Summer of Sport (and Philately!)

par | Juin 6, 2024 | Auction Highlights

Our June 17th to 22nd 2024 auction series kicks off just 3 days after the start of the men’s Euro 2024 championships (not to mention the Olympics, the tennis at Wimbledon, the Open golf championship, just to name a few), so I thought was a good chance to shoehorn some cross-references between some of the group games of the tournament and the lots to be contested over in our upcoming auction.
Germany vs Scotland
The opening game of course is a big one for Scotland as it’s only the fourth time they have taken part in the tournament, and they play the hosts Germany. And I’m sure the Tartan Army will be as equally excited about our range of Scottish postal history and cancels in our GB auction on June 20th. We have many imperf. Line Engraved covers, used high values such as an 1867-83 £1 pair and a £5 orange cancelled in Glasgow, pre-stamp postal history including exhibits collection of the « Add 1/2d » wheel tax markings and Bishop marks, a unique “WITHDRAWN SHIP LETTER / GREENOCK / (CROWN)/POST PAID” hs on cover and a stunning Inland Revenue 1890 10s used block of 15. However my favourite item being this Mulready caricature by Menzies sent from Castle Street in Edinburgh.

Lot 50084 in our June 2024 auction series, an 1840 Mulready Caricature by Menzies sent from Edinburgh 

We only have a modest selection of German States and Germany in our June auction series, but German fans might be interested in the original Sperati glass clichés and celluloids that he used to hone his skills and produce his forgeries. Offered as singles and groups, these include many of the iconic German States stamps, including the Baden 18kr, the Bavaria 1849 1kr, the Bremen 1856 5sgr, the Hannover 1860 10gr, Oldenberg, and the Saxony 1850 3pf.

Above: One of 12 items from lot 80053
Right: One of 8 items from lot 80067

Belgium vs Romania

Belgium are probably one of the favourites to win the tournament, and a favourite with specialists of the Medallions and Epaulettes issues will certainly be lot 30079, which is major rarity of Belgium as it is one of only five recorded mixed frankings of the two issues, estimated at CHF22’000-26’000.

Lot 30079 in our June 2024 auction series, a Belgium mixed franking of the Medallions and Epaulettes 10c issues

Philatelically speaking however, Romania might have the upper hand in this contest as our auction has a real strength in depth with over 200 lots of this popular collecting area, from the Bulls Heads onwards including Austrian Levant offices and DDSG. The « Gheorghe Hagi », the star of our Romanian offering, is definitely the 1862-64 6par vertical bisect on cover paying the 3par printed matter rate. This is the only recorded bisect of this stamp on a complete cover, and at the estimate of CHF30’000 to 60’000 we foresee strong competitive bidding for this major rarity of Romania.

Lot 30295 from our upcoming June 2024 auction, a Romania 1862-64 6par vertically bisected on cover

Austria vs France

The French certainly fancy their chances in this tournament. Who wouldn’t with Kylian Mbappe in their team?! And our offering of France and Colonies certainly has the necessary fire power to turn heads, including two of the most important items of French postal history. If the French decide to play three up front, they couldn’t do any better than lot 40054, this unique combination of two 1F carmine-brown and a 1F vermilion on a cover to Portugal. And if Mbappe was a stamp collector, it may only cost him a week’s wages, as it is estimated €220’000-300’000.

Lot 40054 from our upcoming June 2024 auction series, a France 1F vermilion in combination with two 1F carmine-brown on cover to Portugal

Austria should definitely not be underestimated though, having comfortably beaten Turkey earlier this year and even the hosts Germany at the end of last year. Could an upset be on the cards for France who are also in a group with the Netherlands? Our Austria features an attractive selection of classic issues with cancels and covers, including Lombardy-Venetia. Arguably the most renowned stamp of Austria is the Mercury Head newspaper stamps and we have a small selection, including a used 6kr, a 30kr rose used in modern day Romania, as well as a group of glass clichés and celluloids from the master forger Jean de Sperati.

Lots 30389 (top left),  30050 (lower left) and an example from lot 80012 (right) in our June 17th-22nd 2024 auction series.

Missing Norway

Having only ever qualified for Euro 2000 in the entire history of the Euros (which began in 1960), it’s possibly no surprise that Norway didn’t qualify this time. However they have one of the greatest strikers in the world right now with Erling Haaland, so for all football fans it’s a shame he’ll be missing from the tournament. But there’s no reason to get upset that half of this Norway stamp on cover is missing! This is the only recorded genuine cover with a bisected 4 skilling, which was used to pay the local letter rate, and is estimated at CHF35’000-45’000. Only a few weeks later the Norwegian Post Office declared this practice illegal.

Who Will Win?

Chances are it will be Germany, Spain (both 3 times winners), Italy or France (both double winners) who take home the Henri Delaunay Cup (I didn’t know it was called that either! Together with Jules Rimet, he was largely responsible for the creation of the Euros, having first proposed it in 1927). And I imagine that most players in the tournament won’t be happy to take one of these runner’s up medals home, illustrated below. In our Olympics and Football catalogue we have a range of medals, pins and badges from the early World Cups, including these silver medals from the the 1930, 1934, 1938 and 1954 finals.

Over the coming weeks I wish you all good luck with your bids in our auction and to your favourite team in the Euros (as long as they’re not playing England!).

Lots 20001, 20008, 20009 and 20012 from our June 18th Olympic and Football auction.