Last Post from Remote Russian Outpost
Dec 19 2014

On 18 January 2015 Spink China will be offering for sale "Fine Stamps and Covers of China and Hong Kong".   Amongst the highlights is a highly important cover of Mongolian Postal History (Lot 2879). This address label used in 1917 is from the Russian Post Office in Ulankom. It was sent by registered post to St. Petersburg. It is believed that this post office was only opened in 1917 and would have closed shortly after the October Revolution in Russia. This is the only recorded item of ma...

New World Record Price for a Tudor Coin Achieved at Spink
Dec 19 2014

On 18th December 2014, Spink London sold two superb gold Tudor Sovereigns of Henry VII and Henry VIII for a combined price of £732,000 (incl. premium). As a result Spink now hold the new world record for the highest price realised for a Tudor coin at auction.   Victor of the Battle of Bosworth, Henry VII, 1485-1509, issued the auction highlight (Lot 540). This type III sovereign, a masterpiece of renaissance art, is vaunted as one of the finest of the issue. It sold for £372,000 agains...

The First of America's Silver Dollars on Sale at Spink USA
Dec 17 2014

The first of America's iconic Silver Dollars will be on sale at Spink USA on 27 January 2015. It will also be available for viewing at the FUN Show in Florida from Thursday January 8 to Sunday January 11 2015. Late in 1794, the first U.S. silver dollar was introduced. These lovely dollars - dame Liberty, her hair flowing, on one side; a rustic eagle in a charming display on the other - would find their way into few pockets and purses; a mere 1,758 pieces were minted. Obverse Si...

The Fantastic Journey of a Family Letter During a Time of War Across Continents
Dec 11 2014

The 7th December 1941 is etched in the minds of millions of people across the world in terms of Pearl Harbour. Within the next year Japanese forces had conquered a vast tract of territory in the region; Hong Kong, Singapore,  Malaya, Burma, Thailand, Borneo, Java, Sumatra, the other islands making up the Dutch East Indies (DEI), Wake Island, Guam and the Philippines had all fallen.   The Philippines was the last major country to fall to the Japanese. When they landed on Luzon, the...

Father and Son The Tudors to Star as Sovereigns in Spink London Coin Sale
Dec 10 2014

On 17th and 18th December 2014, Spink and Son will be holding their second December coin sale. It is  held over two days with ancient Greek, Roman, Islamic and modern world coins on the first day, and Anglo-Saxon, Medieval, Tudor and Stuart English coins as well as a few Scottish and Irish coins, and modern British coins and medals on the second day.   But the stars of the show are the two superb gold Tudor Sovereigns of Henry VII and Henry VIII.   The gold Sovereign still...

Exceptional Survivors Surface at Spink Banknote Auction
Nov 27 2014

Lot 1179 - Bank of England, J.G.Nairne, £5, 1914. This note is a remarkable survivor with an equally amazing story.  This 1914 £5 note, just over 100 years old at the time of writing, was in the pocket of Lord Montagu of Beaulieu when the passenger liner SS Persia was sunk by a German submarine on 30th December 1915.  Lord Beaulieu was picked up from the water along with many other survivors, although famously, his mistress did not survive.  The papers ran with the story for man...

Rare Scottish FORCED Loan Document Raised To Defeat The Royalist English During The Civil War
Nov 25 2014

On 28th November 2014 Spink London will offer for sale one of only two known existing documents issued to raise money for a Scottish invasion of England, estimated at £4,000 - 5,000.  Lot 383 This certificate for 600 merks (£400) was issued to pay for the troops, drawn from Scottish Covenanters, who joined with Cromwell's forces to help defeat Charles I. Printed with hand date insertion of 22nd August, 1644. "Forced" loans were a common way of raising money for both sides during...

Medals Soar at Spink Auction
Nov 21 2014

On 20th November, Spink London held an auction of historically important Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria. The auction, comprised of 500 Lots, generated significant interest in a number of important medals and medal groups which resulted in remarkable prices. At the forefront of this successful auction were the decorations and medals awarded to Lieutenant P.P. 'Clem' Clements of the Parachute Regiment and X Troop 11 SAS, one of the most highly decorated members of the airb...

Spink to Auction the Medals to One of Britain’s Most Decorated Airborne Soldiers
Nov 11 2014

On 20th November 2014, Spink London will hold its third auction of Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria in 2014. At the forefront of a diverse 500 lots of British and Foreign Orders, Decorations and Medals, are the medals awarded to Lieutenant P.P. 'Clem' Clements of the Parachute Regiment and X Troop 11 SAS, one of the most highly decorated members of the airborne forces, of which he had been a founding member. Lot 9 Estimate £30,000 - £40,000   On the outbreak of W...

Exceptional Collection of Islamic & Indian Coin Offered By Spink
Oct 24 2014

An exceptional collection of over 1200 Islamic coins will be offered in auction by Spink London on 2nd December 2014. Carefully chosen for their rarity, historical importance and aesthetic quality, the collection encompasses the entire Islamic world and chart back to earliest period of Byzantine influence through to the early years of the 20th Century. Commenting upon the rare coinage of the Umayyad, Nasrid, Fatimid, Ottoma and Qajar dynasties, Spink Specialist, Barbara Mears, said; "The auct...

Spink London Breaks the World Record for a Single Australian Item in Auction
Oct 16 2014

Today, 16th October 2014, Spink London broke the world record for a single Australian philatelic item in an auction of Australian Commonwealth from the Vestey Collection; a corner block of the prepared but never issued, Edward VIII 2d. stamps.  Quoted by Spink Specialist, Nick Startup, as "one of the most prized rarities in all Australian Philately", the famed sheet realised a fantastic £240,000. The legacy of these stamps began in Australia, 1936. The Governor of Victoria, Lord Huntingf...

Spink Breaks Six World Records in One Auction
Oct 15 2014

Spink has yet again reinstated itself as the world's premier auction house by breaking six world records for Middle Eastern postal history within a single auction. Many incredible results from the auction of "Indian Postal Agencies in the Persian Gulf Area, The Alan Parsons Collection", 10th October 2014, achieved hugely impressive prices that surpassed estimates by the thousands. One of the items to do so was one of the finest of the few covers known from Muscat (Lot 2183) with the "23" Dupl...

Spink China Auctions Historical Philately
Oct 11 2014

Following the outstanding auction of Indian Postal Agencies in the Persian Gulf Area from Alan Parsons, Spink China held an auction of diverse selection of stamps, surcharges and postal history dating back to Imperial China. From the huge catalogue on offer, one of the many historically important items was the 1980 Year of the Monkey from the People's Republic of China in a complete sheet of eighty (Lot 869). This fine sheet is surpassed its estimate and achieved HK$1,200,000. Lot 869 Pr...

Spink China Breaks New Records for Middle East Material
Oct 10 2014

On 10th October 2014, Spink China held an eventful evening sale offering the remarkable collection of Indian Postal Agencies in the Persian Gulf Area assembled over many years by the well-known collector and student of this area; the late Alan Parsons FRPSL. The majority of lots achieved incredible prices that surpassed estimates by the thousands. Setting new records for Middle East material, Spink raised the bar to a new level within this genre of stamp collecting. Amongst the many highlight...

Iconic Banknotes Gain Equally Impressive Prices at Spink
Oct 02 2014

From the 30th September until the 2nd October 2014, Spink London held its flagship auction of World Banknotes for this year. Over the three days, an astonishing catalogue of over 2200 lots was auctioned to achieve numerous impressive results, many well above their pre-sale estimate. The first two days were devoted to material from a multitude of sources. Highlights included a 50 piastres note from the National Bank of Egypt (Lot 482).  This early note from 1899 includes the exceptionally...

Spink China to Offer Fine Historical Philately
Oct 01 2014

On 11th of October, Spink China will auction a diverse selection of stamps, surcharges and postal history dating back to Imperial China. One of the many historically important items amongst the hundreds of lots on offer is the 1980 Year of the Monkey from the People's Republic of China in a complete sheet of eighty (Lot 869). This fine sheet is expected to achieve HK$1,000,000-1,100,000. Lot 869 Estimate: HK$1,000,000 - HK$1,100,000 (detail)   Highlights also include a fine and v...

Spink London to Auction the Greatest Rarity in Australian Philately
Sep 30 2014

Spink London is thrilled to announce the sale of one of the most prized rarities in all Australian Philately; a corner block of the prepared but never issued, Edward VIII 2d. stamps.  Offered on 16th October 2014, amongst other items of the Australian Commonwealth specifically selected from the outstanding Vestey collection and sold by the order of Trustees, the unique block is expected to realise between £200,000 - £300,000. During the reign of King Edward VIII in 1936, the Governor of...

Spink London to Auction the Greatest Rarity in Australian Philately (1)
Sep 30 2014

Offered on 16th October 2014, amongst other items of the Australian Commonwealth specifically selected from the outstanding Vestey collection and sold by the order of Trustees, the unique block is expected to realise between £200,000 - £300,000. During the reign of King Edward VIII in 1936, the Governor of Victoria, Lord Huntingfield, visited the Note and Stamp Printing Branch of the Commonwealth of Australia. After witnessing the printing process of the then new King Edward VIII is...

Spink To Offer Philatelic Tribute to Alan Parsons
Sep 29 2014

On 10th October 2014, Spink China will auction a remarkable collection of Indian Postal Agencies in the Persian Gulf Area assembled over many years by the well-known collector and student of this area; the late Alan Parsons FRPSL. President of the India Study Circle for 8 years, Alan Parsons is best remembered for his award winning displays of Persian Gulf Postal History and collections of Eastbourne, Gibraltar, Malta, Morocco Agencies, Pondicherry and Zanzibar. Spink Specialist, David Parson...

Spink Auction Rare British Stamps of Outstanding Quality
Sep 25 2014

On 25th September 2014, Spink London held an auction of exceptional British philately, specifically selected from the outstanding collection amassed by Lord Vestey and sold by order of the Trustees. From a choice selection of 258 rarities, items ranged from issues of Queen Victoria through to King Edward VII and King George V. Offering stamps of the upmost rarity and uniqueness, the auction allowed collectors and philatelists the opportunity to own items that rarely come onto the market. With...