Santa Fe Collections of South America and the Middle East
January 11, 2012
| Images | Description | Current Bid |
 | Lot #131 HONDURAS Air Post 1925 25c on 10c black, the legendary stamp, unused with large part original gum, hinge remnant, signed Herbert Bloch, Scott Stamps and Coin Company, Cole etc., with 1974 Philatelic Foundation Certificate. At INTERPHIL ’76, held at the Civic Center in Philadelphia, the Black Honduras was one of the Aristocrats of Philately. In 2002, the copy offered now was one of only two known; the "Ustaritz Black Honduras", being the other (offered in our January 2002 sale). As with many other storied stamps, tragedy stuck: the Ustaritz example was lost by its buyer (left accidentally either in a New York City taxi or a restaurant) and never recovered. The Santa Fe copy offered here is therefore the only surviving example of this iconic stamp (YT PA 5A, cat. Euro 150,000) On February 27, 1961, the Black Honduras fetched $24,500 at auction in New York City. It was at the time, the highest price ever paid for one stamp in a public auction in America (it was exceeded only by the British Guyana price in the Ferrary sale i * Catalog #C12 Catalog Value $125,000 | Price Realized $130,000.00 |
