| Select Stamps - Scott #1-7: 1873 Skilling Issues |  Top |
| Item # |
|
Mint Hinged  US$ |
Used US$ |
||
248297 "View EXACT ACTUAL Image"){kind=small} |
SKILLING 1873 IMPERFORATE PLATE PROOFS Complete Set (Scott #1-5, O1-2). The complete set of seven imperforate plate proofs, both the regular postage stamps and the officials. Thick white paper, without watermark, never gummed. All are in the issued colors except for the 3 skilling which is a blackish gray (a proof in the issued light gray is not known to exist). The quality of this set is extraordinary. Usually these proofs are found in very poor quality, including small margins, creases, and especially thins. This set is perfect, with huge margins, except for: the 3 skilling has smaller margin at top and an irregular printing impression at bottom; the 4 red skilling (postage) looks superb, but has a small thin spot; the green 4 skilling (official) has a natural paper inclusion (small speck of tree fiber). The 3 skilling has faint pre-printing paper fold which is a variety, not a defect. The colors are all wonderfully fresh and strong, including the usually faded 9 skilling light lilac official. These proofs are usually found one at a time -- this is the first time in 50 years that I have been able to offer the complete set, and by far the nicest quality that I have seen in one set. Facit Classic 2014 value SEK 14,000. |
1195.00 |
--- | ||
246150 "View EXACT ACTUAL Image"){kind=small} |
1 [1873 2 skilling] Mint, without gum (as usual), with Average centering (fairly typical) and nice overall appearance. The perforations are just into the lower part of the left frame line, but otherwise very close to being Fine. The horizontal perforations, especially at bottom, are rougher than the side perforations as normal and expected for this issue. Other than a slightly rounded lower left corner perforation, this stamp is without defects and is a nice example of the first Icelandic stamp, with great color and fresh appearance. Facit 2022 value (with gum) is SEK 9500. |
195.00 |
--- | ||
243135 "View EXACT ACTUAL Image"){kind=small} |
2 [1873 4 skilling, Perforation 14 x 13.5] Mint, original gum, with VF+ centering. Modest hinge remnant and one perf tooth slightly shorter (mentioned only for complete accuracy). An outstanding example of this issue. Typical rougher perforations at top and bottom -- all the Perf 14 x 13.5 Skilling stamps have this trait. A beautiful example with strong, rich color. Scarce so nice -- it has been quite a while since I have been able to offer such a nice looking example! |
330.00 |
--- | ||
244507 "View EXACT ACTUAL Image"){kind=small} |
2, AFA 2y SMALL CLICHE [1873 4 skilling, Perf 14 x 13.5] Mint, with full original gum (unusual), extremely lightly hinged, with XF centering and brilliant color. This is a wonderful example of a little-known, but major variety. The height of the design is only about 19 mm instead of 20 mm -- this is been listed by AFA with little fanfare, but it is not listed by Scott and is otherwise seldom mentioned in the literature... despite this small cliche appearing in 8 positions in the sheet! Regardless of the variety, this is an exceptional well-centered and large-margined example, that looks NH without a magnifying glass. The perforations are absolutely perfect -- extremely unusual for an example of the Skilling stamps. The combination of the quality and the variety make this a truly exceptional "GEM" example that defies any catalog valuation. AFA Specialized 1996 (most recent edition) value for the mint variety in ordinary quality is DKK 2000 = $330 [12/2021], compared to DKK 1200 for the normal type. However an example such as this -- the finest I have seen of this variety in 48 years -- commands a significant premium. Only 8000 of this variety originally existed -- surely only a small fraction of those remain today -- and likely not more than a few dozen of the original quantity of the variety could have looked this nice -- perhaps this is the finest remaining example? A superlative stamp for a superlative collection. |
790.00 |
--- | ||
246152 "View EXACT ACTUAL Image"){kind=small} |
2 [1873 4 skilling, Perforation 14 x 13.5] Mint, without gum (as usual), with Fine centering, but color either faded or just very light. This stamp does have thin paper as expected, but the thin paper "is on the thickest side of thin" that I have observed on the skilling stamps. As a result, the perforations are much better (cleaner and more complete) than usual. A nice looking stamp at a very low price. |
49.00 |
--- | ||
244508 "View EXACT ACTUAL Image"){kind=small} |
2 [1873 4 skilling, Perf 14 x 13.5] Used with a perfectly centered REYKJAVIK cancellation, but that was applied after the end of the skilling currency period, i.e. "after-canceled". The cancellation is a genuine postmark type, just applied after the period of validity of the skilling stamps. Other than some of the relative angles of the lettering, this cancellation Type (Facit) G1b looks almost identical to the correct-period cancellation Type D2 -- see the Facit Classic for illustrations of the difference. Fine centering, strong color, and with extremely nice perforations for a skilling issue (the horizontal perforations are almost always rough). Accompanied by an 1998 APS certificate stating "Used, genuine in all respects" -- not mentioning the cancellation (I was not an APS examiner of this stamp at that time). An unusually well-centered strike of this cancellation, but appropriately offered at a very low price. (For comparison, Scott 2022 value for a correctly canceled Used stamp is $900.) |
--- |
125.00 |
||
246157 "View EXACT ACTUAL Image"){kind=small} |
3 [1873 8 skilling] Mint with original gum, hinged, with F-VF centering and three huge margins. The top and bottom perforations are slightly rougher than the sides which is normal and expected for this issue, but overall the perforations are much nicer than usual. Excellent color and great overall appearance. Because of the very thin paper, many examples have defects. This is a very nice and sound example of a stamp that can be quite hard to obtain in such nice quality. |
370.00 |
--- | ||
246156 "View EXACT ACTUAL Image"){kind=small} |
3 INVERTED WATERMARK [1873 8 skilling] Mint with original gum, very modestly hinged, with F-VF centering and three huge margins. Also with AFA-listed plate variety AFA #3y "cut off lower right corner" from position 43 in the plate of 25 cliches which was struck four times to print a full sheet; thus this variety is from sheet positions 43, 48, 93, and 98. Only 1600 stamps with this plate variety originally existed, but only a few sheets (quantity unknown, but scarce) had an inverted watermark, thus possibly only a few dozen of this variety originally existed with inverted watermark -- and far fewer still remain in existence today. Perfect perforations (quite remarkable for the 8 sk stamp!) with fresh color and great overall appearance. An attractive example of a scarce watermark variety. Even without taking into consideration the scarcity of the inverted watermark and/or the plate variety, this is a remarkably nice example of the 8 skilling stamp. The Facit 2022 value is SEK 4,000 for Mint Hinged with inverted watermark, plus the value of the plate variety (the AFA premium is about 25% for the plate variety alone). |
475.00 |
--- | ||
247394 "View EXACT ACTUAL Image"){kind=small} |
6 [1873 4 skilling, Perforation 12.5] Used with XF centering and huge, even margins all around, but with small, hidden faults (faint crease at lower left corner; crease and small tear at upper right corner). This is a terrific-looking stamp and it really does require a 10x magnifier to see the problems. The very thin paper used for these stamps results in most examples having such problems. This example has the usual rough perforations that are so typical of the Perf 12.5 stamps -- that is normal and expected, not a defect. The cancellation is very light, but it is an almost perfect, upright REYKJAVIK cancellation of the proper type for this stamp, used in the correct time period. Strong color and nice white paper -- an outstanding looking example! This 4 skilling Perforation 12.5 stamp is among the rarest regularly issued stamps from Iceland. It is usually one of the last regularly issued Icelandic stamps obtained by most collectors. This example is much, much nicer than is usually seen! Facit 2024 value with a normal cancellation is SEK 19,000 and Scott 2024 value is $2250. A very attractive example of a greatly under-appreciated stamp that is missing from virtually all collections. |
--- |
595.00 |
||
242699 "View EXACT ACTUAL Image"){kind=small} |
7 [1873 16 skilling, Perforation 12.5] Used with F-VF+ centering and neat, light, but absolutely completely genuine and proper cancellation. A beautiful example of a stamp that is quite scarce in properly used condition, but it has two defects: a repaired perforation tooth in the top margin and an almost invisible short crease ending in a tiny tear at the center-right margin. Without the quality problems, this example would fetch $675! Most collections of Used Icelandic stamps are either missing this stamp or contain an example canceled after the period of validity. An attractive example offered at a very attractive price! Facit 2020 value SEK 5,500 and Scott 2021 value $625. |
--- |
130.00 |
 "View EXACT ACTUAL Image"){kind=small}
 "View EXACT ACTUAL Image"){kind=small}