Perhaps the best performing lot in Spink's weekend sale of Chinese rare stamps was a block of Chinese Imperial Post stamps depicting a goose in flight. However, this was not the overall top lot, which was a complete sheet of 80 Year of the Monkey stamps from 1980.

The unfolded sheet in fine condition was expected to be one of the biggest sellers in the sale, and it did not disappoint, selling for HK$500,000 (US$64,300) ahead of its HK$300,000-400,000 (US$38,600-51,400) guide price.

Chinese Year of the Monkey stamps

Unfortunately, the final price for a very similar sheet at Philip Weiss auctions was not released, but it had achieved bids of around $60,000 shortly before the sale.

Other highlights in Spink's sale included a complete sheet of 25 orange Large Dragons (1878) with original gum, which brought HK$250,000 (US$32,100) and an 1880 yellow 16 cent stamp with 10c surcharge.

The latter is one of four examples, and beat its HK$120,000-150,000 estimate to fetch HK$210,000 (US$27,000).

Philatelists should check out our interview with Dominic Savastano of Spink about why he thinks 2010 will be a big year for stamps.