Canadian Stamp Auctions

7 November, 2007 - Eastern Auctions Ltd.

This was one of Eastern’s smaller Canadian sales, but it contained some delightful material. It provided further evidence that the new measurement system that has been started in the U.S. to measure the degree of centering of a stamp is creeping into our auctions. This has long been needed and is bound to have a profound influence on stamp prices in that it provides an “objective” measuring system, one which is no longer dependent on someone’s judgment.

A fine Prince Albert

Lot 437 Scott 17 Catalogue $900 Realized $950

OK, so it isn’t perfect and it certainly isn’t well centered. Having said this, don’t forget that Prince Albert is the gentleman who captured Queen Victoria’s heart and for whom, for 40 years after his premature death, she wore her window’s weeds.

If it isn’t perfect, why did it sell for more than its catalogue value? There are three reasons. First, it has a clean and fresh surface. Second, it has excellent perforations. Third, and this is important in these old Canadian stamps, it has full original gum. Add to this the fact that it came with a BPA certificate and you have a lot of pluses.

Scott 65

Lot 488 Scott 65 Catalogue $3,400 Realized $3,200

The best price paid for a $5 Jubilee in the past 10 years is $5,750. This one sold for $3,200, which, as we look over the prices realized in this period, is about an average price for this stamp in NH condition. The Jubilees are very popular, especially those, like this one, that are NH. This one was centered a bit high and had a light fingerprint on the gum. Otherwise we expect it would have easily sold for well above its catalogue value.

Gorgeous Jumbos

Sismondo "95"	Sismondo "90"
Lot 502 Scott 74 Catalogue $11 Realized $65	Lot 503 Scott 77 Catalogue $52 Realized $101

As our viewers must have figured out by now, we love jumbos. They are so rare in Canada’s early stamps and, when almost perfectly centered like these, they make us pause to admire.

We said, “almost perfectly centered” because Scott 74 is slightly centered to the left and Scott 77 to the bottom. The Sismondo measurement system categorized them as a “95” and a ‘’90” respectively.

Take a minute to examine them to see if you agree with Sismondo. Agree or not, this is likely the future for stamps at auction. We better get used to it.

For the record, both of the stamps were NH.

Ex-Jim Hennok – Stanstead “45” Cancel

Lot 504 Scott 78 Estimate $125 Realized $180

This used stamp has a Scott catalogue value of only 90¢. Eastern put an estimated value of $125 on it because it was an outstanding well centered copy of the” 45” four ring cancel from Stanstead, Quebec. It didn’t hurt that it came from the well known dealer, the late Jim Hennok, whose collection of cancels was put up for auction earlier this year and was amazingly successful. This is a real beauty, worthy of the finest collection.

Strong Prices for Airmails

"85"	"90"
Lot 748 Scott C1 Catalogue $22 Realized $80	Lot 754 Scott C3 Catalogue $17 Realized $80

Amongst Canada’s Airmails, only Scott C2 seems to have attracted much attention. That is until recently. In a few recent auctions, interest has also been shown in C1 and C3. But is this interest real and does this represent a trend?

One good reason for suspecting that this may not be a trend is the fact that these two stamps have been graded by their owners under the Sismondo measurement system. C1 was an “85” and C3 a “90”. These are not great numbers, but they are numbers. These new measurement numbers are more likely the trend, not a sudden wish of collectors to chase Canada’s early Airmails. We’re of two minds, so let’s keep an eye on this to see where it takes us.

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