Another series of mistakes, which I won't apologise for...

Dear Reader

The standard cliché is all about 'learning from mistakes' however, as a Stanley Gibbons customer, we allow you to profit from them.

No, I'm not suffering from a surfeit of the festive spirit (Lagavulin single malt by choice), simply highlighting a unique and powerful investment opportunity: in the careful, deliberate and painstaking world of philately, where, after all, the end product is a type of currency, printing errors (which are rare) make highly desirable collectables.

That means you can profit from the mistakes of others.

However, as you can imagine, these errors are far and few between, particularly the more modern ones, where improved printing techniques have all but eradicated mistakes. Often, errors were rectified as soon as they were spotted and the examples of those gone wrong often immediately destroyed.

This makes the ones that did slip into the market very rare and prize-worthy! Collectors covet them as do investors and the basic rules of supply and demand keep prices on an upward spiral.

So, not only do you acquire an item of keen interest, with its own special story behind it, but you also secure an item with a strong basis for healthy price appreciation.

When we offer errors, they go quickly - so please respond as fast as you can investment@stanleygibbons.com.

With many people away for the Christmas break, you've got a greater chance than normal of securing one of these prized items. My team and I will be here and on the lookout for your response.

The first error on offer is an absolute beauty - one of the truly great rarities of modern British philately and excellent value for what it is! The highly unusual error was created by an inadvertent paper fold which removed the yellow almost completely from the flowers!

Great Britain 1964 SG 658a - Stockcode: G0781816ND

1964 1s3d International Botanical Congress. The unique upper left corner marginal strip of three, the first stamp with yellow (flowers) completely omitted and the second stamp with a partial omission. The error was caused by a paper fold with the missing yellow printed on reverse. A spectacular variety and one of the great rarities of QE II philately.

1988 BPA Certified for authenticity.

Price : £45,000

My second offering to you is another GB item, this time a single stamp of the utmost rarity and one with some age, from 1870 - the error comes in its corner lettering, OP-PC instead of OP-PO.

Great Britain 1870 SG 53 - Stockcode: P10115034

1870 1½d Rose red Pl.1. OP-PC error of lettering, a very fine unused o.g. example, slightly toned gum, nevertheless of fine appearance.

Unused examples of this famous variety are of the utmost rarity. Cat. £20,000

1990 Royal Philatelic Society Certified.

Price : £15,000

And finally, possibly the jewel in the crown, a spectacular Hong Kong multiple error, which has Director of Philately and Commonwealth expert, Dr Philip Kinns very excited

It is rare enough in itself that we offer you investment grade items from the Commonwealth, let alone a piece of this philatelic importance.

This impressive block is the largest Hong Kong multiple error in existence (an error of spacing), dwarfing all other multiple errors - and therefore a true trophy piece.

Hong Kong 1898 SG 55/b/dvar - Stockcode: P07802805ND

1898 (1 Apr) 10c on 30c grey-green, type 17 surcharge with additional type 18 Chinese handstamp, first printing, block of 36 (6 x 6) being the top six rows of the upper right pane with plate number '2' and full margins, unmounted o.g. Pos. 7-12 of the setting, with the true 'Widely spaced 10' (1½mm) on the right hand column, THE SECOND ROW ERROR T17 SURCHARGE DOUBLE (the second heavier impression spaced 1/3 mm to lower right).

A unique and spectacular exhibition piece, comprising ALL the recorded unused examples of SG 55d, including pos.12 additionally with the wide spacing variety (unique), and far and away the most important Hong Kong surcharge or overprint error multiple in existence.

(The next largest error multiple is a used pair of the 1891 7c on10c double, SG 43b!).

A magnificent item ex Alfred M. Chu collection, and illustrated and discussed on pp. 46-7 of his 1998 monograph.

Price: £55,000

The three errors featured here are all remarkable for different reasons.

You would be wise to add one to a portfolio so do respond to this email or contact my team at

investment@stanleygibbons.com

or call 0845 026 7170.

Wishing you a very happy new year - now, where did I put that bottle of Lagavulin?

Keith Heddle
Investment Director
Stanley Gibbons Group Plc

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