BLUE OVERPRINT: 'P.' on QV De La Rue Crown/SA Wmk Rouletted 2d deep red-orange SG DO388, rouletting at the base & right and cut from the sheet except at right to largely preserve the design (a little cut-into at left), unused, Cat £800. Rated RRRRRR but we only two other examples have been recorded so it should be rated RRRRR. RPSV Certificate (2007). The Lord Vestey and slightly soiled 'Besancon' examples sold for £1560 and SFr725 (2020) respectively. Absent from Don Pearce's collection. (Image1)
Estimate AU$1,500
Opening AU$ 1,150.00
Sold...AU$ 1,500.00
Closed..Dec-01-2025, 17:30:00 EST
Sold For 1500
Sale No: 262
Lot No: 533
Symbol: F
Cat No: DO388
BLUE OVERPRINT: 'P.' on QV De La Rue Crown/SA Wmk Rouletted 2d deep red-orange SG DO388 block of 6 (2x3), rouletting except at left where cut from the sheet just into the first & third units, minor blemishes, GPO cds of 'NO11/69'. Rated C+. A rare multiple. Ex Don Pearce: sold for $685 (Sale 247 Lot 547). [Date range 2.10.1868 to 10.3.1870] (Image1)
Estimate AU$500
Opening AU$ 380.00
Sold...AU$ 500.00
Closed..Dec-01-2025, 17:30:00 EST
Sold For 500
Sale No: 262
Lot No: 534
Symbol: V
Cat No: DO388b
BLUE OVERPRINT: 'P.' on QV De La Rue Crown/SA Wmk Rouletted 2d orange Printed on Both Sides SG DO388b with the light original impression on the 'reverse' upright relative to the 'face', rouletting only at right and cut from the sheet on all sides to largely preserve the design (shaved at right), GPO cds, Cat £750. Rated RRRR: four other examples recorded, of which one is in the Royal Collection. Ex Gary Diffen: sold for £720. RPSV Certificate (2004). The very similar Lord Vestey and 'Besancon' examples sold for £720 and SFr845 respectively. Don Pearce's pair sold for $2275 (Sale 247 Lot 549). [Date range 29.4.1869 to 10.6.1869 only] (Image1)
Estimate AU$1,250
Opening AU$ 950.00
Sold...AU$ 950.00
Closed..Dec-01-2025, 17:30:00 EST
Sold For 950
Sale No: 262
Lot No: 535
Symbol: F
Cat No: DO388a
BLUE OVERPRINT: 'P.' on QV De La Rue Crown/SA Wmk Rouletted 2d orange horizontal pair with full rouletting except Imperforate Between SG DO388a with the Watermark Reversed, light GPO cds of 'NO24/69', Cat £1300+ for singles. Rated RRRR+: three other pairs recorded. Ex Gary Diffen: sold for £960. Larger than the 'Besancon' pair that sold for SFr1090. Absent from Don Pearce's collection. [Date range 11.3.1869 to 24.11.1869] (Image1)
Estimate AU$2,000
Opening AU$ 1,500.00
Sold...AU$ 1,500.00
Closed..Dec-01-2025, 17:30:00 EST
Sold For 1500
Sale No: 262
Lot No: 536
Symbol: #
Cat No: DO389
BLUE OVERPRINT: 'P.' on QV Perkins Bacon Large Star Wmk Rouletted 6d dull blue SG DO389, rouletting except at left and cut from the sheet at left & right to preserve the design, unused, Cat £1500. Unrecorded unused by Ron Butler and only two other examples recorded so it should be rated RRRRR. Superb. Ex Baron von Ferrary, Theodore Champion and Philip Croker. Chris Ceremuga Certificate (2009) states "extremely rare". The mint 'Besancon' example sold for SFr1450. Absent from Don Pearce's collection. (Image1)
Estimate AU$2,500
Opening AU$ 1,900.00
Sold...AU$ 1,900.00
Closed..Dec-01-2025, 17:30:00 EST
Sold For 1900
Sale No: 262
Lot No: 537
Symbol: G
Cat No: DO389
BLUE OVERPRINT: 'P.' on QV Perkins Bacon Large Star Wmk Rouletted 6d dull blue SG DO389, rouletting except at the base where cut from the sheet well clear of the design, closed tear at upper-left, GPO cds of 'AU16/71', Cat £200. Rated RRR. Ex Les Munn: sold for $452 (Sale 110 Lot 871). Absent from the 'Besancon' and Don Pearce collections, suggesting it is underrated. [The only confirmed date is 16.8.1871] (Image1)
Estimate AU$500
Opening AU$ 380.00
Sold...AU$ 460.00
Closed..Dec-01-2025, 17:30:00 EST
Sold For 460
Sale No: 262
Lot No: 538
Symbol: #
Cat No: DO390
BLACK OVERPRINT: 'P.' on QV De La Rue Crown/SA Wmk Rouletted 2d red-orange SG DO390, rouletting on all sides, unused, Cat £1900. Unrecorded unused by Ron Butler and we know of only one other example so it should be rated RRRRR. Superb. Ex Baron von Ferrary, Theodore Champion and Philip Croker. Chris Ceremuga Certificate (2009) states "extremely rare". The similar 'Besancon' example sold for SFr2420. Absent from Don Pearce's collection. (Image1)
Estimate AU$4,000
Opening AU$ 3,000.00
Sold...AU$ 3,000.00
Closed..Dec-01-2025, 17:30:00 EST
Sold For 3000
Sale No: 262
Lot No: 539
Symbol: #
Cat No: DO396
BLACK OVERPRINT: 'P.' on QV De La Rue Crown/SA Wmk Perf 10 2d red-orange SG DO396 an unusually tall stamp on very thin (almost pelure) paper, unused, Cat £1800. Unrecorded unused by Ron Butler and we know of only three other examples so it should be rated RRRR. Sold at a Sydney auction in 2015 for $5680. Chris Ceremuga Certificate (2009) states "great rarity". The mint 'Besancon' pair sold for SFr4595. Don Pearce's example with rounded corner - graded 'B' - sold for $690 (Sale 247 Lot 553). (Image1)
Estimate AU$2,500
Opening AU$ 1,900.00
Sold...AU$ 1,900.00
Closed..Dec-01-2025, 17:30:00 EST
Sold For 1900
Sale No: 262
Lot No: 540
Symbol: *
Cat No: DO396v
BLACK OVERPRINT: 'P.' on QV De La Rue V/Crown Wmk Perf 10 2d red-orange SG DO396v, well-centred, one short perf at left, large-part gum, unpriced unused by Gibbons. Rated RRRRRR: the only recorded example. Ex 'Besancon': sold for a very modest SFr605. Chris Ceremuga Certificate (2018) states "great rarity...original gum". (Image1)
Estimate AU$3,000
Opening AU$ 2,300.00
Sold...AU$ 2,300.00
Closed..Dec-01-2025, 17:30:00 EST
Sold For 2300
Sale No: 262
Lot No: 541
Symbol: F
Cat No: DO396c
BLACK OVERPRINT: 'P.' on QV De La Rue V/Crown Wmk Perf 10 2d red-orange SG DO396c block of 4, some perf reinforcing & a small repair at right of the upper-right unit, fine 'PENOLA/AP2/72/S.A' cds, Cat £560+ for singles. A rare multiple. Ex Don Pearce: sold for $455 (Sale 247 Lot 556). [Date range 1.4.1869 to 2.4.1872] (Image1)
Estimate AU$350
Opening AU$ 270.00
Sold...AU$ 320.00
Closed..Dec-01-2025, 17:30:00 EST
Sold For 320
Sale No: 262
Lot No: 542
Symbol: *
Cat No: DO399
BLACK OVERPRINT: 'P.' on QV De La Rue Crown/SA Wmk Regular Compound Perf 11½-12x10 2d red-orange, SG DO399, large wing-margin example from the right of the sheet with vertical marginal watermark at right, professional repair at lower-right corner clear of the design, large-part gum, unpriced unused by Gibbons. Rated RRRRRR but we know of another example so it should be rated RRRRR. Ex Colonel Napier (III) where dyslexically described as having the wing margin at left (yes, it is illustrated). (Image1)
Estimate AU$2,000
Opening AU$ 1,500.00
Sold...AU$ 1,500.00
Closed..Dec-01-2025, 17:30:00 EST
Sold For 1500
Sale No: 262
Lot No: 543
Symbol: F
BLACK OVERPRINT: 'P.' on QV De La Rue Crown/SA Wmk Regular Compound Perf 11½-12x10 2d red-orange horizontal pair with wing-margin at right and 'P.' Overprint Four & a Half Times SG DO399a(variant), well-centred, Cat £3200+ for two singles with Double Overprint. Rated RRR+ for a single: this is believed to be the only item with this configuration. Ex William Frazer: sold at our auctions of 14.4.2005 for $2415 (Sale 115 Lot 151) and 17.2.2012 for $3730 (Sale 171 Lot 610). BPA Certificate (2003). The Gary Diffen and Don Pearce pairs from the left of the sheet with double overprint on the second unit only sold for £1920 and $2755 (Sale 247 Lot 560) respectively. One ot the most spectacular errors in the entire Departmental series. (Image1)
Estimate AU$5,000
Opening AU$ 3,800.00
Sold...AU$ 3,800.00
Closed..Dec-01-2025, 17:30:00 EST
Sold For 3800
Sale No: 262
Lot No: 544
Symbol: F
BLACK OVERPRINT: 'P.' on QV De La Rue Crown/SA Wmk 2d orange oddities comprising a huge pair, a large single with Misplaced Overprint, a single with Extra Vertical Perfs Centrally and two 'dwarf' singles. Common stamps in uncommon circumstances. (6) (Image1)
Estimate AU$250
Opening AU$ 230.00
Sold...AU$ 380.00
Closed..Dec-01-2025, 17:30:00 EST
Sold For 380
Sale No: 262
Lot No: 545
Symbol: F
Cat No: DO392
BLACK OVERPRINT: 'P.' on QV Perkins Bacon Large Star Wmk 6d dull blue or Prussian blue trio comprising Perf 11½-12½xRouletted SG DO392, Perf 11½-12½ DO395a and Perf 10 (cut into the design at top) DO397, minor imperfections, Cat £555. Each rated RR. Don Pearce's very fine trio - offered individually - sold for $810 (Sale 247 Lots 562 563 & 564). (3) (Image1)
Estimate AU$350
Opening AU$ 270.00
Sold...AU$ 300.00
Closed..Dec-01-2025, 17:30:00 EST
Sold For 300
Sale No: 262
Lot No: 546
Symbol: #
Cat No: DO393
BLACK OVERPRINT: 'P.' on QV Perkins Bacon Large Star Wmk Perf 11½-12½xRouletted SG DO393, misplaced rouletting at left so cut from the sheet well clear of the design, unused, Cat £2250. Unlisted unused or used by Ron Butler but one other example is recorded so it should be rated RRRRR. Ex Baron von Ferrary, Theodore Champion and Philip Croker. Chris Ceremuga Certificate (2009) states "great rarity - only example known to me".
Ron Butler at page 121 states that "a recently discovered single copy of [this stamp] was considered [by him] insufficiently convincing to include in the listing" but gives no reasons justifying that conclusion. That stamp was in Colonel Napier (II), offered 'as is' and without estimate because of Butler's comments. It was acquired by Don Pearce, after competition, for SFr 350 and sold for $3835 (Sale 247 Lot 565). There is now no question about genuineness. However, as there is no record of 1/- stamps being issued to the Police Department, this may be a case of an Omitted Letter & Stop, either 'P.O.', 'P.S.' or 'P.W.' (Image1)
