Lot 20088 – UNIQUE ERROR: 4 CRAZIE LION OF TUSCANY WITH INVERT

UNIQUE ERROR: 4 CRAZIE LION OF TUSCANY WITH INVERTED VALUE TABLET Background & Introduction The Tuscany 4 Crazie with inverted value tablet is exactly comparable to the 1858 180 Centesimos Red error of colour of Uruguay, the 1871 Japan 500 Mon inverted denomination, the 1856 One Cent British Guiana or the 1855 Sweden 3 Skillings Banco Yellow error of colour, each of which represents an UNIQUE surviving example of a Classic rarity. The 1851 issue of Tuscany was typographed using common frame and vignette elements, with only the value tablets (and ink colour) changing to create different denominations. For a small part of one printing of the 4 crazie value, the value tablet for one position was inverted (it also printed lower than normal, leaving a larger horizontal uncoloured gap above it). Over 150 years have now passed since this error was printed, and only one example of it has ever been found. It is illustrated, in enlarged form, in the standard Sassone specialised catalogue of the stamps of the Italian States (2009 edition, page 402), and was published in the March-April 2009 issue of “The Collectors CLub Philatelist” (New York), gracing the cover of that journal. Each of the unique “comparables” cited has had a different history. Some have changed hands repeatedly and thus become well known to philately in general. Others have taken different routes to international glory. For example, the One Cent British Guiana was a featured item, albeit in “reprint” form, used as a “gift” by approval dealers as an affordable example of “the world’s most valuable stamp.” The Uruguay error, while not available for many decades, was the subject of several learned presentations to prestigious international societies. The Japan invert has changed hands only once in the last 50 years, in a private transaction, but has been seen at exhibitions. However, the Tuscany 4 Crazie has not heretofore had a “champion” to promote it on the world stage, thus the Scott Classic Specialised catalogue, which lists all of the other unique errors cited, does not list or even mention it! Neither does the new Michel Klassik-Katalog. Similar errors known in more than one example which have rightly brought six-figure prices or higher would include the three used examples of the 1851 Baden 9 Kreuzer error of paper colour (4 known), or the Bavaria 1849 1 Kreuzer tete-beche pairs (3 known). Even further down the line are the “inverted swans” of Western Australia’s 1854 4 Pence Lithographed issue or the “inverted Queen” of India’s 1854 4 Anna, all ranked in the category of “Aristocrats of Philately.” For “normal” stamp rarities, the famous Mauritius “Post Office” issue, or mint “Sherwin” issue, with just a few known remaining in private hands, or some of the rarer tete-beche pairs of Argentina or France, come readily to mind, and these have, through occasional offer to the world market, kept pace in relative value. The Tuscany Inverted Tablet error is thus in a position of ambiguity: while there is no question of its absolute rarity, its authenticity or its importance to Italian and to world-wide philately, its current market value remains to be determined, via well promoted public auction. Our estimate therefore should be considered our conservative range of what this stamp should be worth on the world market (rather than the somewhat insular Italian market), based in part on the proven market value of some of its competitors. The final chapter in the history of the Tuscany 4 Crazie Error remains to be written, and we are delighted to be able to bring a spotlight to bear on it as we offer it to the world Description 1857 4cr Green, VALUE TABLET INVERTED, the only known example of this error, margins nearly clear to dramatically miscut showing part of neighbour at left, cancelled with two strikes of the 5-bar linear grill. The lower portion of the value tablet clearly visible and easily showing the inversion (the upper part was cut away due to its placement far below the normal bottom line of the printed row of stamps; see “reconstruction”). Indispensable for a truly great collection of this area, and well deserving of its place in the pantheon of the world’s greatest stamp rarities. 1857 4c verde, con listello mobile del valore capovolto. E l’unico esemplare conosciuto di questa varietà. Margini quasi chari o ampi, mostrando francobollo vicino a sinista, annullo nitido a cinque sbarre. La parte più bassa del listello mobile è chiaramente visibile e mostra la varietà Indispensabile per una collezione veramente eccezionale degli antichi stati Italiani, e meritando un posto nel panteon del mondo dei francobolli delle più grande rarità. Sassone 2010, no. 14b, € 1’000’000, the highest catalogue value for any Italian stamp Provenance: Hind, Burrus Expertise: Signed by / siglato A. & E. Diena; cert. A. Diena (1949) & E. Diena (1986) Estimate: € 150’000 – € 200’000