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Auction: CSS60 - Fine Stamps of China and Hong Kong
Lot: 5119

China
1897 New Currency Surcharges
Large Figures Surcharge, Wide Setting, First Printing
The Golden Dragon

10c. on 12ca. deep orange, right pane [4], part to large part original gum. There is a light horizontal crease and a couple of faint tone marks, well centred and of good colour. An appealing example of this rare and elusive stamp. Signed by Peter Holcombe. S.G. 55; Chan 54. Photo

provenance:
E.D. Finney, May 1952

Dr Robert C.H. Lee, November 1963

J.K.C. Wong, October 1974


The unused 'Golden Dragon' is one of the rarest of the basic Dowager surcharge stamps, only surpassed by the 'Emerald Lady' (2c. on 2ca. narrow setting) of which only two stamps have been recorded. From my study of this stamp I have verified that there are 15 unused stamps recorded (this does not include the block of four which was lost with Lyons Livingston in a plane crash in 1972), some of these have trimmed or reperforated lower margin from the foot of the sheet.

Sold for
HK$420,000

Starting price
HK$200000