Lot 926
Rhodesia 1896 4d blue, type 8 opt on CGH, marginal vertical pair, lower stamp error "COMPANY" omitted, SG 62/a Mint

Stamps & Covers of the World | S25003
Auction: 16 April 2025 at 10:30 BST
£3,600
Description
1896 4d blue, type 8 opt on CGH, vertical pair with part interpane margin below, the lower stamp error 'COMPANY' OMITTED, mint, brilliant large part o.g., with the error showing only the barest trace of hingeing. A superb example of this famous rarity, from pos. 4 of the row. RPS (1932) and BPA (2020) certs. SG 62/a, £10,000+.
Footnote
Ex Sinton (Harmer 12/1955, lot 55)
Hoffman (LP 1986) recorded only 16 examples, of which just six were in such a marginal pair with normal as here, one being in the Royal Collection. The latest discussion (in "Rhodesian Philately" (2021) by Trotter, Hoffman and Flanagan, at pp. 275-7) suggests that up to 27 examples of total omission may originally have existed, variously from pos.1-6 of the bottom row of several panes. The precise cause of the error has previously been something of a mystery, but the presence of an albino impression of "COMPANY" on this pair (not mentioned by the certificates) indicates that a spasmodic malfunction of the inking roller must have been responsible.

