Iceland: Bargains: Bargain Stamps - Scott #O1-O19 1873-1902 Officials: Skillings, Numerals, and King Christian IX
These bargain-priced stamps are attractive, but most have hidden flaws. You can save a tremendous amount of money when you add such stamps to your collection. Each stamp is one of a kind, so please let me know if I may substitute a different example (that looks as good or better, for the same cost) if the stamp you order has sold. If you have any doubts, all are available for approval viewing. If you are seeking stamps of this quality and price level from any of the Scandinavian countries, just send along your want list -- I will be happy to send bargains on approval. Scott numbers have been used unless otherwise stated.
Bargain Stamps - Scott #O1-O19 1873-1902 Officials: Skillings, Numerals, and King Christian IX
O2 [1873 8 skilling Official] Used with F-VF centering (better than usual for this stamp) and with proper REYKJAVIK cancellations, but with several defects. Typical color (always light) for this stamp. A very reasonable space filler for a stamp that would otherwise be $715 with this centering!
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79.00
242691
O2a IMPERFORATE Facit TJ2v1 [1873 8 skilling lilac Official, Imperforate] Mint, no gum, with large margins and Superb appearance. This imperforate has a watermark (which distinguishes it from being a proof); it was issued with gum, but this example is without gum. Huge margins and strong color (for this stamp), however, there is a curious horizontal line in the bottom third -- mostly only visible under 10x magnification -- that is either a paper inclusion, a removed pen mark (this stamp is not known used), or a repaired paper break. As a dealer, I have to assume the worst, but it is sure a nice looking example of a very scarce stamp! Facit 2020 value SEK 5000!
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145.00
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231136
O3 Used with F-VF centering, but with small defects. Proper cancellation and quite unusual from a smaller town. Typical and expected rough perfs, a little nicer than usual. Otherwise $355+!
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79.00
231135
O3 Used with Fine centering, but small thin spot. Proper cancellation. Typical and expected rough perfs, a little nicer than usual. Otherwise $230+!
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69.00
236879
O4 [1882 3 aur Official, Perf 14 x 13.5] Mint with F-VF+ centering, but no gum. Otherwise $50. Attractive.
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18.00
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237255
O4, Facit #TJ4a [1882 3 aur Official, perforation 14 x 13.5] First Printing: Orange-Yellow, Dark Brown under UV light, Thin Paper. Mint, Superb centered, but without gum (with gum is scarce). The 2013 Facit value with gum is SEK 1100 = $175 [5/13]. Such nice centering is extremely scarce.
ACTUAL item.
75.00
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237256
O4, Facit #TJ4a [1882 3 aur Official, perforation 14 x 13.5] First Printing: Orange-Yellow, Dark Brown under UV light, Thin Paper. Mint, Superb centered, but without gum (with gum is scarce). The 2013 Facit value with gum is SEK 1100 = $175 [5/13]. Such nice centering is extremely scarce.
ACTUAL item.
75.00
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237258
O4, Facit #TJ4a [1882 3 aur Official, perforation 14 x 13.5] First Printing: Orange-Yellow, Dark Brown under UV light, Thin Paper. Mint, VF centered, but without gum (with gum is scarce). The 2013 Facit value with gum is SEK 1100 = $175 [5/13]. Attractive.
ACTUAL item.
49.00
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237259
O4, Facit #TJ4a [1882 3 aur Official, perforation 14 x 13.5] First Printing: Orange-Yellow, Dark Brown under UV light, Thin Paper. Mint, VF centered, but without gum (with gum is scarce). The 2013 Facit value with gum is SEK 1100 = $175 [5/13]. Attractive.
ACTUAL item.
49.00
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237257
O4, Facit #TJ4a [1882 3 aur Official, perforation 14 x 13.5] First Printing: Orange-Yellow, Dark Brown under UV light, Thin Paper. Mint, F-VF centered, but without gum (with gum is scarce). The 2013 Facit value with gum is SEK 1100 = $175 [5/13]. Attractive.
ACTUAL item.
34.00
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Bargain Stamps - Scott #O1-O19 1873-1902 Officials: Skillings, Numerals, and King Christian IX continued ...
O4, Facit #TJ4a [1882 3 aur Official, perforation 14 x 13.5] First Printing: Orange-Yellow, Dark Brown under UV light, Thin Paper. Used F-VF centered, but with tiny thin spot on one corner perf. The 2013 Facit value is SEK 1500 = $240 [5/13]. Quite scarce!
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39.00
401568
Scott #O5 [1878 5 aur Official, Perforation 14 x 13.5] Mint, NO GUM, with Average-Fine centering (the perforations almost, but not quite, touch the left frame line). PLATE VARIETY: This stamp has TWO features very similar to the AFA-listed varieties TJ4x (thickening of and also break in thin frame line above bottom "5") and TJ4ø (dent in left frame line near the top), but because both are on one stamp, it does not seem to quite be either of those. Regeling shows a couple of positions in the 25-position plate that have somewhat similar varieties, the only position that seems to contain both varieties similar this stamp is Regeling Cliche C14 (in this case it is hard to determine from the Regeling drawings). This example is most likely from Print 4 (1892), Facit #TJ5d / AFA TJ4.4, and was position 44 in that plate arrangement. While basic examples of this stamp / this printing are not scarce, examples with clear varieties can be hard to find.
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8.00
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231142
O6a Ultramarine Used with F-VF centering and neat light cancellation, but couple tiny pinholes and one shorter perf. A very nice looking example.
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22.00
243308
O9 [1895 50 aur Official, perforation 14 x 13.5] Used with Fine centering and with bold "(FRA) ISLAND" DANISH INCOMING SHIP MAIL CANCELLATION. Very attractive, but with expertly repaired and reperforated top margin. The stamp centering, clearing the perforations, is better than usual for the 50 aur. While this type of cancellation is commonly seen on regular Icelandic stamps of this era, Danish incoming ship mail cancellations are rare on Icelandic Official stamps. Early Official mail leaving the country is extremely rare; Official stamps were likely only accepted on mail going as far as Denmark. I cannot recall having, in the last 48 years, any examples of an Official stamp this early bearing such a cancellation. Provenance: from the Roger A. Swanson collection, from of a page of six 50 aur stamps sold by Northland Auctions in 1995; subsequently in the Frederick H. Campbell collection, prior to my purchasing the group. The scarcity of this cancellation on this stamp is demonstrated by a) that somebody would so expertly repair such a stamp and b) a high-level collector and prominent international exhibitor such as Swanson would include it in his collection.
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