Lot 365 o Canada, 1851, Queen Victoria, 12d black, laid paper (3), horizontal pair. Ample to large margins to barely touching at the upper right, deep color, fine impression and light concentric ring cancels. Faint crease, visible only in fluid, exceptionally fresh and choice. Very Fine appearance. Unitrade C$360,000 ($288,000). Scott $270,000 A STUNNING USED PAIR OF THE ICONIC TWELVE PENCE, POSSIBLY THE FINEST OF THE THREE RECORDED USED PAIRS. Expertization: with 1984 P.F. certificate (1961 P.F. cert no longer present) and 2015 Green Foundation certificate. The other two known pairs are both cut in, one, rather severly. The latter pair has a 1926 Royal cert, the other has not been certified, which means neither has been subjected to a modern examination. Hence, this may well be the finest pair. The Twelve Pence Black had an interesting history. Like all other pence issues of Canada it was engraved and printed by Rawdon Wright, Hatch & Edson of New York. A total of 51,000 stamps and a proof imprint sheet were shipped to Canadian postal authorities on May 14, 1851. However, the stamp proved to be unpopular with the public and only saw limited distribution, with a total of only 1,510 stamps being sent to just 18 Post Offices. Of those, 60 were returned by the Ingersoll Post Office, leaving a mere 1,450 stamps sold. The remaining 49,490 stamps were destroyed on 1 May 1857. There is some speculation as to why this stamp was inscribed "Twelve Pence" rather than the customary "One Shilling", especially since the Colonies of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia both used one shilling stamps. A possible explanation is that at the time the Canadian pound was depreciated relative to its British equivalent and the other provinces also had their own exchange rates. The result was confusion among the public and postal officials as to exactly what a "shilling" was worth. Expressing the value as "Twelve Pence" may have been an effort to alleviate this confusion. The limited distribution and lack of acceptance by the consumer, who seems to have preferred to use a pair of the 6d Consort, has resulted in the 12d black being the most sought-after rarity in Canadian philately as well as one.

Unsold

Lot 364 o Canada, 1851, Queen Victoria, 12d black, laid paper (3), four ample margins, fresh crisp colors and a finely detailed impression. Four-ring numeral "21" Montreal cancel. Accompanying certificate says, "tiny rust stain on chin," which in our opinion is completely trivial and invisible, there are a couple tiny filled thin specks, visible only in fluid, and not mentioned in the cert. Choice Very Fine appearance. Scott $135,000 A BEAUTIFUL USED SINGLE, AND ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED WITH A 4-RING CANCEL. Expertization: with 2015 Greene Foundation certificate.

Realized $30,680

Lot 362 () Canada, 1851, Queen Victoria, 12d black, laid paper (3), unused without gum, well clear to large margins, bright fresh color and paper, sharp impression. Faint pressed crease, virtually invisible by examination even in fluid, so unobtrusive it was not mentioned in accompanying certificate (but had been noted in 1982 B.P.A. certificate no longer pressed). Fully Very Fine appearing. Scott $87,500 A SIMPLY LOVELY EXAMPLE OF THIS GREAT 19TH CENTURY BRITISH COMMONWEALTH RARITY OF WHICH 25 UNUSED SINGLES HAVE BEEN RECORDED (SIEGEL CENSUS) AND ONLY ABOUT HALF OF THESE BEING SOUND FOUR MARGIN EXAMPLES. Expertization: with 2003 Greene Foundation certificate "Genuine in all respects", 1982 B.P.A. certificate, no longer present.

Realized $53,100

Lot 363 () Canada, 1851, Queen Victoria, 12d black, laid paper (3), unused (small part of gum residue), bright color, fine impression, strong laid lines. Lower margin added, upper right corner repaired, crease. Very Fine appearance. Scott $87,500 FAULTS NOT WITHSTANDING, THIS IS A MOST HANDSOME UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THIS CLASSIC RARITY WHICH IS SELDOM AVAILABLE SOUND. Expertization: with 1930 Royal (submitted by Hon. E.R. Ackerman) and 2015 Greene Foundation certificate and 2015 A.I.E.P certificate.

Realized $30,680

Lot 415 Canada, 1959, 5¢ St. Lawrence Seaway, center inverted (387a), upper right corner margin block of four. Original gum never hinged with none of the usual distractions, exceptionally fresh. F.-V.F. Scott $38,000 as singles A FRESH AND FLAWLESS EXAMPLE OF THIS RARE MULTPLE. Expertization: with 1983 P.F. certificate. Provenance: M. Sagar

Realized $29,500

Lot 81 o 1870, 24¢ purple, H. grill, N.B.N.C. printing (142), outstanding centering, fresh bright pastel shade characteristic of the genuine examples. Light cancel. Very Fine. Scott $6,500 A TRULY STELLAR EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 24¢ NATIONAL GRILLED. IT IS A PLEASURE TO SEE A CHOICE EXAMPLE COLLECTED DURING THE EARLIER DAYS, THIS STAMP WAS SUBMITTED TO THE PHILATELIC FOUNDATION IN 1957 BY GEORGE SLOANE AND SIGNED BY HIM. Expertization: signed Sloane, with 1957 and 2020 P.F. certificates, the latter graded VF 80.

Realized $7,080

Lot 82 o 1870, 24¢ purple, H. grill, N.B.N.C. printing (142), beautifully centered for this, good color for this characteristically pale stamp, plenty of visible grill points. Very Fine. Scott $6,500 Expertization: with 2021 P.F. certificate.

Realized $5,015

Lot 73 () 1869, 90¢ carmine & black (122), unused without gum, quite well centered, handsome rich colors. Very Fine example of this iconic and rare unused stamp. Scott $4,000 Expertization: with 1982 P.F. certificate, 2003 P.S.E. certificate.

Realized $3,422

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