Stamps, coins and postal history lead 2021 auction charge

Leski Auctions has launched its 2021 Melbourne auction year with a Stamps, Coins and Postal History sale from 12pm Sunday February 7 at 727-729 High Street, Armadale.

The live auction, featuring more than 600 lots with estimates ranging from $50 to $60,000, will be preceded by an online only sale of more than 900 lots that will close progressively over Friday February 5 and Saturday February 6.

All 1500-plus will be available live viewing during the nominated inspection days (see viewing times) and Leski Auctions is happy to combine purchases from both sections for interstate or overseas delivery.

Sunday’s live auction will feature exceptional Kangaroo stamp material, drawn mainly from two incredible collections, King George V and King George VI material, rare pioneer aviation covers and postage due rarities, along with decimal era Australian colonial, thematic and foreign collections.

A major highlight is the exceptionally rare block of six £2 black and rose kangaroo stamps (lot 136) with a catalogue estimate of $50,000-$60,000. Only three of these imprint blocks are recorded, with one in the Chapman collection.

Another is the block of four £2 black and rose kangaroo stamps (lot 101 – catalogue estimate $40,000-$50,000) – again with only three in private hands, of which this specimen is believed to be the finest.

A third is the rare and desirable chestnut and blue block of four £1 kangaroo stamps (lot 133) with an $18,000-$22,000 estimate.

King George V head stamps (essays and proofs) are always keenly sought after and lot 172, a one penny Perkins Bacon carmine-rose die proof of which only two exist in this format, is well worth examination.

Likewise, lot 169 – a scratched Perkins Bacon die proof  (scratch from the kangaroo’s paw to the emu’s feet) – is technically very important, with only five known examples.   

A good example of Australian decimal issues is lot 228, featuring the 1976 scene of Wittenoom Gorge, with a $3500-$4000 catalogue estimate.

Lot 237 is an exceptional example of postage dues, the 20/- green an unusually “bright” version of this very rare stamp.

Rare aviation covers always attract a lot of attention and the ones in this auction are no exception.

Of particular note is lot 284 – a specially printed signed flight cover of the Group Captain Richard Williams’ Pacific Islands survey flight in September 1926 – along with a November 1919 to February 1920 Ross Smith “first aerial post” vignette (lot 275) and same date flight covers flown by he and his brother Keith from Bandabar Abbas to Karachi as part of their historic England to Australia aerial journey.