Top 5 Items of the Month
The star item of the month was this imperforate block of four essay for the Reply Paid stamp. A single of this essay is currently on eBay at a “Buy It Now” price of £295. So the vendor may well be disappointed that this item only fetched £320.50. More so as he stated in the description that he bought it as an investment for £500…
The second most valuable item of the month was this 2d colour trial in purple and blue. A few short perfs at the top and a corner crease saw this fetch one bid at the opening price of £99.99. Quality is everything. Normal retail is £600-700 for top quality.
Destination of the month was this mourning cover to Cyprus, sent to a Captain in the Connaught Rangers (an Irish regiment in the British Army). The reverse with some minor backflap faults and a Politiko bs, it sold for £33.90, and is the first Jubilee cover I have recorded going to Cyprus.
This slightly creased cover with an uncommon franking to a common destination sold for an impressive £81.65. What got people so excited? The Dublin & Belfast Railway Post Office cds.
And finally a little novelty item to finish on; a silver ingot of the 1s green & carmine. The Royal Mail produced a series of these about 5 years ago which retailed at £25 each. Again not a very sound investment as it sold for only £10.64 (which has knocked off £15 from the value of my collection. Doh!). But not as bad a loss as the poor seller of the Reply Paid essay block…
This envelope was sent using the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway company to Tunbridge Wells. Franked with the company’s 2d stamp and pair of 1/2d vermilions both tied by a blue crayon cross, the 1/2ds were tied on arrival. The prices these covers fetch is highly dependent on which Railway company stamp it was franked with, and this one sold for £78.00.
The 1887 Jubilee Issue 