An 1861 4d Bahamas no watermark block of 10 headlined Spink's sale of the Vestey Collection on December 11, with a final bid of £20,000 ($31,433).

The lot is the largest multiple of its kind and clearly proved a hit with collectors.

The 4d stamps are among the first ever issued in the Bahamas

The stamps were the first issue released in the Bahamas, with the earliest examples dating to 1859.

At first 1d was the only value available, meaning that blocks were used for long distance mail. This changed in 1861 with the introduction of higher-value specimens (4d and 6d), although the design and layout remained the same.

The Vestey Collection comprised a huge selection of rare and early issues from the Caribbean. The Leeward Islands and the Turks Islands - two of the largest chains in the archipelago - were particularly well represented.

The London sale included a Nevis 1876-1878 imperforate between sheet lithographed block of 12, which achieved £17,000 ($26,718).

The one of a kind lot displays vertical perforations (but not horizontal) and was described by the auction house as "a magnificent exhibition showpiece."

Click here to take a look at our phenomenal range of rare stamps.

Please sign up to our free newsletter to receive exciting news about stamp auctions.