Michael Rogers July 18 auction includes Afghanistan, more

The July 18 public auction presented in Florida by Michael Rogers Inc. will include the first part of a collection of early Afghanistan, as well as United States, Canada, China, Asia and additional worldwide issues.

The auction is particularly strong in Ryukyu Islands and includes Italian States stamps and postal history from the collection of Eugene Wolanski.

The Rogers firm reports that it will auction sections of the Afghanistan collection, beginning with the July 18 sale and continuing in upcoming public auctions and mail sales. The collection includes unused and used Tiger’s Head issues, Small Tiger’s Heads, 1881-91 watercolor issues with multiples, and postal history.

Among the Afghan offerings in the current sale is an unusual unused strip of five of the 1871 1-sanar black Tiger’s Head Type II (Scott 3A). The lithographed imperforate issue is on horizontal laid paper without gum, identified as plate C, positions 2, 5, 8, 11 and 14, with one light horizontal crease. The single stamp is listed in the 2014 Scott Classic Specialized Catalogue of Stamps and Covers 1840-1940 with a value of $210; Rogers offers this strip with an estimate of $600.

The postal history lots include an 1873 India to Afghanistan incoming mail cover franked with an India ½-anna blue Queen Victoria stamp paying postage to Peshwar, where two of the 1873 1-shahi black Tiger’s Head stamps (Scott 11) dated 1290 were added, according to the auction description. The stamps have torn corners (a form of cancellation) and are tied with pen strokes. The cover has transit markings on the reverse and is offered with an estimate of $300.

A collection of mostly classic Canada includes an attractive mint never-hinged example of the 1959 5¢ St. Lawrence Seaway stamp with inverted center (Scott 387a), described as fine-very fine with no faults or fingerprints, only a “pinpoint tone speck on gum.” The stamp is offered with an estimate of $7,500.

The range of China issues encompasses Shanghai, treaty ports, Imperial China, People’s Republic and much more.

The auction will also offer a large number of collections and accumulations from many different areas.

Michael Rogers public auction 138 will take place July 18 at the Best Western Mount Vernon Inn, 110 S. Orlando Ave., Room 114, Winter Park, Fla. The sale begins at 10 a.m.

The auction lots can be reviewed online at the firm’s website, www.michaelrogersinc.com, and bids may be placed online, in person, or by mail, phone, e-mail or fax. Absentee bids must be received by 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) July 17.

For additional information, contact Michael Rogers Inc., 415 S. Orlando Ave., Suite 1-4, Winter Park, FL 32789-3683.