If you can spare the cash here's the Stanley Gibbons sales pitch - I suppose if I were a billionaire then I'd buy it in a flash!
In fact, just 28 Commonwealth stamps are catalogued at over £100,000 at the moment. Just 28 stamps from 109 stamp issuing countries or regions across 160 years since 1847, and some of those are errors rather than basic stamps.
We have only handled five of these items in the last 30 years. Due to the nature of the market it is very rare that we are able to offer you a Commonwealth stamp of such magnitude.
But, let me tell you about one particular Commonwealth stamp that you have the chance to own...
The stamp is available to buy for £110,000. At that price and coming from Stanley Gibbons, you know immediately that it is very rare and very special. This could be a once in a lifetime opportunity. The stamp in question has not been on our books for over 30 years.
With only about 50 unused examples known to exist (10 of which are in horizontal pairs), its scarcity and desirability is easily explained.
The stamp is one of the first postage stamps issued by Canada. Three different denominations were printed: a 3d (showing a beaver), a 6d (portraying Albert the Prince Consort) and a 12d (showing the head of Queen Victoria).
The last stamp, a black stamp, was given the denomination of 12d rather than 1s because a shilling had different significance in various parts of North America at the time. The inscription of 'TWELVE PENCE' on the stamps ensured that there was no misunderstanding of their value.
There was not a great need for the 12d stamp because so few people would send a letter that required such a high value stamp. Consequently, the printers supplied only a small number of the 12d.
They were not even issued to every post office in Canada and they did not prove to be popular with the public. In the few years they were available, only 1450 were sold and the remaining 49,550 were withdrawn and destroyed.
Interestingly, the value of this stamp was known to the earliest collectors as it featured in the world's first printed catalogue - Alfred Potiquet's in 1862. The stamps soon started changing hands for over £1 - a princely sum in those days.
In a book simply called 'Famous Stamps' published in 1946 the price of the stamp was quoted as £750. Just over 60 years later and we have just one available for you for £110,000.
The Canada 12d is indeed a famous and very beautiful stamp. There are a couple of stories that have earned it its place in stamp collecting folklore. Rather embarrassingly, here at Stanley Gibbons, we may have played our part in that folklore.
Hugh Jefferies, editor of Gibbons Stamp Monthly, was telling me a story this week about our possible role in making the one of Canada's greatest rarities that little bit rarer...
One summer's day early in the 20th century, a dealer had five examples of the stamp laid out in front of him on a table. Unfortunately, with the window already open, a colleague opened the office door creating a draught that swept the prized rarities off the table into the street.
The common belief is that this street was the Strand in London and that the dealer in question was Stanley Gibbons. Unfortunately (especially for the staff involved), none of the specimens was ever recovered.
Just imagine five of these stamps floating down the Strand on a breeze today. I think it's fair to say that the entire staff would be out chasing after them! You'll be pleased to know that such an event couldn't occur today.
Another dealer (not Stanley Gibbons this time) allegedly bought several specimens from a fine collection only to put them in an envelope for safekeeping and subsequently throw the envelope into the wastepaper basket - again, diminishing supply.
These losses simply served to make the 12d black even more sought after. Now is your chance to secure one, before this example disappears for another generation.
This is the first Canada 12d black that we have been able to offer for over 30 years.
It is only fair that last word on the stamp goes to our Director of Philately (and Commonwealth specialist), Dr Philip Kinns who is very proud to offer such a magnificent rarity:
"This is (and always has been) a very valuable stamp. In January, Spink Shreve sold an 'unmounted' example with large margins, promoted as the finest single known (which is a matter of opinion) for $483K at auction."
All of a sudden, £110,000 seems like a good price for it.
You can own this famous rarity today. You will be securing a stamp with a great history and provenance and one that has shown an astounding growth in value.
And remember, this is the only single stamp we have in stock priced at over £100,000.
Need the perfect archival place to store your Rare Stamps - check out www.boscastlesupplies.com
In fact, just 28 Commonwealth stamps are catalogued at over £100,000 at the moment. Just 28 stamps from 109 stamp issuing countries or regions across 160 years since 1847, and some of those are errors rather than basic stamps.
We have only handled five of these items in the last 30 years. Due to the nature of the market it is very rare that we are able to offer you a Commonwealth stamp of such magnitude.But, let me tell you about one particular Commonwealth stamp that you have the chance to own...
The stamp is available to buy for £110,000. At that price and coming from Stanley Gibbons, you know immediately that it is very rare and very special. This could be a once in a lifetime opportunity. The stamp in question has not been on our books for over 30 years.
With only about 50 unused examples known to exist (10 of which are in horizontal pairs), its scarcity and desirability is easily explained.
The stamp is one of the first postage stamps issued by Canada. Three different denominations were printed: a 3d (showing a beaver), a 6d (portraying Albert the Prince Consort) and a 12d (showing the head of Queen Victoria).
The last stamp, a black stamp, was given the denomination of 12d rather than 1s because a shilling had different significance in various parts of North America at the time. The inscription of 'TWELVE PENCE' on the stamps ensured that there was no misunderstanding of their value.
There was not a great need for the 12d stamp because so few people would send a letter that required such a high value stamp. Consequently, the printers supplied only a small number of the 12d.
They were not even issued to every post office in Canada and they did not prove to be popular with the public. In the few years they were available, only 1450 were sold and the remaining 49,550 were withdrawn and destroyed.
Interestingly, the value of this stamp was known to the earliest collectors as it featured in the world's first printed catalogue - Alfred Potiquet's in 1862. The stamps soon started changing hands for over £1 - a princely sum in those days.
In a book simply called 'Famous Stamps' published in 1946 the price of the stamp was quoted as £750. Just over 60 years later and we have just one available for you for £110,000.
The Canada 12d is indeed a famous and very beautiful stamp. There are a couple of stories that have earned it its place in stamp collecting folklore. Rather embarrassingly, here at Stanley Gibbons, we may have played our part in that folklore.
Hugh Jefferies, editor of Gibbons Stamp Monthly, was telling me a story this week about our possible role in making the one of Canada's greatest rarities that little bit rarer...
One summer's day early in the 20th century, a dealer had five examples of the stamp laid out in front of him on a table. Unfortunately, with the window already open, a colleague opened the office door creating a draught that swept the prized rarities off the table into the street.
The common belief is that this street was the Strand in London and that the dealer in question was Stanley Gibbons. Unfortunately (especially for the staff involved), none of the specimens was ever recovered.
Just imagine five of these stamps floating down the Strand on a breeze today. I think it's fair to say that the entire staff would be out chasing after them! You'll be pleased to know that such an event couldn't occur today.
Another dealer (not Stanley Gibbons this time) allegedly bought several specimens from a fine collection only to put them in an envelope for safekeeping and subsequently throw the envelope into the wastepaper basket - again, diminishing supply.
These losses simply served to make the 12d black even more sought after. Now is your chance to secure one, before this example disappears for another generation.
This is the first Canada 12d black that we have been able to offer for over 30 years.
It is only fair that last word on the stamp goes to our Director of Philately (and Commonwealth specialist), Dr Philip Kinns who is very proud to offer such a magnificent rarity:
"This is (and always has been) a very valuable stamp. In January, Spink Shreve sold an 'unmounted' example with large margins, promoted as the finest single known (which is a matter of opinion) for $483K at auction."
All of a sudden, £110,000 seems like a good price for it.
You can own this famous rarity today. You will be securing a stamp with a great history and provenance and one that has shown an astounding growth in value.
And remember, this is the only single stamp we have in stock priced at over £100,000.
Need the perfect archival place to store your Rare Stamps - check out www.boscastlesupplies.com
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