You Can Still Find A $20,000 Item In A Mixed Estate Lot

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Canada, 1927, 25c London to London Semi-Official Air Post, Proof in Black (CLP6P). From the upper left of the unique pane of four, large margins, affixed to piece of card, insignificant faint horizontal crease

VERY FINE. AN INCREDIBLY RARE PROOF OF THE 1927 LONDON TO LONDON FLIGHT STAMP, WHICH IS THE RAREST OF ALL THE AIR POST SEMI-OFFICIAL ISSUES. only a single proof pane of four was produced and only two FROM THIS PANE have been recorded.

In 1927, Carling Breweries offered a $25,000 prize to the first Canadian or British pilot to from London, Ontario to London, England. Pilot Terrance Tully and navigator James Medcalf attempted this on August 29, 1927. A special label was created to be applied to the covers which were to be carried on the flight. 100 of these labels, produced in sheets of four, were printed. Most of these (83 by some sources) were put on envelopes. Bad weather forced the plane to turn back. Its final attempt was on September 7, where is took off from Harbour Grace. The plane nor its crew was ever seen again, and none of the covers taken aboard were ever found. One cover is known with the flight label, having been taken out at Harbour Grace. Unitrade states 13 unused are recorded - at least two of these are institutionalized.

A single proof pane of four was produced in black. This example is from the upper left of the pane and was returned to the printers, Lawson & Jones, Lithographers. Only one other has been recorded - from the lower left of the pane. For many years, the bottom left example was the only one known. The copy offered here was discovered about fifteen years ago in a mixed lot at an estate sale and remained with the collector who discovered it - until now, when it is offered at auction for the first time.

With 2014 Greene Foundation certificate. Unitrade notes "Proof in black, sold at auction April 2009 for $50,000."

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…at least two of these are institutionalized.

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Black Label is one of their lagers

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Shame on you, NSK, living next to the world's finest beers in Belgium.