A French 1849 25c on 20c surcharge topped Spink's Collector's Series Sale in Switzerland on December 16, realising $30,358.

The 1849 Ceres series were the first official French stamps.

The Ceres issue was released in 1840

Ceres, whose head appears in profile on the issue, was the Roman goddess of agriculture and was chosen to symbolise the growth of the new republic.

The lot displays strong margins and retains a large portion of its original gum, making it particularly attractive to collectors.

An 1863 Egyptian post office cover displaying six 1855 Sardinian 20c stamps, an 1855 40c and an 1858 80c made $28,195.

It was sent from Alexandria in Egypt to Italy and features an array of date stamps.

Spink explains the lot features "a unique franking, being the highest known on cover of this early issue used in Egypt, with its desirability being augmented by the fact of representing the earliest recorded date of use of the highest denomination, the 80c., as well as of the 10c.

"[It is] the most significant cover of the Italian post office; it must be considered as one of the most celebrated covers of Egyptian postal-history."

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