Worldwide Stamps and Postal History continued...

A fine and fresh mint example with original gum (minor gum disturbance from backing adhesion, as often seen). Centring is wayward, although still a really fine quality example for this rarity.

Provenance: Ex Howard-White

Accompanied with a Royal Philatelic Society (RPS) certificate of authenticity (1958) as former SG31b.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £400.

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A fine and interesting positional positional block with part original gum (disturbed by removal of backing adhesion). There are a few very minor tones, and the right margin is re-inforced. Despite these minor condition flaws, the piece is in above average condition for this issue as most examples have material condition flaws.

A very scarce and desirable positional piece with the two printing varieties present.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £640+.

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A fine mint block with typical backing adhesion. Some minor perforation toning barely detracting as still fine and fresh appearance.

A scarce block.

Stanley Gibbons catalogue value: £390+.

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A fine mint positional block with part to large part original gum. Particularly pleasing with comparatively little backing adhesion, which is most commonly seen with this issue. Faint perforation tones at foot, mentioned for accuracy, and do not detract from fine fresh appearance.

A very scarce block.

Stanley Gibbons catalogue value: £600+.

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A fine unused block with backing adhesion. Upper pair with slight faults on reverse (respectively thin and toning), but still of fine appearance.

A scarce block, especially with both printing varieties present.

Stanley Gibbons catalogue value: £400+.

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A fine mint positional block with typical backing adhesion.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £200+.

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A fine quality pair with large margins except close at right, on unwatermarked wov paper.

A rare plate proof of the early Tonga stamp issues in fine quality.

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A rare and attractive group of die proofs pulled from the master die in unissued colours in very fine condition.

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A fine quality strip of this rare printer's plate proof with large to mostly very large margins (reduced sheet margin at foot). The right stamp has a light vertical crease which does not affect overall fine appearance.

A rare proof, particularly in this form, with the final issued stamp appearing in olive colour.

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A rare and interesting pair, the differences in design from the issued stamps clearly visible in the frame and inner oval.

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A rare and attractive trio of printer's proofs, in very fine condition.

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A fine quality printer's plate proof with good to large margins, on horizontally laid paper. Small thin from hinge removal doesn't detract as of fine appearance and rare.

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A fine and fresh mint pair with large part original gum.

Only 50 sheets were surcharged and the variety is very scarce, particularly as a pair and in such fine quality.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £215+.

Tonga became a constitutional monarchy under King George Tupou I (named after King George III), in 1875. Stamps were first issued with a King George I visage in 1886. Tonga became a British Protectorate in 1900 under a Treaty of Friendship. Tonga, however, maintained its sovereignty, and the Tongan monarchy continues to this day.

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Each shows "OFFICIAI" at R4/2 (and several other repeated flaws), but only the upper half proof has "MAII" at R2/5. Some creasing but a fascinating and important pair.

A unique piece.

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Pristine unmounted mint positional block with full original gum.

A unique positional multiple from the one sheet of 120 issued, most of which was used (by the Philatelic Bureau in Nuku'alofa). With normal singles of the 6s on 6d (SG 263) and 8s on 8d (SG 265) for comparison.

A professionally presented philatelic piece.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £560+.

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A fine unused compete sheet.

Scarce in this intact form.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £195+.

Niuafo'ou (meaning: many new coconuts), also known as Tin Can Island, is the most northerly island in the kingdom of Tonga. It is a volcanic rim island of 15 km² and with a population of 650.

The name Tin Can Island comes from the fact the island doesn't have a natural harbour and mail was delivered and picked up by strong swimmers who would retrieve packages, "sealed up in a biscuit tin" and thrown overboard from passing ships. Established in the nineteenth century, Tin Can Mail was developed by a trader named Walter George Quensell, who festooned the mail with many colourful cachets that have become a collectors' item. The Tongan government took over this tradition with special Niuafoʻou stamps. The first stamps of Niuafoou issued on May 11, 1983 show the map of the island and Niuafoou's airport opening.

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A brilliant quality mint block with large part original gum and much fresher than usually found for this issue.

Scarce and desirable in this se-tenant form.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £202+.

An attractive stamp featuring George Tupou II (Siasi Tupou II), who was King from age 18 until his death (1893-1918). He was the great-grandson of George Tupou I.

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A fine and fresh positional block with large part original gum. A few minor wrinkles, but very fine quality for this stamp issue.

A very scarce variety and desirable in this positional form.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £159+.

An attractive stamp featuring George Tupou II (Siasi Tupou II), who was King from age 18 until his death (1893-1918). He was the great-grandson of George Tupou I.

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A fresh mint example with part original gum. A trivial thin spot but of very fine appearance as most examples found of this rare variety are in poor condition.

A particularly rare stamp and the first time we have ever handled one.

Accompanied with a Brandon certificate of authenticity (2003).

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £1,100.

Tonga became a constitutional monarchy under King George Tupou I (named after King George III), in 1875. Stamps were first issued with a King George I visage in 1886. Tonga became a British Protectorate in 1900 under a Treaty of Friendship. Tonga, however, maintained its sovereignty, and the Tongan monarchy continues to this day.

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A very fine unmounted mint block with full original gum. Especially attractive with such excellent perforations and centring.

A rare multiple, in quite exceptional quality.

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A very fine unmounted mint example with full original gum.

A very rare error as only one sheet of 100 originally existed.

The stamp depicts a portrait of Emir Abdullah ibn Hussein who played a major role alongside T.E. Lawrence during the Great Arab Revolt against Ottoman rule. Abdullah was Emir and ruler of Trans-Jordan from 1921 to 1946, and then King of Jordan from 1946. He was assassinated in 1951 by a Palestinian gunman, who thought Abdullah was planning to make a separate peace with Israel.

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A fine mint block with large part original gum, (the lower pair are unmounted mint). Some minor traces of gum toning and the left pair with a slight gum crease, neither of which are material and it remains fine quality and with fresh appearance.

Only 1,073 stamps were originally issued of all three overprint colours. This is a scarcer overprint and a rarity in a multiple.

Accompanied with a clear British Philatelic Association (BPA) certificate of authenticity (1988).

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £320+.

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A fresh and fine mint example with original gum.

Only 1,570 were issued of the basic stamp and this is the first time we have handled this inverted overprint error.

Accompanied with a British Philatelic Association (BPA) certificate of authenticity (2005).

NB. The overprint is black to the naked eye, with only minute traces of gold visible under magnification in strong light. The gold overprints were created by sprinkling gold dust on wet black ink.

Provenance: This stamp clearly comes from the same pane as the block of SG68ga (black overprint inverted) illustrated by Abed Habib Najjar on p.45 of his book, The Stamps of Jordan 1920-65: A Philatelic Study.

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A brilliant quality mint example with original gum.

The "Sitting Britannia" design was used for the 1913-1923 first Trinidad & Tobago issues. This represented a continuation of the motif from the earlier produced Trinidad stamps.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £275.

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A neat cover and rare usage.

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