I Coulda Been A Contender

Hello all,
This topic might be fun. What stamp in your collection, if not for some defect(s), could have been a contender for one of your most valuable stamps?

Here's one of mine. This is a Switzerland 30c William Tell, blue on buff paper, overprinted for the League of Nations, with grilled gum, Scott 2O17a. If not for the cut perforations, missing corner and stain at the top, this stamp would have a Scott catalog value of $425.00 (2010 edition).



Cheers, Robert

Good topic, love it, I'll see if I have any contenders :D

I have the winner, I think.

My pride and joy, US Scott#1, Un-verified, no gum, poor margins!
If a type 1a, $3250 if it was vf, type1 $2400. Short margins and no gum are costing me huge $$$$

Hmm. Photos will have to wait for about a day, but I would say mine are 1. Penny black with thin and small hole 2. U. S. Scott 121 damaged all over, one of the u.s. unidentified heresofar grilled mint (???) blackjack issues, and the 5m German inflation (can't remember #) with legit cancel and missing corner. Oh, also an item from lubeck that's probably a fake, but if not catalogs at $1700 (if you forget about the thin). I think that's all for me.

Even with the damages those ARE my most valuable stamps
(unless you count several very pink 1861 3¢ Washingtons that could be #64s (I need a new color guide). But they aren't damaged.

Great topic!

I have a few contenders:


US 1 and 2. The price was right, so I jumped. These two stamps are simply awful, and I'm happy to own them.





US 85 with 'D' grill. One of these days, I will own a decent copy ...




And best for last, US 38 & 39, cut to shape. If not for the scissor cuts, this 39 is a $7000 stamp. It will be a long time before I replace this one in my album. *sigh*



Brian

Well Brian, I am bowing down to you... Got me beat. Unless I can find something else to throw in the mix.

Thanks for the compliment! Unfortunately, I feel like a loser for owning such bad condition stamps. On a positive note, I own sound copies of #1 and #38. The rest can wait until I find the right deal ...

Brian

Mine, Bavaria catalog is very high If I remember correctly. Too bad for the foxing and the pulled perf on the right hand side.......

CV depending on the type as I have yet to figure out which one it is but it's either $1700 US or $7000 US

I guess my cotender is this cover with the Canadian semi-official air stamp Unitrade # CLP2 on a first day flight from Ottawa to Toronto with a CV of $3,400.00. A number of these covers had the stamp applied and was not cancelled according to C.A. Longsworth-Dames reference book "The Pioneer and Semi Official Air Mails of Canada: 1918 - 1934"

My other contender would be the 1 cent Admiral (Unitrade #104vii on a postcard) with the major re-entry from family.

Chimo

Bujutsu

Not a contender for one of my most valuable stamps but it certainly would have "weighed-in" well above the vast majority in my collection.

France #2 very dark green shade. €1000+ without fold




France #37 €1100 - big tear through R of Empire and other faults




Italy #1 £10,000 - If real. This is apparently a reprint/fake



Luckily these have all been found in low price collections.

I guess this one WAS a contender

I didn't know that these "Societé des Nations" stamps were so valuable. I have some of good quality:

It is the 30c grilled gum variety that has the value.