Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
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I wonder if SG will be a bidder. To procure this for their portfolio of "Rare" stamps it would be a boost for their investors.
Any way a great stamp story!
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I actually had a chance to see this before the 1980 auction. All I can say that aside from the price, I was not impressed! The condition is deplorable, printing is faded, not an attractive stamp.
I wish I had the money to buy it 
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I agree. A very nondescript stamp, but I do have that empty space on one of my British Guiana pages. I certainly would like to fill it. Considering the condition of that stamp, I'd probably use a hinge to attach it to the page.
I too saw it, at Interphil'76.
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"I'd probably use a hinge to attach it to the page"
A pox on your house!
Time to ban hinging, IMHO.Login to Like
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I love the stories behind stamps and the story behind this one is most fascinating.
From the original owner, a young boy who sold it for 6 shillings in order to buy approvals; to the court case in the USA and onto the wonderful letter received by 'Stamp and Cover Collectors Review' Editor, August Dietz about the burning of a second copy by Arthur Hind in 1928 !!
This ugly piece of paper has the lot, intrigue, romance and money !! 
And to think, if the ships back in 1856 had been a little faster and the new batch of stamps from Waterlow had arrived on time, we would not be here writing on this thread !! 
Printed by newspaper publishers Baum and Dallas of Georgetown on a small press measuring 18in x 12in, the ship printed from the block used in their newspaper for shipping information !!
And how did they make the stamp secure from forgers ? By getting postal officials to sign each stamp !! In this case E.D.Wight. Quite simple really going by todays outrageously expensive methods !!
Simply wonderful.
Sadly, I cannot afford it ! 
Londonbus1
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Don't forget the supposed 3rd copy also bought by duPont, and destroyed to keep his unique!
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Well, evidently it sold for about US$9 million. We must still be in a recession! 
sothebys.com
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Yeah, I got sniped at the last second and didn't get it.
It sold for almost $9.5 million, including a 20% (buyer's fee), and probably a 20% seller fee too that is nopt included in that total. Sotheby's are thieves.
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I was going to bid but I figured I could find one on ebay for a better price!!
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John E. du Pont bought British Guiana 1c Magenta for $935,000 in 1980, which means that it was a good investment, but du Pont was convicted of murder and died in prison in 2010, which proves scientifically that the British Guiana 1c Magenta will kill you. So, next time it goes up for auction, don't bid!
boB
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"I was going to bid but I figured I could find one on ebay for a better price!!"
Not any more. I'm sure they'll up the price to $10 million. I'll be happy to sell you the one I already have for just $1 million.
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"I'll be happy to sell you the one I already have for just $1 million."
Michael, would your eBay write up say:
Wow!! L@@K!!! British Guiana 1c magenta for sale. I am not an expert in this area and got this as part of an estate, so I'm starting it at a very low price of only $1,000,000!!!! No reserve!!! Free Shipping!!!!!! The stamp you will receive is similar to the one shown in the scan. Cash only; no PayPal!
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07:24:59am
Peter
I am ashamed of you! You know the rules - NO ADVERTISING on the DB except in the classified area (and absolutely no 3rd party ads)! For this egregious and flagrant violation of the Rules, I hereby fine you $1,000,000.00!
(Hey, Michael, about that stamp you have for sale - I might be coming into some serious money soon...)
-Bobby
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Unfair! Unfair! I was advertising Michael's stamp!!! I counter sue you for $1,000,000!!
psst: Michael, email me re: stamp. 
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Although I am enjoying the ongoing satirical jabs at Ebay auctions I just wanted to say how disappointed I was to see the stamps condition. When I started collecting nearly 50 years ago this was the stuff of legends. I would go through all the mail and those junk grab bags looking for an inverted plane or something previously undiscovered. When I found some minor error like a misperf or color shift it was a tiny victory. IF I had found that ragged red piece of scrap paper I may have thrown it out.
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Cocollectibles faux eBay ad isn't all that far from real life! Several years ago a guy in Williams Lake, British Columbia, a small city about 550 km (340 mile)s north of Vancouver, advertised an Inverted Jenny for sale and immediately got the attention of a great many collectors. One collector from the U.S. as I recall even travelled to Williams Lake to view it. "It" was truly an "it," not a stamp but an image of the stamp clipped out of a magazine or catalogue. Go to page A14 of this newspaper story and save it to your desktop so you can enlarge it to be more readable.
Bob
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Peter,
You forgot 3 important details-Wire transfers to- Bank of Nigeria (this where I keep all my lottery winnings) NO Returns,and Shipping and Handling $2500.00
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In addition, Peter, you forgot the most important word in any eBay item description: "vintage".
Bobby, don't worry, I have a second one I can sell you for the same price as the one I offered to sell to Peter.
Pat, if you don't like a grungy looking British Guiana #13, I can get you one that is post office fresh. Of course there will be an up-charge for the clean paper, because I can't use the word "vintage".
Phil, back in the 1960s, it was either HE Harris or Mystic that had a small paper on the #13. In it was the mention that it was the most valuable stamp in the world, valued at $50K. I was a nice little piece. I had it mounted on a blank album page. Of course I don't have it any more.
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10:22:50am
I think I know the reference, Michael. It made me think of a small (1963) publication from H.E. Harris called the "Stamp Finder" which referenced the "world's rarest stamps." I found my copy (I never throw anything away - "hoarder"?) and scanned the front, inside back page and the back page. Nostalgia!
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LOL. I had that little booklet too, back when I was a little tyke!
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The other word missing from the ad is "Unique" -- which is generally made all the more moronic by advertising an identical item next to it, also described as "unique".
Roger
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Given the wonderful history of this stamp, I was wondering if anyone had written a book about it similar to the one written about the Blue Mauritius, "Blue Mauritius: The Hunt for the World's Most Valuable Stamps by Helen Morgan'?
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05:37:35am
Here it is again, the famed 1c magenta up for auction at Sotheby's on June 17. Estimated to bring US$20 million to $30 million this time around.
Link to news article
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To error is human -to really fowl things up takes a computer
14 Feb 2014
07:45:18am
re: British Guiana 1c Magenta up for auction (no, not here)
I wonder if SG will be a bidder. To procure this for their portfolio of "Rare" stamps it would be a boost for their investors.
Any way a great stamp story!
Login to Like
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08:40:43am
re: British Guiana 1c Magenta up for auction (no, not here)
I actually had a chance to see this before the 1980 auction. All I can say that aside from the price, I was not impressed! The condition is deplorable, printing is faded, not an attractive stamp.
I wish I had the money to buy it
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10:17:21am
re: British Guiana 1c Magenta up for auction (no, not here)
I agree. A very nondescript stamp, but I do have that empty space on one of my British Guiana pages. I certainly would like to fill it. Considering the condition of that stamp, I'd probably use a hinge to attach it to the page.
I too saw it, at Interphil'76.
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11:19:47am
re: British Guiana 1c Magenta up for auction (no, not here)
"I'd probably use a hinge to attach it to the page"
A pox on your house!
Time to ban hinging, IMHO.Login to Like
this post
re: British Guiana 1c Magenta up for auction (no, not here)
I love the stories behind stamps and the story behind this one is most fascinating.
From the original owner, a young boy who sold it for 6 shillings in order to buy approvals; to the court case in the USA and onto the wonderful letter received by 'Stamp and Cover Collectors Review' Editor, August Dietz about the burning of a second copy by Arthur Hind in 1928 !!
This ugly piece of paper has the lot, intrigue, romance and money !!
And to think, if the ships back in 1856 had been a little faster and the new batch of stamps from Waterlow had arrived on time, we would not be here writing on this thread !!
Printed by newspaper publishers Baum and Dallas of Georgetown on a small press measuring 18in x 12in, the ship printed from the block used in their newspaper for shipping information !!
And how did they make the stamp secure from forgers ? By getting postal officials to sign each stamp !! In this case E.D.Wight. Quite simple really going by todays outrageously expensive methods !!
Simply wonderful.
Sadly, I cannot afford it !
Londonbus1
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03:09:23pm
re: British Guiana 1c Magenta up for auction (no, not here)
Don't forget the supposed 3rd copy also bought by duPont, and destroyed to keep his unique!
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08:30:10am
re: British Guiana 1c Magenta up for auction (no, not here)
Well, evidently it sold for about US$9 million. We must still be in a recession!
sothebys.com
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12:44:20pm
re: British Guiana 1c Magenta up for auction (no, not here)
Yeah, I got sniped at the last second and didn't get it.
It sold for almost $9.5 million, including a 20% (buyer's fee), and probably a 20% seller fee too that is nopt included in that total. Sotheby's are thieves.
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To error is human -to really fowl things up takes a computer
18 Jun 2014
05:48:57pm
re: British Guiana 1c Magenta up for auction (no, not here)
I was going to bid but I figured I could find one on ebay for a better price!!
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re: British Guiana 1c Magenta up for auction (no, not here)
John E. du Pont bought British Guiana 1c Magenta for $935,000 in 1980, which means that it was a good investment, but du Pont was convicted of murder and died in prison in 2010, which proves scientifically that the British Guiana 1c Magenta will kill you. So, next time it goes up for auction, don't bid!
boB
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01:45:05am
re: British Guiana 1c Magenta up for auction (no, not here)
"I was going to bid but I figured I could find one on ebay for a better price!!"
Not any more. I'm sure they'll up the price to $10 million. I'll be happy to sell you the one I already have for just $1 million.
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06:46:37am
re: British Guiana 1c Magenta up for auction (no, not here)
"I'll be happy to sell you the one I already have for just $1 million."
Michael, would your eBay write up say:
Wow!! L@@K!!! British Guiana 1c magenta for sale. I am not an expert in this area and got this as part of an estate, so I'm starting it at a very low price of only $1,000,000!!!! No reserve!!! Free Shipping!!!!!! The stamp you will receive is similar to the one shown in the scan. Cash only; no PayPal!
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They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. -Benjamin Franklin
19 Jun 2014
07:24:59am
re: British Guiana 1c Magenta up for auction (no, not here)
Peter
I am ashamed of you! You know the rules - NO ADVERTISING on the DB except in the classified area (and absolutely no 3rd party ads)! For this egregious and flagrant violation of the Rules, I hereby fine you $1,000,000.00!
(Hey, Michael, about that stamp you have for sale - I might be coming into some serious money soon...)
-Bobby
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07:27:45am
re: British Guiana 1c Magenta up for auction (no, not here)
Unfair! Unfair! I was advertising Michael's stamp!!! I counter sue you for $1,000,000!!
psst: Michael, email me re: stamp.
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re: British Guiana 1c Magenta up for auction (no, not here)
Although I am enjoying the ongoing satirical jabs at Ebay auctions I just wanted to say how disappointed I was to see the stamps condition. When I started collecting nearly 50 years ago this was the stuff of legends. I would go through all the mail and those junk grab bags looking for an inverted plane or something previously undiscovered. When I found some minor error like a misperf or color shift it was a tiny victory. IF I had found that ragged red piece of scrap paper I may have thrown it out.
Login to Like
this post
re: British Guiana 1c Magenta up for auction (no, not here)
Cocollectibles faux eBay ad isn't all that far from real life! Several years ago a guy in Williams Lake, British Columbia, a small city about 550 km (340 mile)s north of Vancouver, advertised an Inverted Jenny for sale and immediately got the attention of a great many collectors. One collector from the U.S. as I recall even travelled to Williams Lake to view it. "It" was truly an "it," not a stamp but an image of the stamp clipped out of a magazine or catalogue. Go to page A14 of this newspaper story and save it to your desktop so you can enlarge it to be more readable.
Bob
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To error is human -to really fowl things up takes a computer
19 Jun 2014
11:19:45am
re: British Guiana 1c Magenta up for auction (no, not here)
Peter,
You forgot 3 important details-Wire transfers to- Bank of Nigeria (this where I keep all my lottery winnings) NO Returns,and Shipping and Handling $2500.00
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01:57:34am
re: British Guiana 1c Magenta up for auction (no, not here)
In addition, Peter, you forgot the most important word in any eBay item description: "vintage".
Bobby, don't worry, I have a second one I can sell you for the same price as the one I offered to sell to Peter.
Pat, if you don't like a grungy looking British Guiana #13, I can get you one that is post office fresh. Of course there will be an up-charge for the clean paper, because I can't use the word "vintage".
Phil, back in the 1960s, it was either HE Harris or Mystic that had a small paper on the #13. In it was the mention that it was the most valuable stamp in the world, valued at $50K. I was a nice little piece. I had it mounted on a blank album page. Of course I don't have it any more.
Login to Like
this post
They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. -Benjamin Franklin
20 Jun 2014
10:22:50am
re: British Guiana 1c Magenta up for auction (no, not here)
I think I know the reference, Michael. It made me think of a small (1963) publication from H.E. Harris called the "Stamp Finder" which referenced the "world's rarest stamps." I found my copy (I never throw anything away - "hoarder"?) and scanned the front, inside back page and the back page. Nostalgia!
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09:54:03pm
re: British Guiana 1c Magenta up for auction (no, not here)
LOL. I had that little booklet too, back when I was a little tyke!
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re: British Guiana 1c Magenta up for auction (no, not here)
The other word missing from the ad is "Unique" -- which is generally made all the more moronic by advertising an identical item next to it, also described as "unique".
Roger
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this post
re: British Guiana 1c Magenta up for auction (no, not here)
Given the wonderful history of this stamp, I was wondering if anyone had written a book about it similar to the one written about the Blue Mauritius, "Blue Mauritius: The Hunt for the World's Most Valuable Stamps by Helen Morgan'?
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