On June 26-27, Robert A Siegel Auction Galleries will sell the remarkable World Traveller Collection of Elusive World Stamps in New York, with an 1888 Saint Christopher 2½d stamp providing one of the many highlights.
 The Saint Christopher stamp is perhaps the greatest rarity of the British West Indies |
The World Traveler Collection was formed over a period of 60 years by a father and son duo, who have managed to compile 260,000 major Scott Catalogue listings and 33,000 Scott-listed varieties.
With all but roughly 1,600 major listings present, it is over 99% complete.
The first auction of this outstanding collection will be dominated by a variety of issues from across the world, with the 1888 2½d stamp from Saint Christopher (modern day St Kitts) among the highest valued lots with an estimate of $31,500.
The rarity was produced when just a single sheet of 20 2½d stamps were surcharged with the first setting of the One Penny overprint.
Most of these were used, resulting in only around five unused examples in existence today, one of which has been regummed.
This example is the finest of the five, with a bright fresh colour and its original gum, although it has been lightly hinged.
 Hawker never completed his flight as the aircraft's engine overheated and he was forced to land |
Also selling at the top of the sale will be the 1919 Newfoundland 3c Red Brown Hawker Air Post, which has a $27,500 high estimate.
The stamp was designed to frank the correspondence carried by Lieutenant Harry Hawker, who attempted the first continuous trans-Atlantic flight in pursuit of the Daily Mail newspaper's £10,000 prize.
A total of 200 such stamps were created, yet the majority were sold off in aid of the Marine Disasters Fund. With no more than 87 used copies extant, this is one of the most desirable stamps in all air post collecting.
Paul Fraser Collectibles has an eclectic selection of rare stamps for sale, with some of the finest and rarest examples from across Great Britain and the Commonwealth.
