The Stamp Echo - Page 7 of 22 - An Arpin Philately initiative

Inverted Jenny Plate Block breaks US Record!

October 27, 2014 by Hugo Arpin

Last month one of the very few infamous inverted Jenny plate block (#Scott C3a) was sold and it set a new US philatelic record. The block sold for more than $4.8 million, becoming the second most expensive stamp in the world, just after the 1856 1¢ Magenta British Guiana who sold for $9.48 million this summer (see our article on this subject).

The sale was conducted by Mr. Sundman of Mystic Stamp and was a complete shot out of the dark. In fact he was planning to exhibit the stamp when he received an unexpected offer that he could not refuse. The phone call took place in late september and the buyer requested anonymity.

FAQ-What is a stamp watermark?

October 24, 2014 by Lisa

Watermarks can significantly increase the value of a stamp. For example, Canada stamp #28 in Mint VF (Unitrade listing) has a catalogue value of $1,400, but the same stamp with a watermark (#28a), is listed at $6,000! Obviously, it’s a good thing to find a stamp with a watermark. It can mean the difference between an ordinary stamp and a rarity. So then, what is a stamp watermark?

Third known 2¢ Large Queen on laid paper sold at auction

October 24, 2014October 23, 2014 by Lisa

Canada stamp #32-Green 2¢ Large Queen on laid paper Image courtesy of Vincent Graves Greene Philatelic Research Foundation — Canada stamp #32-Green 2¢ Large Queen on laid paper

The third known example of the green 2¢ Large Queen on laid paper (Scott #32) discovered on July 16th, 2013 (see our previous article) just sold at Eastern Auctions this past weekend. The winning bid for this rare Canada stamp was $215,000 + 15% buyer’s premium ($247,450)! Even though it brought in less than the last Large Queen sold by Brigham Auctions for $475,000 (see this article about the Brigham auction), you’ll remember that this is the stamp that a collector found in a sales circuit book not too long ago. Some estimate he paid around $5 for it, others say $60; no matter what, that’s a pretty good return on his investment!

Canada 1851-12d Black stamp sold at auction

October 24, 2014October 23, 2014 by Lisa

Over this past weekend, Eastern Auctions sold a mint copy of the 1851 12d black Queen Victoria (Scott #2). Though in mint condition, the stamp was quite off-center and had a mark on the gum side. It sold for $70,000 + the 15% seller’s fee ($80,500)! However, the stamp sold a bit below expectations. Eastern Auctions themselves gave the stamp a catalogue value of $160 000, so the sale price is well below that. On the other hand, who would say no to an extra $80,500 in their pocket?

Canada 1851 12d black mint stamp for sale!

February 5, 2019October 14, 2014 by Lisa

An example of one of the most valuable Canada stamps will be going on the block on October 16th with Eastern Auctions as lot #60.

The 1851 12d black Queen Victoria could soon become Canada’s most valuable stamp ever–even more valuable than the green 2¢ large queen which recently sold for $475 000. The attraction of the 2¢ large queen is understandable–it is thought that only 3 exist in the whole world. But, they are all used specimens.

FAQ-What makes up a postage stamp?

August 25, 2014 by Lisa

Stamp album-from Wikipedia author Lerdsuwa

So you’ve decided to start stamp collecting…congratulations! The mark of any good collector is a thorough knowledge of the object of his interest. You will find that learning about postage stamps and all their difference aspects is something that can keep you busy for years to come, but it’s good to understand the basics. So, let’s start at the beginning-what makes up a postage stamp? What stands out under close examination?

British Guiana 1¢ Magenta Breaks World Record!

June 26, 2014June 23, 2014 by Hugo Arpin

Last June 17th, the British Guiana 1¢ Magenta was put on auction at Sotheby’s in New York. This stamp is considered by many to be the world’s rarest. Well, if we look at the British Guiana in terms of monetary value, this stamp is now definitely the most valuable, since its selling price has just set a new world record.

The record-shattering amount of US$9.48 million was the winning bid. The stamp was sold over the phone to a bidder who chooses to remain anonymous.

FAQ-How to use a perforation gauge?

May 1, 2014May 1, 2014 by Lisa

In our last article we discussed what perforations are. If you remember, perforations are the tiny punched out holes that permit us to tear our stamps from a stamp sheet. Sometimes, two stamps may seem identical, but actually have a different perforation measure. This can mean that one of the stamps is more rare than the other and worth more money. So how do you measure the perforation of a stamp?

First of all, you absolutely need a perforation gauge. This handy and inexpensive little tool will enable you to measure your stamps effectively and relatively simply. There is a little skill involved, but with some practice you’ll be a pro in no time.

FAQ-What are stamp perforations?

April 28, 2014April 28, 2014 by Lisa

One of the aspects of correctly identifying your stamps which requires a bit of skill is measuring perforations. Before we get to that however, it’s a good idea to understand what stamp perforations are.

Arpin Philately is safe from Heartbleed security bug

April 9, 2014 by Hugo Arpin

As soon as the Heartbleed bug was announced in the morning news of April 9th 2014, the servers of arpinphilately.com were immediately checked. Good news, it turns out that all our servers are totally safe from this threat.

All servers of Arpin Philately are scanned daily, by McAfee Secure to make sure it passes their strict security tests, which help protect you from identity theft, viruses, spyware, and other online threats. Security is very important for us!

+ More