Canadian Stamp Auctions

19 June, 2007 - R. Maresch & Son

As we flipped through the results of this recent Maresch auction, we found many treasures and four new record prices. Held in Toronto, it was such a large sale it took three days to complete. It would be hard to beat the perfection of the three one-half cent stamps that follow:

½ ¢ Large Queen – “Grey Black” Variety

The above stamp was the “grey black” variety, the first we can recall recording and this is unusual. Although it had no gum, it would be hard to match its centering and corner perforations. We have no trouble agreeing with the auctioneer’s description of the stamp as “extremely fine”.

½ ¢ Small Queen – Jumbo

This little beauty had no hinge mark and was nicely centered. Its jumbo margins are not uncommon in this stamp, but it is not often they are so well balanced.

½ ¢ Jubilee

The Jubilees are flying high these days. In the past year, one of these ½ ¢ Jubilees
sold for $1,200. A $3 Jubilee sold in 2006 for $12,100. Of the 16 stamps in the set, 11 have sold for over $1,000.

The price paid for this ½ ¢ stamp is the 2nd best price recorded by us in the past 10 years.

Back in 2004, we featured the “Dream Collection of Jubilees”in our Commentary No. 57 Click here to see that commentary.

10¢ Small Queen

Lot 2155 Scott 45 Estimate $2000 Realized $2,900

This had to be one of the jewels of this sale. The price says it all. It was described as a brown red bottom margin copy, NH, superb, mathematically centered with imprint, a SHOWPIECE. At auction, it blew well past the auctioneer’s estimate of $2,000 to reach $2,900. Happy seller, happy buyer and happy auctioneer!

Small Queen – Fancy Cancels

Here’s a selection from the large offering of fancy cancels in the sale:

Kingston “9”	“86” Reversed	“1881”
Lot 2180 Scott 37a Estimate $75 Realized $115	Lot 2195 Scott 37 Estimate $100 Realized $140	Lot 2197 Scott F1 Estimate $100 Realized $110

“Masonic Compass”	“Rectangles”
Lot 2257 Scott 41 Estimate $50 Realized $65	Lot 2298 Scott 37 Estimate $50 Realized $75

Admirals – Various Colours Illustrated

"Straw"	"Sage Green"
Lot 2569 Unitrade 113b Catalogue $250 Realized $350	Lot 2570 Unitrade 113c Catalogue $500 Realized $450

“Yellow”

Lot 2568 Scott 113 Estimate $170 Realized $145

We always find it instructive to see colour variations illustrated at auction. Here we see three shades of the 7¢ Admiral. Note the large differences in price as you go from one shade to another.

Admirals - Various Prices Illustrated

Lot 2587 Unitrade 118b Catalogue $180 Realized $260

Lot 2588 Unitrade 118b Catalogue $180 Realized $120

These two stamps are for all intents and purposes the same. Each was both described as NH, exceptionally well centered and “extremely fine”. Yet the first one sold for twice the price of the second. It’s hard to understand why!

10¢ Mountie – Rare “Broken Leg” Variety

Lot 2693 Unitrade 223ii Catalogue $700 Realized $3,044

We were impressed at the price paid for this bottom margin block of the 10¢ Mountie “broken leg” variety. Maresch described the block as extremely fine, the nicest they have ever seen, a showpiece. The price is a new record.

52¢ Year of the Pig – Missing Gold

Lot 2812 Scott 2201 Estimate $250 Realized $250

The price for this variety has been all over the place in recent months, but this is the lowest price yet. This might be a reflection of the fact that up until now, the quantities were not known. Perhaps collectors are realizing that there are more than the dealers originally thought existed.

2¢ Registered Stamps - Various Colours Illustrated

"orange-red"	"deep rose carmine"
Lot 2961 Scott F1 Catalogue $90 Realized $210	Lot 2962 Scott F1b (HH) Catalogue $275 Realized $190

“Rose carmine ”

Lot 2963 Scott F1b (no gum) Estimate $50 Realized $50

Here are more colours illustrated. We have always found this early Canadian stamp to be especially attractive and enjoy seeing its colour variations when they appear at auction.

Bulk sales of Modern Stamps

We generally expect modern Canadian stamps, sold in bulk, to go for about 70% to 85% of their face value, but as will be seen below, the prices realized in this sale were lower:

Average return 60%

Usually these stamps are bought at a small discount for postage and why not, everyone likes a bargain. Whoever bought these lots however, got a real bargain.

For more details of the sale, please click on the highlights button