Canadian Stamp Auctions

Stamp Market Commentary

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Commentary No. 71 - 17 May, 2005

Canada’s 20 most valuable stamps

There can be a big difference between stamps that are rare and stamps that are valuable. Collectors often assume that the rarest stamps are also the most valuable, but this is not the case. The following Canadian stamps, which are all imperforate, are as rare as they come: there is only one known pair of each. While they are clearly valuable, they are nowhere near the top in terms of valuation, as will be seen. Canada’s Rarest Stamps (Only 1 Pair of Each Exists) Unitrade 26b Catalogue $15,000 Unitrade 39c Catalogue $3,500 Unitrade F1c Catalogue $4,000 We don’t understand why the catalogue values for the above stamps are so low, relatively speaking, and why collectors aren’t willing to pay more to buy them. Of course, one of the problems for collectors is that these stamps very seldom come to auction. But this is no excuse as it is also true that most of our valuable stamps seldom come to auction. So it seems that collectors in general are attracted to certain rare stamps and not to others and we just have to accept this. For Canada’s most valuable stamps, this sense of attraction takes place not only in Canada but elsewhere as well. For example, when very valuable Canadian stamps sell at auction, it is not unusual for them to be purchased by collectors in other countries. Like Canadian collectors, those individuals seem to focus on certain stamps, to the exclusion of others such as the above. Thus, in auctions in Canada and in other countries, some rare stamps are recognized as worthy of serious collectors to pursue and others aren’t. That’s just the way it goes! But this article is about Canada’s most valuable stamps. Here is our list of 20 of our most valuable stamps, based on the values shown in the 2005 Unitrade Catalogue: Unitrade 32 2¢ Large Queen on laid paper $ 250,000 Unitrade 3 12p black on cover $200,000 Unitrade 3 12p black mint $120,000 Unitrade 2a 6d bisect cover $40,000 Unitrade 4b 3p bisect cover $40,000 Unitrade 10a 6d bisect cover $ 30,000 Unitrade 1 3p mint $ 25,000 Unitrade 2 6p mint $ 25,000 Unitrade 13b 6p bisect cover Sorry, we couldn't find an image to show you! $ 25,000 Unitrade 21b ½¢ Large Queen, watermarked $ 25,000 Unitrade 27iv 6¢ Large Queen - double print $ 25,000 Unitrade 5c 6p bisect cover $ 22,000 Unitrade 387a 5¢ Seaway invert on cover $ 20,000 Unitrade 90c 2¢ Edward VII - Tête beche $ 20,000 Unitrade 1181a $1 Library - inscription inverted $ 16,500 Unitrade 30d 15¢ Large Queen - Script watermark $ 16,500 Unitrade 31 1¢ Large Queen on laid paper $ 16,500 Unitrade 17c 10¢ red lilac - imperforate pair $ 15,000 Unitrade 33 3¢ Large Queen on laid paper $ 15,000 Unitrade 77e 2¢ Carmine - Tête beche $15,000   Sources of Stamp Images Rarest Stamps Stamp Auctioneer Date of Auction Lot Comments 26b Maresch Oct 23 1986 94 Ex Julian Smith 39c Maresch Mar 19 1996 230 Ex Bill Simpson F1c Lee Oct 25 2003 28 Ex Dale, Lussey   Most Valuable 32 Brigham Private Collection 3 cover Siegel Apr 23 1986 14 3 Spink Oct 16 2002 575 2a piece Howes Canada's Postage Stamps P.6 Image 87 4b Christie's Mar 19 1993 97 10a Christie's Mar 13 1993 100 1 Eastern Feb 21 2004 476 2 Firby Jan 24 2004 131 13b No image available 21b Lee Mar 2 2002 4450 27iv Maresch Apr 8 1987 820 5c Firby Nov 13 1991 486 387a Eastern Aug 23 2002 1215 90c Firby Jan 24 2004 275 1181a Eastern Oct 23 2004 740 30d Brigham Apr 10 2002 702 17c Firby Mar 18 1992 197 33 Maresch Jul 17 1977 146 31 Maresch Oct 23 1986 75 I 77e Saskatoon Feb 17 1998 200-098

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