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Auction: 140 - July Philatelic Collector's Series Sale
Lot: 782

#78a, 1901 1p Black on red, Ty. II, Value Omitted, incomparable mint example of this tremendously rare stamp, being a highly desirable right gutter margin single, well centered, strong color, just the slightest trace of lettering ("NY" of "PENNY") as on all known examples, o.g., lightly hinged, very fine.<<##>> Accompanying this example is the original typed letter from Bright and Son of London dated May 6, 1902 which reads "We hear from a correspondent that a number of unused 1d stamps was issued from your Post Office with the value omitted. We are desirous of securing some of these..." and go on to offer £2 each. This garnered a handwritten response saying "Only 7 were sold, four (4) of which were posted on letters and they were thoroughly inked over by the Postal authorities. Consequently were of no use, S.G. Lewis Postmaster". To date, none of the used copies mentioned here have surfaced.<<#>> A sensational example of this British Commonwealth rarity and arguably the finest known with this being one of the mere two examples available to collectors, the other was in the Sir John Marriott Collection and one other example in the Royal Collection; 1986 RPS certificate;

Sold for
$40,000