#2, 1886 "Martinique/5c" Small surcharge on 20c Red on green, a p

May 2012

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#2, 1886 "Martinique/5c" Small surcharge on 20c Red on green, a pleasing mint example of this terribly rare stamp, which is the key item to completing a collection of Martinique, vivid rich colors, centered to lower right as are all the known genuine examples, bold surcharge impression, full o.g., a couple trivial gum toned spots on several perforations which do not show on face and are not even mentioned on the certificate, fine; one of the rarest stamps of all the French Colonies as only 25 stamps received the small "5c" surcharge, some of which were used and have been lost to philately, leaving far fewer mint stamps still available, some of which have faults, making this one of the nicer examples available; signed A. Brun and Champion and accompanied by a 1998 Behr certificate; ex-Gibralter (Yvert #1B; €17,000).