Special Jubilee Auction #203 - Euro (€)

PALESTINE

Trial Overprint in Part-Sheets from the Estate of the Postmaster General

1920 E"I PALESTINA (Eretz Israel Palestine) trial overprint in complete set of 11 values in part sheets of 168 stamps, the 1pi value with the overprint in gold instead of silver as issued, some values with some perf. separation and few small pieces of missing selvedge, otherwise very fine and fresh.

The overprint on the issued stamps reads PALESTINA E"I. Interestingly none of the 1st setting overprint constant varieties exist on this trial overprint. Although the 4m part sheet shows the variety "Arabic 40" on positions 111 and 207.

Only 12 stamps of each value were previously known to exist, with one set in blocks of four in the Queen's collection. These known examples seemingly coming from these part sheets.

Provenance: From the estate of the Postmaster General of the Palestine Post Office, Colonel William Hudson

Biography: The Royal Philatelic Collection by Sir John Wilson, Asia page 49 states "1920 Essays of overprint with the two Hebrew words misplaced. This error was corrected before any issue was made. 1m to 20pi set corner marginal blocks of four, the overprint on the 1pi is in gold, afterwards changed to silver for the issued stamps"

Note: Colonel William Hudson was Postmaster General and head of the Palestine Post Office from 1917 to 1930.

(Stanley Gibbons 2018, £ 462'000, 1848 stamps at £250 each)

Estimate: ? 150'000 - ? 200'000