Just curious- what's with Australia's 1971 3-Kings X-mas set

[noernberg]

Just won'drin...

What is it about the 1971 Australian #-Kings Christmas set that makes it so valuable? Is there a story out there?

[aardvaark777]

It was the format that was different,on each half sheet of 50 the green stamps formed two crosses. So it was collected in both the blocks and sets of seven and also in the half sheets

[noernberg]

Thanks. But were fewer printed, or were they just snatched up because they were so popular? I see even the individual stamps carry a premium (not just the blocks).

[youpiao]

Can't answer your question specifically, Doug, but here's a half-pane of 25. I don't know if the other half has an identical layout. If it does, then the quantity of each stamp varies. Most of them have 4 to a half-sheet, while 508f only has 2 (3rd row, 1st and last), which would go a long way toward explaining the premium on that particular stamp.



Tedski

[youpiao]

The black&white stamps shows the 2 blocks available in one half-pane. That leaves 11 "orphans" that cannot complete a set of 7. You wind up with one 508a, and 2 each of b,c,d,e, and g.

If I were to venture a guess, I would say that Scott is being lazy and simply using a generic (so to speak) valuation formula. With no 508f available to match up with one of the 11 orphans, it is the key to this set, so it gets the $13 valuation, then they just slapped a $2 figure on the rest. The b,c,d,e,and g stamps probably merit somewhat less than a $2 value, but 508a should be higher.

I just checked Michel 2010 for Australia. They confirm my feelings. They put a 1.50 Euro valuation on the 5 common stamps. Scott values are typically 50 to 70% of Michel values, and 1.50 Euros is only about $1.90. Michel values the 2 short-printed stamps at 10 and 11 Euros (about $13 and $14.25).



Tedski

[oz4oz]

The answer is reasonably simple to explain although many stampies in Aussie will add their 2 bobs worth as well.

Prior to the THREE KINGS issue Christmas stamps were issued in lots ranging up to or near 100,000 each (basic and ummm dare i say it boring to most collectors). The 1971 THREE KINGS issue broke all the rules, there were 7 different in sheets of 25 (maths says 7 does not go into 25 so numbers were going to vary).

Looking at the official figures for each you see why they were fast sellers and remain very much in demand in 2012.

7c pink on pink 15,875,024 cv 3.50
7c pink on brown 15,875,024 cv 3.50
7c pink on green 11,906,268 cv 15.00
7c brown on brown 15,875,024 cv 3.50
7c green on white 15,875,024 cv 3.50
7c blue on green 15,875,024 cv 3.50
7c blue on pink 7,937,512 cv 11.00

Those prices are from local cat here in Aussie but give an idea of where this set sits. Add to this the following

7 pane different kings cv 43.50
25 full issue pane cv 115.00

Finally looking at 1970 issue as a COMPARE, 6c single issue 98,7236,950 cv 50c

Trust that helps out a little, basically it was different, became popular due to design (& fruistration for collectors) and become the "darling issue" of its time & it's remained that way to the present.

ANDREW

[noernberg]

Thank you Andrew! That really puts it in perspective, especially the relative number of printings!

[oz4oz]