There are only two of them in the world…
And this one is the finest.
This is your chance to own one of the rarest philatelic trophies in the world.
Owning this trophy will gain you entry into a league of elite collectors.
It is a tangible piece of postal history, representing the early days of prepaid postage and the introduction of the first postage stamps.
It also benefits from exceptional provenance.
It once graced the world renowned multiple gold medal winning “Mayflower” collection.
Today, this piece of philatelic history is ready to meet its new proud owner.
Here it is…
Great Britain 1840 2d Mulready Lettersheet uprated to 6d with two 1840 2d blues, SGME3,5.
A very fine used example uprated to 6d to cover the 3 ounce rate with two additional four margin 1840 2d blues from plate 1, both cancelled and tied by crisp red Maltese Crosses.
The lettersheet was sent from Bradford to Wetherby with a Bradford/Yorks dispatch circular date stamp on reverse for 'JU.4.1840'.
The usual archive folding and some light soiling, but much better condition than normally seen for such covers.
A very rare uprated Mulready, believed to be one of only two such 6d frankings uprated with 1840 2d blues and the finest of the two existing examples.
A major rarity of early British postal history.
Provenance: Ex. Grand Prix Gold Medal Winning Collection "Mayflower".
Accompanied with a 1954 Philatelic Foundation of New York (PF) certificate of authenticity.
The current Stanley Gibbons Great Britain Queen Victoria Specialised catalogue Volume 1, Part 1 (published November 2020) price for a 2d Mulready lettersheet used with just one 1840 2d blue is £30,000.
Why is it so rare?
When Sir Rowland Hill introduced prepaid postage to the world for the first time in May 1840, he thought he had found the perfect solution.
An Irish painter, William Mulready designed pre-printed postal stationery with a wonderfully ornate design.
The design featured an allegorical figure of Britannia, surrounded by a variety of symbols to represent communication and commerce.
Sir Rowland Hill believed it to be pure genius.
On the 6th of May, 1840 the Mulready lettersheets were issued for postal purposes to enable the safe, fast and cheap transfer of letters. These were available in both 1d and 2d denominations.
At the same time, another less preferred option was also introduced, the adhesive postage stamp.
Two stamps were issued, the penny black and the two penny blue.
Much to the chagrin of Sir Rowland Hill, the public hated the Mulready lettersheets. The design was considered pompous and whimsical.
So, reluctantly, within two months, the decision was taken to scrap the Mulready stationery in favour of the adhesive postage stamps.
Because most people preferred the adhesive postage stamps, the Mulready stationery were not widely used in the short period they were in issue.
What was even rarer was the event combining Mulready stationery with the adhesive postage stamps to uprate postage to cover heavier letters.
The 6d postage rate for our letter covered a weight of 3 ounces. That’s about the weight of a standard pack of 52 playing cards.
It was, indeed, so rare that it only occurred twice!
The finest of the two by a wide margin
Let us now admire the quality of the stamps…
As you can see, there are 4 large margins on both stamps.
The Maltese Cross cancellations are crisp and clear.
The left-hand stamp has only 2 margins. The left and bottom of the stamp have also been cut into.
The margin on the right-hand stamp is almost non-existent.
The Maltese Cross cancellations are smudged.
The finest example is the only example worth knowing.
Highest level of provenance
Provenance establishes the significance of rare philatelic trophies beyond what they would otherwise appear to have.
The highest provenance you can hope for is when an item becomes effectively famous by virtue of the collection it was once part of.
This philatelic showpiece once formed an important part of Alan Holyoake’s Grand Prix multiple gold medal winning “Mayflower Collection”. This collection is considered the best collection ever assembled covering the beginning of British postal history.
It also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the esteemed Philatelic Foundation in New York confirming it to be “genuine in all respects”…
A Philatelic Investment of the Highest Rating
The Stanley Gibbons GB Specialised Catalogue lists a 2d Mulready lettersheet with just one 1840 2d blue at a value of £30,000.
The finest of the only two in existence with two 1840 2d blue stamps would, obviously, command a much higher valuation.
Yet, I am offering this to you today for the price of just £30,000.
Only 15 years ago, the catalogue value for the 2d Mulready with a single 1840 2d blue was just £6,000.
That’s growth of 400%, representing an average simple annual growth rate of 26.7%.
To reserve this philatelic trophy today, e-mail me at mike@paulfrasercollectibles.com.
Alternatively, give us a call on +44(0)1534 639998 or message us to +44(0)7700702962.
To recap on the credentials of this philatelic great:
- Rarity – one of only two examples in existence
- Condition – by far the finest of those two examples
- Provenance – originally formed part of the collection recognised worldwide as being the best collection ever formed covering the beginning of Britain’s postal history
- Scarcity – it is the only one you could buy on the market, and early British postal history is the most widely collected area of philately
- Value – offered at a discounted price with plenty of room for future growth in value
Contact me today to enter an elite league of collectors.
Kind regards
Mike Hall
PS. This philatelic trophy qualifies for our layaway option, meaning you can pay it off over 6 months.
