Cyprus Sg246A Blind Runner

About three months ago I found myself in Stanley Gibbons. It wasn't planned, I just found myself outside Charring Cross Station waiting for the missus on a Saturday afternoon - and since I had some time to myself decided to make my way down to SG - I hadn't been there in well over 12 years.
I was looking for some better Poland and Hungary only to be told that SG no longer dabble in world and concentrate only on Commonwealth.
It was then, out the corner of my eye right on the other side of the room I saw this piece. I new what it was from that distance and made a beeline for it - Poland and Hungary no longer a priority.
My legs buckled at the price, but it had been 20 years since I saw an example like this.
SG description reads: 1964 Olympic Games 10m 'Runner', lower left corner block of 6 (2x3) showing the iconic 'Blind runner' on R9/2 very fine unmounted o.g. A modern rarity with very few recorded. (The variety occurs on one stamp out of 400, but the vast majority were removed by post office staff prior to sale)
Sooo, I took the plunge, arranged a lay-bye plan, and waited.
Its the most expensive philatelic item I've purchased, its been on my want list for over 30 years, so I'm happy and thought it would be a decent piece to share with the community

Congratulations on your find. Hope your wife didn't tell you off too much!

Thanks GeoffHa. Surprisingly, quite supportive, she was. Although, I think that might have something to do with receiving some new jewelry after I sold my banknote collection. I guess she sees that there are some benefits to my collecting madness after all

Nice find. Congratulations.




Usually, when PO staff removes such errors, it is not to destroy them but to flock them at a big premium. It, always, makes me wonder whether the mint survival rate of the error is very high, and the rarity is in the limited production run, not in the survival rate.

Very nice story.
It is most helpful to us when varieties like this are brought to our attention.
And so well illustrated.
Thank you.

Thanks NSK.
As to the survival rate, I'm not sure, but you are correct in saying that the PO staff had a hand in distributing the stamps, or some of them, anyway. My late father always maintained that his uncle had a first rate Cyprus Republic collection including rarities like this. He (the uncle) just happened to be a Supreme Court Judge and his best friend was the Post Master General at the time.
I will have to dig up my copy of 'Castle' to see if he mentions anything about the blind runner with regards to numbers

I don't think that is a UNINTENTIONAL error ,something we would call a printing error .