Worldwide Stamps and Postal History continued...

Fine quality used examples and scarce commercial usages of multiples.

Batumi (formerly Batum) is a city on the Black Sea coast and capital of Adjara, an autonomous republic in southwest Georgia. The city was under Russian rule at the beginning of World War I, but local unrest led to Turkey entering the city in April 1918, followed by the British in December, who stayed until July 1920.

During the British occupation, the stock of postage stamps started to run out, and so in February 1919 the administration produced its own stamps. These were imperforate, depicted an aloe tree and were inscribed БАТУМСКАЯ ПОЧТА (BATUMSKAYA POCHTA), or "Batum Post."

The British later overprinted these with "BRITISH OCCUPATION", and surcharged the remaining Russian stamps in a variety of styles. Inflation also took hold, and by 1920, the tree stamps, which had been as little as 5 kopecks, had to be reprinted in denominations up to 50 rubles.

Get Market Data for [Batum 17/18] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

Fine quality, unmounted mint, block of 8 with full original gum. Typical light gum creasing, which is immaterial to overall quality of piece.

A scarce multiple and very difficult to find in this quality.

Batumi (formerly Batum) is a city on the Black Sea coast and capital of Adjara, an autonomous republic in southwest Georgia. The city was under Russian rule at the beginning of World War I, but local unrest led to Turkey entering the city in April 1918, followed by the British in December, who stayed until July 1920.

During the British occupation, the stock of postage stamps started to run out, and so in February 1919 the administration produced its own stamps. These were imperforate, depicted an aloe tree and were inscribed БАТУМСКАЯ ПОЧТА (BATUMSKAYA POCHTA), or "Batum Post."

The British later overprinted these with "BRITISH OCCUPATION", and surcharged the remaining Russian stamps in a variety of styles. Inflation also took hold, and by 1920, the tree stamps, which had been as little as 5 kopecks, had to be reprinted in denominations up to 50 rubles.

Get Market Data for [Batum 4] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A very fine and attractive used block, other than a couple of faintly toned perforations, which does not detract in any way from overall quality.

A very scarce block with only 1,800 issued in total.

Get Market Data for [British Bechuanaland 12] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A fine mint example with large part original gum Slight gum creasing and yellowing, but still of fine appearance and rare.

Accompanied with a clear Brandon certificate of authenticity (1989).

Such was the success and popularity of the famous Seahorses stamp issue in Great Britain that it was overprinted and used in other countries in the British Empire including Morocco, Offices in the Turkish Empire, Bechuanaland and Ireland. The stamp is considered a miniature piece of propaganda in response to the German threat posed to Britain at sea on the eve of World War I. The Seahorses boldly claimed Britain’s naval domination and reputation of being "ruler of the seas".

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £1,400.

Get Market Data for [British Bechuanaland 83a] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

Lovely quality upper marginal examples, unmounted mint with full original gum.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £45+.

Get Market Data for [British Bechuanaland 136/7] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

Fine and fresh mint examples with large part original gum.

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

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A very fine and fresh, unmounted mint block of four with full original gum.

A unique multiple, not previously available on the market in this form.

Provenance: Ex British Postal Museum Archives.

Although distributed by the Universal Postal Union (UPU) with the same 'SPECIMEN' overprint, no blocks could exist from that source.

Get Market Data for [British Bechuanaland 82s] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A fine mint example with part original gum. Some creasing, but still a unique and important item as it has never previously been on the market for sale.

Provenance: Ex British Postal Museum Archives.

Get Market Data for [British Bechuanaland 73] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A Post Office fresh lower marginal vertical IMPERFORATE PAIR, unmounted mint with full original gum.

Issued status uncertain but very scarce with only 4 panes of 25 known to have existed.

Pierron Catalogue No. BE506IMa, catalogue value £675.

Get Market Data for [Bermuda 253var] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A very fine unmounted mint positional example with full original gum.

A scarce watermark variety and appears attractively priced at this level.

Get Market Data for [Bermuda 305w] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A fine and fresh mint example with large part original gum. Typical off-centring for this issue, but much above average for this issue.

A scarce variety with only 505 sheets for the whole issue supplied.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £375.

Get Market Data for [Bermuda 53db] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

Very fine and fresh unmounted mint positional blocks with full original gum. Light bends and folded perfs but still very attractive.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £80+.

Get Market Data for [Bermuda 651/4] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

Post Office fresh unmounted mint with full original gum

A rare and attractive positional multiple.

Get Market Data for [Bermuda 534a] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A very fine positional unmounted mint example with full original gum.

A scarce watermark variety in this positional form.

An attractive modern stamp issue commemorating the 200th anniversary of Bermuda's first newspaper and postal service.

Get Market Data for [Bermuda 471w] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A fine and fresh unmounted mint block of four with full original gum. Folded with marginal wrinkling, but an attractive positional multiple showing HPF38a, HPF38c and HPF49a.

SG Catalogue Value: £220++.

Get Market Data for [Bermuda 121d] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A fine and fresh mint example with original gum. Couple of slightly shortish perforations, but remains fine and a scarce King George V printing variety.

Stanley Gibbons catalogue value: £350.

Get Market Data for [Bermuda 88gd] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A fine mint example with original gum from the first printing.

A handsome high value King George V stamp.

Get Market Data for [Bermuda 55] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A fine well centred block of four, fresh with large part original gum (one stamp unmounted mint).

A most attractive multiple of this rare colour shade.

Provenance: Ex Harry T Whitin, founding member of the Bermuda Collectors Society and a member of the Royal Philatelic Society.

Get Market Data for [Bermuda 53d] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A fine and fresh mint example with original gum. Centred slightly left, typical for this issue and with natural gum bubbles, otherwise fine and a scarce printing variety.

Stanley Gibbons catalogue value: £425.

Get Market Data for [Bermuda 53c] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

Fresh mint quality with large part original gum, (lower pair including the variety are unmounted mint). Trivial bend mentioned for accuracy.

Extremely scarce in this positional form with only 415 possible, from Jan 1935 first printing.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £366+.

Get Market Data for [Bermuda 97k] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A lovely mint positional piece with fresh colours and original gum, (three of the stamps are unmounted mint). Lower right stamp with trace of a bend.

Very scarce as only 505 sheets supplied and hardly ever seen in this form.

Accompanied with a clear British Philatelic Association (BPA) certificate of authenticity (2007).

Get Market Data for [Bermuda 53d/da/db] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A very fine marginal mint example with original gum.

The King George V varieties from Bermuda present a vast and interesting area of philatelic study.

Get Market Data for [Bermuda 89jg] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

A very fine positional mint example with original gum.

A very scarce variety of this high-value handsome King George V stamp.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue value is £900.

Get Market Data for [Bermuda 55b] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

Post Office fresh unmounted mint with full original gum example.

Very scarce watermark variety.

The Antarctic Treaty of 1961 is important historically as it was the first arms control agreement established during the Cold War. The treaty set aside Antarctica as a scientific preserve, provided freedom of scientific investigation and banned military activity on the continent.

Get Market Data for [British Antarctic Territory 99w] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

Right marginal, unmounted mint with full original gum example.

Get Market Data for [British Antarctic Territory 97w] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census