Semi-modern 1938 £1 stamp commemorating King Farouk’s hits for big price

By Tim Hodge

In celebration of its 50th anniversary, David Feldman International Auctioneers hosted a special Jubilee auction series Dec. 5-9 in Geneva, featuring several specialized collections.

The highlights of the Finland collection were two tete-beche pairs. A used tete-beche pair of the 1858 5-kopeck blue Coat of Arms stamp with large pearls in post horns (Scott 3a), on a fragment, realized approximately $56,600, including a 20 percent premium. A mint tete-beche pair of the 1856-59 10k rose Coat of Arms stamp with small pearls in post horns (Scott 2a) realized approximately $68,000.

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A keystone of Tibetan philately, a registered cover bearing a 1912 2/30-trangka carmine stamp with the “POTSAGE” error (Scott 4a), marked with a unique example of the Phari registration handstamp and addressed to His Excellency the Lord of the Tsarong House, garnered about $24,000.

An imperforate single of Egypt’s 1938 £1 stamp commemorating King Farouk’s birthday (a variety of Scott 224) found a new home for $18,400, an impressive realization for such a modern piece.