Lot 20174 – 1869-83 5F pale brown in mint n.h. strip of three, with fresh colour and very good centring

1869-83 5F pale brown in mint n.h. strip of three, with fresh colour and very good centring, usual gum crazing resulting in a small crease in the bottom right corner, Balasse cert. states that this is the only piece known to date and hence must surely be the largest known multiple. Even a single mint n.h. stamp in this shade is extremely rare, with the expert Pierre Kaiser never having seen a single never hinged example in this shade.

The 5 franc is probably the most iconic stamp of Belgium and this is the most important item of this stamp, a major piece of the Leopold II issue and one of the best mint items of Belgian philately.

Expertise: Cert. Balasse (1998).