Santa Fe Collections of South America and the Middle East
January 11, 2012
| Images | Description | Current Bid |
 | Lot #164 PARAGUAY 1878 black surcharge "5" (cents) on 3c black, two imperf. singles, each with margins all around, tied by oval of dots in blue green, also unframed "Da Buenos Aires col Postali Italiani" transit on small cover to Potenza Italy, charged "20" (decimes), with the additional of 1L postage due (based on the markings, another 1L stamp was removed and a presumably similar 1L hinged at top for aesthetic purposes), Buenos Aires transit, part Genova and Potenza arrival pmks on back. The two Paraguay stamps with minor faults, filing folds and part of backflap of cover torn away, the 1L postage due corner missing, otherwise fine, accompanied by 2001 Dr.Mario Kurchan and 2006 Brian Moorhouse certificates ("this cover is now the earliest known usage of a surcharged "5" on or off cover and it is the only known contemporary multiple franking of any of the "5" centavos surcharged stamps. This cover is also one of just three recorded covers franked with the small "5" in black on 3r stamp"). A remarkable rarity of Paraguay  Catalog #5E | Price Realized $8,000.00 |
