SG 2 - Pair of Penny Blacks of 1840 - Very Fine Used

One does not often see multiples of the Penny Black. When offered on auction they usually fetch a much better price than the sum of individual stamps. This pair is lettered MJ and MK. The left hand stamp is cut very close on the left - just touching into the design. The right hand stamp is a perfect four margin copy. Both are cancelled with fairly neat and light red maltese crosses. If the cancellation on the right hand stamp was clearer I would consider it superb used. Somebody has written July 1840 in pencil on the reverse but I cannot vouch for this information or which plate these stamps are from. The red Maltese cross does suggest fairly early use. The 2012 Concise by SG, catalogues the cheapest plates of this stamp, with red maltese cross cancellations, in very fine condition at  £375. In trying to price this pair I have regarded the value of the left hand stamp as  £225 and the right hand stamp at  £375. So as individual stamps I would suggest the catalogue Value is  £600. I think the multiple increase this by at least 30% i.e.  £180 giving a total catalogue value of  £780. i.e. Approx R10,150.

I am asking for 50% of this = R5075.

Les Cowburn has been a collector/accumulator for 50+ years. I am now offering some of the items I have accumulated over the years on BidorBuy. The items I am offering are generally better than average specimens of more difficcult stamps. If the items on offer have any faults I will note tthis in the description..