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1856 1¢ British Guiana Scott #13 magenta)

The unique British Guiana 1856 One-Cent, Black on Magenta Surface-Colored Paper (Stanley Gibbons no.23, Scott no.13). The British Guiana 1c magenta is regarded by many philatelists as the world's most famous stamp. It was issued in limited numbers in British Guiana (now Guyana) in 1856, and only one specimen is now known to exist.

It is imperforate, printed in black on magenta paper, and features a sailing ship along with the colony's Latin motto "Damus Petimus Que Vicissim" (We give and expect in return) in the middle. Four thin lines frame the ship. The stamp's country of issue and value in small black upper case lettering in turn surround the frame.

Initialled EDW, cut octagonally clear of design, April 4 1856 DEMERARA circular datestamp.  The Certificate issued by the Royal Philatelic Society in March 2014 records that the stamp is genuine and notes “surface rubbing reduced by over-painting at some time in the past – possibly while the stamp resided in the Ferrari collection.”

The unique example, unpriced in Gibbons and Scott.

29 x 26 mm (1 5/32 x 1 1/32 in.)

expertization:
The stamp is accompanied by two "Genuine" certificates issued by the Expert Committee of the Royal Philatelic Society, London: Certificate No. 18,796 (17 October 1935), signed by Thomas William Hall, and Certificate No. 217,796 (17 March 2014), signed by Christopher Harman.

The stamp was also examined by Thomas Lera, the Winton S. Blount Research Chair of the Smithsonian National Postal Museum, on 17 April 2014, and several photographs taken by Mr. Lera are reproduced in the catalogue.

provenance:
Andrew Hunter (1856–1873), original recipient of the mailed stamp;
Louis Vernon Vaughan (1873);
Neil Ross McKinnon (1873–1878);
Thomas Ridpath (1878);
Philipp de la Rénotière von Ferrary (1878–1920; purple trefoil on reverse);
Government of France (1920–1922);
Arthur M. Hind (1922–1933; manuscript “H” on reverse; cloverleaf "AH" handstamp on reverse);
Ann Hind Scala (1933–1940; perhaps a seventeen-point star handstamp on reverse used to obscure the cloverleaf of her husband);
Frederick Trouton Small (1940–1970; comet handstamp on reverse; also initialed in pencil “FK” by his agent Finbar Kenny);
Irwin Weinberg and Associates (1970–1980; pencil “IW” on reverse);
John E. du Pont (1980–2014; pencil “JEdP” on reverse)
662012
Viewed: Feb 05, 2025
Updated: Dec 28, 2024
Priced: Dec 30, 2023
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Price varies by region, condition, supply and demand, provenance, guaranteed authenticity and general economic conditions at the time of sale.


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