World Cup error sold by Grosvenor

In London, Grosvenor Auctions held a sale of specialized Great Britain stamps April 9. Modern British errors have been a popular field lately, with production flukes such as missing colors or perforations making for eye-catching items.

A corner block of six of the 1966 6-penny World Cup issue with phosphor bands (Scott 459) but omitting the black-ink portion of the design, sold for the equivalent of $23,800, including the 22.8 percent combination of value-added tax and buyer’s premium levied by Grosvenor.

With the black ink missing, the goalie’s jersey disappears, and with it, the ball. Only about 24 examples of the error are known.