Canadian Stamp Auctions

8 October, 2008 - H.R. Harmer Inc.

The "Mount Royal" Collection
of Canada
(Part II)

When we reviewed Part I of this collection last May, we were more than impressed by the extraordinary depth of quality that was presented.

Part II is also impressive, but didn’t go as smoothly. We list below our impressions:

• The sale had many outstanding Canadian stamps. But a surprising number received no bids.
  
• It had many very fine unhinged stamps. But it also had a noticeable number of stamps of that were described as hinged, re-perforated, re-gummed, having short perforations, tears, creases etc.
  
• It received many strong bids, but had only 23 new record prices. By contrast, Part I had 67 new record prices.

In other words, the stamps offered in Part I last May had depth, quality and strong bids throughout and the results must have pleased the owner greatly. This one had a mixed reception and would have been disappointing. It could be that, coming in the middle of a global financial crisis, the bidders pulled back and restricted their bidding to only the finest material.

What a shame! Most of us could spend a lifetime to get this material. We hope that when the unsold stamps are re-offered at auction, our economy will have rebounded so that the stamps will get the reception they deserve, which is a whole lot better.

The Auction’s Highlights

With such a large sale is this, we can only show a small part of the material, but we hope that what follows will give you a taste of the quality of the material in the second part of the collection:

Lot 28 Scott 8 NG Catalogue $1,000 Realized $1,120

Lot 40 Unitrade 9a VLH Catalogue $12,500 Realized $14,000

Lot 45 Scott 15 NH Catalogue $525 Realized $896

This is the only record we have of the 5¢ Beaver stamp being offered in no hinged condition in the past ten years. Any bidder would have factored this against the fact the stamp was off center

Lot 81 Scott 36c Catalogue $2,000 Realized $1,680

Lot 86 Scott 37iv Catalogue $4,000 Realized - No sale

While the above stamp didn’t sell, we show it here because it is so rare and we thought our viewers would like to see it. Harmer described it as follows:

“1870 3c rose, double impression ( kiss print), sound used example of this rarity, being only the second copy to have been discovered, the other one was faulty…. with 1997 Greene Foundation certificate.”

Lot 125 Scott 61 Catalogue $2,400 Realized $3,640

Lot 135 Scott 64 Catalogue $4,000 Realized $9,520

Lot 158 Scott 77e Catalogue $15,000 Realized $13,440

No more than twelve tête-bèche panes exist. No wonder bidders were so interested.

"Port Hood Surcharges"

Lot 189 Scott 88B & 88C Catalogue $15,500 Realized $8,960

Last month a 2¢ Port Hood surcharge cover sold for $5,130, a new record price. We haven’t recorded a sale of the 1¢ surcharge since 1986. We have never recorded the sale of the 1¢ and 2¢ together as a pair. You can imagine our surprise then when we saw these two being presented together in the sale. The resulting price of $8,960 amazes us.

To be honest, we cannot actually see the 1¢ surcharge in the above image. Harmer states however there is “only a slight trace of the hand stamp”. Fortunately, each stamp comes with a Stanley Gibbons certificate.

Lot 213 Scott114a Catalogue $3,600 Realized $4,760

Lot 228 Scott 118a Catalogue $3,600 Realized $3,640

Lot 248 Scott 122a Catalogue $ 3,600 Realized $3,920

All three of the above pairs are unhinged.

Lot 396 Scott 339a Catalogue $1,500 Realized $1,400

Lot 397 Scott 341v Catalogue $500 Realized $672

According to Harmers, there are a mere six copies known of the above 5¢ stamp with its imperforate border, plus a plate block. As with all known examples, the copy in this sale had no gum. We have no previous record of a sale of this variety at auction.

Lot 480 Scott 1343i Catalogue $2,750 Realized $2,352

The center stamp in this strip of five has no blue background color. This is another variety we have not previously seen.

Conclusion

What an extraordinary collection. With all its disappointments, Part II of the sale was nearly as memorable as Part I. Once again, we compliment Harmers for presenting the collection so well.

We don’t know the identity of the seller, but we can say without any doubt that he or she put together a collection that is up there with the very best that have been assembled over the decades.

This sale had 23 new record prices:

The prices in this sale were converted at the rate of $1US = $1.12 Cdn.