It is rare to find so many Penny Black stamps up for auction in one sale. From a number of collectors, over 100 of these famous stamps are to be sold by Tennants Auctioneers, Leyburn, North Yorkshire in their Autumn Stamp Sale on Thursday, 4th September 2008 from 12 noon.
Great Britain Penny Blacks were the very first stamps to be issued in the world in 1840. They bear the head of Queen Victoria and in this sale they are to be found both individually and also on letters from the 1840’s. They are estimated to sell for up to £1,000 each depending on rarity.
Also in the sale are some much rarer Two Penny Blue stamps which were produced only six days after the Penny Black to accommodate heavy letters and/or a registration fee for valuable or important documents.
A pair of these stamps from 1840 is estimated to sell for £1,200 – £1,500.
In those early days of postage, the cost of sending letters depended both on the distance to be travelled and the weight of the letter. It was mainly royalty, clergy and professional people such as lawyers who wrote and sent letters, examples of which can be found in Tennants specialist Stamp Sales held regularly throughout the year.
Also included in the sale are world and specialist country collections and postal history.
Tennants are now inviting entries for their next Stamp Sale. Please contact Stamp Specialist, Jane Wiltshire on +44 (0)1969 623780 www.tennants.co.uk
