tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190925726844102948.post9110949255340689222..comments2024-03-23T04:12:08.762-07:00Comments on Big Blue 1840-1940: Gold CoastJimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02024632082262694589noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190925726844102948.post-14923169932785560572019-08-06T06:41:06.561-07:002019-08-06T06:41:06.561-07:00Johannes- Great story! Thanks for sharing with the...Johannes- Great story! Thanks for sharing with the readers!Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02024632082262694589noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190925726844102948.post-78953685968918696992019-07-24T07:12:56.175-07:002019-07-24T07:12:56.175-07:00Dear Jim, ...Dear Jim, <br />it seems to me extraordinary that I initially asked a question on your website on July 13, 2019 in response to a comment by an unknown person on September 30, 2012, based on your Blue Books publication about the ‘famous’ Gold Coast stamp, known as the SG 24, Queen Victoria 1889, 20 S. <br />By your comments and incentives I became as obsessed to this mystery that I I've found the answer to the question that I originally posted to you in public.<br />By your comments and incentives I became as obsessed to this mystery that I started more intensive with my investigation and research and (yes) I have found the answer to the question that I initially put forwards to the readers in the forum of your blog. <br />But only thanks to your incentive to me to search even deeper into the dusty archives of some fossil philatelists. Therefore I like to thank you in advance, truly and genuine. <br />I don’t like to make it more exciting, but I do like to send you the denouement of this exceptional event in the postage stamp history: <br />Important to know is that the Administration of the British rulers were situated at the castle Christiansborg in Accra (till present called “the Castle”). The Queen Victoria 1889, 20 Shilling stamp was printed and issued for a certain purpose. In his requisition dated 5th January 1889, the Colonial Secretary stated that this stamp will be required almost exclusively for legal purposes, i.e. for fiscal use, and in fact very few can have been used for postal purposes. <br />It is not clear, however, why mint copies should be so rare since 13,320 copies were supplied by De la Rue to the Colony between May 1889 and October 1893. Of these, however, some 3,000 were sent out about the time or just after the stamps had been withdrawn from sale and demonetised on 6th April 1893 and the net number available for issue may, therefore, be taken as approximately 10,000.<br />The withdrawal from sale referred to above followed on the theft on 3rd February 1893 of twenty-four sheets (1,440 stamps) from the strong-room at Accra by a messenger in the Colonial Secretary’s office. He had, apparently, been admitted to the strong-room for the purpose of clearing away litter and ‘having abstracted a packet of stamps dropped it among the litter and swept it out therewith'. The theft was not discovered until 4th April but was soon traced to the messenger; several receivers were also identified, the principal of whom, a Book Binder in the Government Printing Office, confessed to having 956 copies at his house. These stamps, plus a few others (996 in all) were recovered, thus leaving 444 unaccounted for.<br />In the official view only some 40 of these stamps had been accepted for use during the period between 3rd February and 6th April 1893. What happened to the balance is not known although Spowart in his handbook (1929, by SG Ltd) suggests they were thrown into the sea and subsequently recovered, but that is doubtful. All the 20 S stamps in hand, including those recovered, were duly destroyed, approval being given by the Colonial Office on 11th September 1893. A requisition for a new supply in mauve and black on red was sent to De la Rue on 2nd January 1894.<br />The thief and two of the receivers were each sentenced to five years penal servitude (sentenced to prison with hard labour). <br />So, my dear Jim and other interested stamp collectors, this is the story behind the Queen Victoria 1889, 20 Shilling, green and red (SG 24). Always at your service, Johannes Wubbeling, Belgium<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12699712960905815414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190925726844102948.post-32901659171445501452019-07-15T16:22:48.247-07:002019-07-15T16:22:48.247-07:00Wow! Thanks for the back story and congratulations...Wow! Thanks for the back story and congratulations!<br /><br />I have several thoughts....<br /><br />There is probably more information on the theft buried in some obscure philatelic literature or Society notes. Keep looking!<br /><br />I expect you do have a genuine 20 sh red & green. I was going to suggest you get an updated (modern) certificate, but looks like you are in the process of doing so.<br /><br />The sticky part is the "used" condition. It would be nice if there was some clue about the cancel. One does have to worry about a "fake" cancel applied later to increase value. Is it postally used (Would be more valuable)? Was it used as a revenue stamp (Would probably be less valuable)? (The 20 shilling has both "postage" and "revenue" permitted uses.) If revenue, what kind? The Stanley Gibbons catalogue has a note for the Gold Coast: "USED HIGH VALUES: Until the introduction of airmail in 1929 there was no postal use for values over 10s. Post Offices did apply postal cancellations for high value stamps required for telegram fees."<br /><br />Anyway, good luck with your quest!Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02024632082262694589noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190925726844102948.post-49568913313142357192019-07-15T14:24:12.593-07:002019-07-15T14:24:12.593-07:00Dear Jim,
Thanks for your quick reply. The reason...Dear Jim, <br />Thanks for your quick reply. The reason for my question is that I am for a long time in the possession of a Gold Coast, 1889 QV 20 S red and green stamp, in very fine used condition. However, the problem is that no Catalogue recognise or give any vanue to a used stamp QV 1889 20 S red and green. That means I cannot find any description and/or estimation of the catalogue value of this stamp, as used (stamped), in any catalogue. Not in the Michel, not in the Yvert et Tellier and not in the Stanley Gibbons. <br />My stamp goes with a Certificate of authenticity, issued by the Union des Sociétés Philatéliques Suisses (No.319 50), dated 5 June 1950, and signed by expert Dr. G. Fulpius, Geneva, Switzerland. <br /><br />From my own investigations I understood that this particular stamp (SG24, 1889, 20 S Green and red) has been in use for a short period and withdrawn from sale in April 1893 when a large part of the stock was stolen. April 1894 the particular withdrawn stamp was replaced by the Queen Victoria 20 S, Dull mauve and red/black (SG 25). <br /><br />It was during my stay as a Governmental Development worker in Ghana from 2000 till 2013, that I have been informed by a historian of the Ghana Post Head Office, Accra, that although the Queen Victoria stamp, 1889, 20 S green and red, was issued from 1889 till end 1892, were sold during that period. After the theft the left issues were destroyed while waiting for a replacement that came around 1894. <br /><br />However, a certain number of stamps were still circulating and (most of them) are in the possession of stamp collectors at this moment. But (!), without doubts, at that time, from 1889 till 1892, some of these particular stamps are definitive also sold and used for shipment (to mail heavy letters/parcels). And although the huge theft was discovered between March-April 1893 and withdrawn end April 1893, it took till 1894 before the British authorities changed the 20 S Green and red stamp and replaced it with the 20 S, with the colours dull mauve and black/red, which was much more difficult to forge. <br />At this moment I sent my stamp QV 1889 green red (fine used) with the original certificate to David Brandon, Guildford Surrey, UK, as leading expert in this field and asked him for a 2nd opinion about the stmp and certificate. It cannot be that experts of the past, because of lack of information just ignore the fact that there is (are) may be one or more originl used (genuine) stamps. <br />So you can imagine that I am very interested if there is really more information, like a report, an article or another official document about this "huge theft" that made it necessary to withdrawn a complete issue of a just introduced stamp...<br />I hope this will be continued!<br />regards, <br />J. Wubbeling <br /> Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12699712960905815414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190925726844102948.post-90553793078155277262019-07-13T09:33:10.970-07:002019-07-13T09:33:10.970-07:00Hello J. Wubbeling
Well, here is what I learned, ...Hello J. Wubbeling<br /><br />Well, here is what I learned, based on the catalogues.<br /><br />The 1889 Scott 24 20sh green & red "Victoria) (Scott A3 design)(SG 24) was withdrawn from sale April, 1893 when a large part of the stock was stolen. No 20sh stamps were available until April, 1894, when the 1894 Scott 25 (SG 25) 20sh violet & black/red was issued. Catalogue values are $3,500 (unused) for Scott 24, and $40 (used) for Scott 25. I'm sure there is more to the story.Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02024632082262694589noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190925726844102948.post-872650298205505472019-07-13T08:57:07.399-07:002019-07-13T08:57:07.399-07:00Please,
I really like to be informed about what h...Please, <br />I really like to be informed about what happened exactly with the Gold Coast stamp SG 24 QV 20 S which was stolen. Is there any news, story or article what speaks about the big theft between 1889-1893? Pls be so kind to reply or give your comments to me. Regards, J. Wubbeling Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12699712960905815414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190925726844102948.post-57340742319204603422012-09-30T19:25:49.082-07:002012-09-30T19:25:49.082-07:00Interesting comment, but could you be more specifi...Interesting comment, but could you be more specific? I would like to know more of the story. ;-)Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02024632082262694589noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190925726844102948.post-49134434465311844012012-09-30T18:09:47.887-07:002012-09-30T18:09:47.887-07:00There was a 20/ stamp of which almost the entire s...There was a 20/ stamp of which almost the entire stock was stolen from the post office. It was replaced with a stamp in new colors that is a part of the standard definitive. An interesting story.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190925726844102948.post-21926309916939482572012-05-19T17:10:36.520-07:002012-05-19T17:10:36.520-07:00Joe, I published your comment, because it uncovere...Joe, I published your comment, because it uncovered an omission error I made. Thanks for the vigilance! The 1908 Scott 66 1 p carmine ( the pic heads the Big Blue section of the blog) was not put in the checklist, and hence my wrong count!<br /><br />I will correct on Monday when I get back into town.<br /><br />Thanks Joe. :-)<br /><br />JimJimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02024632082262694589noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190925726844102948.post-25387199800447288012012-05-19T13:23:41.037-07:002012-05-19T13:23:41.037-07:00No need to post, but I have 61 in Big Blue.
JoeNo need to post, but I have 61 in Big Blue.<br />JoeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com