recent discovery of a pair (Ex Peter Jaffé), for reasons known only to themselves, this much scarcer stamp - that almost certainly preceded the issue of SG O86 & O87 - is unlisted by Gibbons. If they ever properly list this stamp, the price will go through the roof!