The Sante Fe Collection
December 7-8, 2011
| Images | Description | Current Bid |
 | Lot #143 CHINA 1923 surcharged in red on first Peking printing 2 Cts on 3c blue-green, surcharge inverted error, deep bright color, characteristic centering to bottom, position 19 (of the setting of to), fresh with full original customary partially dried and streaky gum, h.r., with handstamped guarantee mark, signed Holcombe, with his 1996 certificate ("a very rare variety of which under 20 copies are recorded to date.") (Chan 280a) (YT 179a, cat. Euro 175,000), (SG 361a). According to contemporary reports (Theodore Sidall), only thirteen of these stamps exist and were acquired at Wanhsien, a small port about half way between Chungking and Ichang, in July, 1924, by Dr. A. Germain, the medical officer on the French gunboat "Balny." He applied two of the stamps to separate covers which he mailed to himself locally and sold ten mint examples to the French dealer Theodore Champion. Champion than sold a block of four and a single to M.D. Chow, two singles to Bush and one each to Hinds and Hawkins. One of the "Four Treasures of * Catalog #247a Catalog Value $172,500 | Price Realized $130,000.00 |
