A unique block of four stamps from plate VII of the Penny Black issue will highlight the latest instalment of the remarkable Chartwell Collection auction on July 5.
 A stamp that requires no introduction... |
Part three of the monumental collection features line engraved essays, proofs, stamps and covers from early British philately. The famous 1840 Penny Black issue will undoubtedly provide the auction's biggest draw, as the world's first ever adhesive postage stamp.
The highest estimate among the Penny Blacks on offer is claimed by the incredibly fresh, unique plate number block from plate VII of the 1840 issue. Taken from the lower left of the sheet, the margins bear the inscription: "PRICE 1d Per Label, 1/- Per Row", with the plate number at the corner.
Featuring full original gum and only two light diagonal gum creases, the block is a magnificent exhibition quality piece, estimated at £300,000-350,000.
Also featuring in the sale will be a range of examples from the 1840 Rainbow Trials. The trials were a series of experiments that pre-date the final design of the Penny Black, testing colour, ink and paper types, before the stamp was issued.
Highlighting this section will be a sheet of 18 stamps from the Fugitive Ink Trials, so-called due to the temporary ink used to prevent the stamps from being removed from envelopes by soaking. The value of this attractive sheet is boosted by handwritten annotations from Perkins Bacon, who created and printed the famed first issue.
Only seven of these sheets are known, with one of them currently housed in the Royal Philatelic Collection. The incredible rarity and significance of the series has prompted the auction house to set an estimate of £80,000-100,000.
Stamps such as these have proved themselves as reliable investments for those looking to secure their money outside of the stock market. According to the respected SG100 Index, the leading 100 collectible stamps brought returns of 5.54% pa over a 14 year period, whereas the Dow Jones Index posted just 4.52% pa returns over the same period.
See Paul Fraser Collectibles' full range of investment-grade rarities for your chance to join this fascinating and rewarding market.
We have some excellent examples of the stunning Rainbow Trial stamps, without the need to go to auction.
