Ionian Isle 1859 Victoria Stamp & British Empire Stamps ID ?

Hi,

I have a couple of issues to address in this thread today:

1) Someone on ebay is selling three of these stamps but they are allegedly in mint state condition:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Ionian-Islands-...em5889bb47b3

I would just like some feedback from the SF insofar as what you think this stamp is worth in its current state.

2) Also those multiple books of stamps that I picked up at that auction three weeks ago contain the following countries:

Great Britain: Channel Islands
British Empire: Gambia - India
British Empire: Malaya - Nigeria
British Empire: Indian States - Leeward Islands
British Empire: Niue - Rhodesia & Nyasaland
British Empire: Rhodesia - St. Lucia
British Empire: St. Vincent - SW Africa


Because I seem to be having a great deal of difficulty identifying and pricing these various stamps on-line, does a catalog or informative web site exist that that will assist me more effectively with my ID and pricing endeavors on the above stamps?

Thanks much

M-

We have an earlier thread that depicts your stamp, along with a couple forgeries, and it discusses some spotting features for forgeries:

https://goscf.com/t/8493

If you are interested in the older stamps, I would find a Scott Classic, or a Gibbons Commonwealth (used is fine in either case). Trying to i.d. online is a hit or miss affair.

Values are hard to come by online, too, except to the extent you find completed auction results. And there are so many reasons for crazy auction results (both high and low) that even those may not be representative.

What I can tell you for sure is that I see a lot of these sitting for a long time at Buy it Now prices that seem to be above what the market is willing to pay. Maybe some of those sell occasionally. A few months ago, a 1d blue that certainly appeared genuine cycled through a few 7-day auction cycles with a start bid under $7 before finally selling.

After reading this related thread about forgeries it would be my best guess that my Ionian Isle 1859 Victoria stamp above is not a forgery.

Any opinions agreeing or not would be welcomed.

Disagree:
I think it is genuine.

With a Gibbons catalogue value of £28 for that Ionian Islands 1d, and the state of the back of the stamp, I'd say discussions about whether it's genuine or not are pretty academic. Lucky to get $5 for it on a good day, I think.

True Tony, but I think it is comforting for the owner
to know that he/she has the genuine article,
no matter how abused.
I think that is a super example of an engraved stamp,
I'd pay $5 for it.

Pay no attention to me, Rodney, I'm just feeling cranky (having spent a considerable sum at this week's Christoph Gärtner auction of Indian States, and now realising I have to pay the credit card bill).

I'd say it is likely genuine, and Tony's estimate is probably pretty close, too. There looks to be some discoloration on the front? That might be a deterrent to those who could otherwise live with questionable backsides.

mdpmedia, I checked my 1991 Stanley Gibbons British Commonwealth catalogue and it lists the value of the blue mint stamp as $30.50(US) and it is watermarked. In my very limited experience, I would probably buy this stamp (the one you displayed not the ebay link) if it was offered for a low price.

I like it besides being a handsome stamp,
as an nice example of an early stamp showing
the queens head being mathematical centre of
the stamp design, giving a sense the queen is tilting forward.

Compare to that of a machin, and the centre of arnold's
design is at the level of the queens mouth.




We all overspend Tony, but I cringe at what extent
you may have offended

It goes without saying, when you receive them,

Rather dry, specialist Barwani stuff, Rod, but I'll trawl through it and see if any of the lots have wider interest.

Good luck with that!

Stamps is the drug we're thinking of.