A Hong Kong auction of Chinese postal history has seen an extremely rare pairing of the $2 Dr Sun Yat Sen invert set a new world record, becoming the most valuable Republic of China (1912-1949) stamp lot ever sold at auction.
 The current record for any Chinese stamp stands at $1.15m |
The October 13-15 sale topped the previous £311,000 ($500,000) record for a single example of the Dr Sun Yat Sen invert, with the pair selling for $707,700. The price represents a 9.2% increase on the $645,000 high estimate.
The Dr Sun Yat Sen invert is one of the rarest stamps in all of Chinese philately, with just one sheet of 50 stamps ever issued featuring the inverted centre error. The pair in the present auction is one of only two vertical pairs known to exist, originating from the collection of the renowned philatelist Huang Ming Fang.
The remarkable pair, both of which were in pristine condition with full original gum, was also lightly initialled by stamp expert Peter Holcombe on the reverse, further boosting its appeal to collectors.
Originating from 1941, the stamps bear the head of Dr Sun Yat Sen, a Chinese revolutionary and the first president of the Republic of China. Sun was instrumental in the overthrow of the Qing dynasty and is often referred to as the "Father of the Nation".
Paul Fraser Collectibles is currently offering a unique block of four 96c olive-bistre stamps, which are considered some of the rarest stamps in Hong Kong's postal history. Sign up to our free weekly newsletter for more of the latest news from across the philatelic community.
