Auction No 145 - Prestige Philately

Page: 30
Prestige Philately - Auction No 145 Jun 13, 2009
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA - First Day Covers (continued)
Lot Type Grading Description Est $A
60 C A
Lot 60
1924 KGV Heads Single Watermark New Colours & Value 1d green - plus ½d orange (issued
8/11/1923) tied to plain cover by Sydney British Empire Exhibition slogan of MY1/1924 BW #77y, Cat
$7500. [The ACSC states "Two first day covers have been recorded"]
1st May 1924 is considered by many collectors to be the starting point for Australian First Day
Covers. Apart from the Penny Engraved in 1913 (and that date is contentious: see Lots 58 & 59), this
was the first time that the Post Office had announced an official issue date. 1/5/1924 was the issue
date for the New Colours KGV 1d green, 1½d red, 2d brown & 4d olive, plus the new value 3d blue (&
the 2/- maroon Kangaroo). So few First of May covers exist that this and the next lot are considered by
many as being among the "Crown Jewels" of Australian FDCs.
This is the first occasion for many years that a First of May cover has been offered at auction & it is
expected that the catalogue values will be shown to be well behind the real market values. By way of
offering some context to the issue of values, George Lang has advised that about four years ago he
sold a 1915 KGV ½d green FDC - three recorded - for $15,000 to a dealer, who presumably on-sold it
for a profit.
16,000
Lot 61
61 C A- - 2d red-brown tied to plain cover by Sydney British Empire Exhibition slogan of MY1/1924 BW #97y,
a few very minor blemishes (mostly on the reverse), Cat $10,000. [The ACSC states "Two first day
covers have been recorded." However, this cover is the only example recorded by George Lang and
Frank Pauer]
20,000
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