Worldwide Stamps and Postal History continued...

A fine and fresh mint positional 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.

Stanley Gibbons catalogue value: £75.

Get Market Data for [Trinidad and Tobago 155] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A fine and fresh mint example with large part original gum. From the top row of a sheet, with only the marginal line and crown visible, but the shade, paper and gum all confirm that this is from the 1879 "CC" issue.

A scarce variety, rarely seen so fine.

This stamp variety comes from the first stamp issue for Tobago under British administration and represents the first variety recorded for a stamp from Tobago.

The stamps were issued for fiscal uses from July 1, 1879. They were then used provisionally for postal mail from August 1, 1879. Consequently, this stamp provides philatelic interest since it is a fiscal stamp which was used for both fiscal and postal purposes. As it was initially intended for fiscal use only, it does not include the typical "POSTAGE" inscription on the stamp.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £140.

Get Market Data for [Trinidad and Tobago 3w] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A fine unmounted mint key positional block with original gum. Trivial gum toning, which is confined to the margins only, but of very fresh appearance.

A very scarce stamp.

Get Market Data for [Trinidad and Tobago D25] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A wonderful quality collection, mint with original gum (mostly unmounted or, otherwise, lightly hinged). The 2d is faintly toned with marginal separation and the 1s with M/S annotations in margin. Overall a very fine set with fresh appearance.

A particularly difficult to assemble collection as scarce in multiples.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £560++.

Get Market Data for [Trinidad and Tobago D10/17] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

Very fine and fresh unmounted mint blocks with full original gum, (mounted in margin only).

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £120+.

Get Market Data for [Trinidad and Tobago 259/60] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A very fine quality mint set with original gum and fresh colours.

These "SPECIMEN" examples were used solely by postal administrations for reference purposes to help spot any attempted forgeries.

Get Market Data for [Trinidad and Tobago 243s/5s] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A brilliant quality mint set with original gum. Very fine and lovely fresh colours.

"SPECIMEN" examples were used solely by postal administrations for reference purposes to help spot any attempted forgeries.

Get Market Data for [Trinidad and Tobago 239s/42s] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A brilliant quality mint set with original gum. Exceptionally fresh and only very lightly hinged.

These "SPECIMEN" examples were used solely by postal administrations for reference purposes to help spot any attempted forgeries.

This wonderful stamp issue of 1935 included nine different pictorials of local scenes as follows:

1c blue and green - The First Boca, one of four sea channels between Trinidad and Venezuela in the body of water known as the Boca del Dragon (Dragon's Mouth).

2c ultramarine and yellow-brown - The Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture, now the recognised centre for postgraduate training in tropical agriculture for the agricultural services of the Colonial Empire

3c black and scarlet - Mount Irvine Bay, Tobago, now a place for luxury hotels, resorts and golf courses.

6c sepia and blue - Discovery of Lake Asphalt, the largest natural deposit of asphalt in the world

8c sage-green and vermillion - Queen's Park, Savannah, a park in Port of Spain. It was a former sugar plantation, but has been part of the town since 1817.

12c black and violet - Town Hall, San Fernando, the new Town Hall built in 1931 in a neo-Classical design

24c black and olive-green - Government House, built in 1876 and next to the Botanical Garden in Port of Spain, was the residence of the Governor of Trinidad & Tobago until 1958. Since the country became a republic in 1976, it has been the residence of the President.

48c deep-green - Memorial Park in Port of Spain, a public park in commemoration of the veterans that served in World War I and World War II.

72c myrtle-green and carmine - Blue Basin waterfall, located nine miles from Port of Spain, drops 298 feet (91 meters).

Get Market Data for [Trinidad and Tobago 230s/8s] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A brilliant quality mint example with original gum. One shortish perforation mentioned purely for accuracy as still very fine and a lovely looking stamp.

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 £75.

Get Market Data for [Trinidad and Tobago 155] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A fine used example with a neat pen cross making it most attractive. There is a light bend at the foot of the stamp, but remains fine for this issue.

A very scarce stamp.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £350.

The first stamps of Uganda under the British Empire were only valid for internal postage. Then Reverend Ernest Millar at Mengo of the Church Missionary Society produced the first stamps on his typewriter from 1895-1896. These are some of the most crude and valuable pieces of paper ever created.

The Typeset stamps, which followed in 1896, are only slightly less crude and valuable. As they were only used locally, few examples have survived and most of those have serious condition issues.

Get Market Data for [Uganda 61] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A pristine unmounted mint right hand marginal example with full original gum. Accompanied with the normal stamp for comparison.

A scarce modern stamp error.

Get Market Data for [Uganda 198a] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A Post Office fresh unmounted mint example with full original gum.

A very reasonably priced modern stamp error.

Get Market Data for [Uganda 343a] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A brilliant mint complete sheet with original gum and with most stamps unmounted mint. Lightly folded and minor marginal reinforcement, but exceptionally fresh.

A rarity in this form and condition. The "Virgin" stamp issues have long been adored by collectors. The stamp features a depiction of Saint Ursula who, according to legend, had 11,000 virginal handmaidens, after whom the islands had been named.

Get Market Data for [Virgin Islands 35] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A brilliant quality mint complete sheet with original gum and with most stamps unmounted mint. Some very minor marginal blemishes, but exceptionally fresh.

A rarity in this form and condition. The "Virgin" stamp issues have long been adored by collectors. The stamp features a depiction of Saint Ursula who, according to legend, had 11,000 virginal handmaidens, after whom the islands had been named.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £840+.

Get Market Data for [Virgin Islands 35] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A rare and beautiful philatelic item.

These became the first local stamp issues of the British Virgin Islands in 1866 featuring Saint Ursula. The islands were named by Christopher Columbus after Saint Ursula who, according to legend, had 11,000 virginal handmaidens.

The design is a real classic and these die proofs printed from the master die provide very high quality examples of this glorious stamp.

A similar proof from the William Frazer collection realised £1,000 at auction in 2004.

Get Market Data for [Virgin Islands 1,3] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A fine and very scarce die proof printed from the master die in this large format.

A rare printing proof of the first and most famous stamp issue from the British Virgin Islands. The stamp features a depiction of Saint Ursula who, according to legend, had 11,000 virginal handmaidens, after whom the islands had been named.

Provenance: Ex William Frazer (Spink Auctions 20/05/2004, lot 555 realised £440.

Get Market Data for [Virgin Islands 15] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A fine mint complete sheet with original gum. The sheet was severed and rejoined between the fourth and fifth columns and shows very minor marginal blemishes and trivial gum tones. Regardless, the sheet is overall in fine condition with lovely fresh appearance.

A rare and attractive item in this form. The "Virgin" stamp issues have long been adored by collectors. The stamp features a depiction of Saint Ursula who, according to legend, had 11,000 virginal handmaidens, after whom the islands had been named.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £1,080+.

Get Market Data for [Virgin Islands 41] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

Fantastic quality blocks of four unmounted mint with full original gum. The 2½d benefits further as a corner marginal example and the £1 is particularly attractive as a lower marginal with full imprint.

A popular stamp issue and particularly pleasing and rare as unmounted mint positional blocks of four.

Get Market Data for [Virgin Islands 124/5] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A rare printing proof of the first and most famous stamp issue from the British Virgin Islands. The stamp features a depiction of Saint Ursula who, according to legend, had 11,000 virginal handmaidens, after whom the islands had been named.

The 1 shilling stamp is most famous for the error where the Virgin is missing. There are only four or five examples known and when it last appeared at auction in December 2015 it realised £120,000.

Get Market Data for [Virgin Islands 21] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A fine unmounted mint block with full original gum.

A very rare watermark error, hardly ever seen on the market.

The stamp was issued to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Al Busaid Dynasty, the first Sultan of Zanzibar.

Get Market Data for [Zanzibar 330/a] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

Very fine MOMBASA transit (?) circular date stamp of "8 SE 31" and hexagonal "T/50 CENTIMES" due mark. On arrival in Zanzibar (backstamp "SP 9 31"), the deficiency was recalculated as 40 (gold centimes) and paid by 1930-33 25c black/rose postage due, SGD23 (first setting, R2/2), tied by "SP 10 31" type D8 circular date stamp.

A fine quality cover despite some small faults (vertical fold).

A rare and interesting usage, unusually showing P.O. register number in RED crayon (rather than blue).

Provenance: Ex Griffith-Jones (discussed on pp.302-3 of his book, with illustration Fig.11.21 ; census F.119).

Get Market Data for [Zanzibar D23] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

Arrival backstamp of "AP 8 31", with the deficiency paid on face by 1926-30 12c black/green, (SGD7) (R2/2 on sheet) and 1930-33 6c black/yellow (SGD21) postage dues, tied by type D8 "ZANZIBAR" circular date stamp of "AP 9 31". Blue crayon number "311" relates to G.P.O. register of unpaid incoming mail.

A fine quality cover despite some minor blemishes. The 12c Postage Due also shows some faint discoloration as often seen. Regardless, much finer condition than normally found for important philatelic covers of this nature.

Despite appearing philatelic in nature it is still a rare and important franking, being the latest known date of use of the 1926-30 12c "green".

Provenance: Ex Griffith-Jones (listed on p.472 of his book as census F.100).

Get Market Data for [Zanzibar D7, 21] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

Backstamps of Aden (MY 12), Dijon (23 MAI) and Belfort.

A rare "in period" commercial usage of this issue, and a very fine three-colour franking.

Provenance: Ex Reinhold Siebentritt

Accompanied with a Peter Holcombe certificate of opinion (1995).

Get Market Data for [Zanzibar 3D, 5D, 8D] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census