Stamp expert heads to Staffordshire for valuation advice

Phil Ives will be at Richard Winterton Auctioneers at The Lichfield Auction Centre on Thursday, May 18, from 2pm-5pm, and at The Tamworth Auction Rooms on Friday, May 19, from 9am-1pm.

Richard Winterton Auctioneers features stamps in collectors' sales which take place every two months.

“Stamps have been collected for almost as long as they have been in existence, nearly 200 years,” said Mr Ives.

“We regularly sell popular stamps such as the famous Penny Black – the world’s first adhesive postage stamp – or Twopenny Blue, as well as more specialist material.

“Perhaps surprisingly for such a famous stamp, the Penny Black was printed for less than a year, from May 1840 to February 1841.

“It came in imperforate sheets and each stamp had to be individually cut out by hand using big scissors and that foible of the technology of the time has led to a world of variation in the early stamps, which philatelists have been studying for generations.

“A wonderful example which went to auction was a Penny Black printed on the 11th and final plate. Firstly, it had four clear margins – a rarity for hand-cut stamps – and, secondly, of the 68 million Penny Blacks printed only 168,000 came from that final 11th plate.

“This single stamp went under the hammer for £780 – a fantastic result for our clients."

He added: “If you have inherited a stamp collection or you’ve recently rediscovered your old philately hobby from years ago, come along for a free valuation as there could be some very valuable bits of paper hiding in there.”

Appointments for valuations in person can be booked now via 01543 251081 or office@richardwinterton.co.uk (Lichfield) and 01827 217746 or tamworth@richardwinterton.co.uk (Tamworth).

Items may also be left securely for valuation or direct consignment before the dates in May.