Sale 1334 — The Dr. George Haikel Collection: Stamps and Covers of Exceptional Beauty and Rarity
Sale Date — Tuesday, 12 November, 2024
Category — Hawaiian Missionaries
Hawaii, 1851, 5c Blue (2). Type II, clear to ample margins with framelines complete all around, rich color, bold 7-bar grid cancel, two short sealed tears at bottom, the stamp is otherwise free of faults and has not been repaired in any manner
EXCEPTIONALLY FINE CONDITION FOR A MISSIONARY AND A CHOICE EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT TYPE II SHOWING THE SMALL-SIZE "N" IN "CENTS". VERY RARE AND VERY DESIRABLE WITH ABSOLUTELY NO REPAIRS OR SERIOUS DEFECTS.
Of the 62 5c Missionaries recorded in our updated census, only thirteen off-cover stamps are available to collectors without repairs or serious defects, including ten used examples. This stamp shows the distinctive small "n" in "Cents", a font characteristic of all genuine Type II 5c Missionary stamps, which indicates this value was the first setting of the Missionary printings (the other values show the "n" in the correct size).
Census no. 2-II-CAN-57. Ex Ostheimer, Honolulu Advertiser, Twigg-Smith and Collier. With 1995 P.F. certificate. Scott value is for a repaired example.
Hawaii, 1851, 13c Blue (3). Type I, large to huge margins with part of frameline of adjoining stamp visible in lower right margin, bright shade and sharp impression, completely sound, tied by bold red "Honolulu U.S. Postage Paid May 21" circular datestamp on piece with part of address that reads "Clark"
EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A REMARKABLE AND ABSOLUTELY SUPERB MISSIONARY, DESCRIBED IN THE 1957 CASPARY SALE BY THE LATE HERBERT BLOCH AS "UNQUESTIONABLY THE FINEST MISSIONARY STAMP IN EXISTENCE."
The same Caspary catalogue entry also described a faint bend at bottom "mentioned for accuracy's sake", but we find no evidence in fluid that this has affected the Missionary stamp in any way. This stamp realized $4,750 in the Caspary sale. In comparison, a 2c Missionary in the same auction realized $5,250, only slightly more.
Census no. 3-I-PCE-134. Ex Caspary and Ishikawa. With 1994 P.F. certificate. The Scott value is for an average repaired example—it has no relevance to the value of this sound gem-quality stamp.