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Auction: 26015 - "The Treasure of the Eagles" Collection of Albania - Part I
Lot: 3186

(x) German Occupation (1943-1944)
The Unique Complete Set in Full Sheets with the "1943" Errors
1943, 1q. on 3q., complete set of 14 values, comprising the first ten in full sheets of 100 each and the last four in two sheets of 50 each unmounted mint original gum, including numerous overprint varieties and notable errors, ranging from four to seventeen per sheet. Among these are several spectacular date varieties, such as “1948”, “1643” or “1944” instead of “1943”. The only set of full sheets available featuring these errors, of particular importance due to the large number of varieties and the circumstances surrounding its discovery (see note below). Michel 1–14; (€48,000+ as a very rough indication of the minimum value, without taking into account the numerous varieties listed in the Michel catalogue, each valued at hundreds of euros, and the uniqueness of this lot).

provenance: Robert Ballauri
note: The overprinting of this issue was carried out under urgent conditions at the “Kristo Luarasi” Printing House in Tirana, within a period of just 20 days. The overprints were applied by hand across different plates (two for the qindar denominations and one for the franc denominations), and consequently no sheets exist in which two identical overprints can be found. Two to three days after its release on 23.10.1944, sales were suddenly suspended by order of the General Directorate of the Tirana Post Office (according to the philatelist Osman Saraçi, who was working at the General Post Office at the time and refers to this in his memoirs), after errors (possibly intentional) in the “1943” date were detected by the postal clerk Aldo Çoba. Postal staff then spent several days removing the affected stamps, creating gaps or empty positions in the sheets. Sales resumed once this process had been completed. According to most published sources, 23,000 sets of 14 values were printed. However, other accounts differ, notably that of Angelo Cristofoletti, who was directly involved in production at the “Kristo Luarasi” Printing House in Tirana and is therefore considered the most reliable witness. He states that only 18,000 sets were produced, and adds that of which approximately 2,000 sets were damaged either during separation from the sheets or during the correction period, once the errors had been identified. According to the version reported by Robert Ballauri in his 2001 article in "Koleksionisti", Cristofoletti further states that 11,000 sets were included in sheets containing a very small number of stamps showing the “1943” error. Of these, sheets corresponding to 6,000 sets were subsequently corrected in the relevant positions (approximately 60 sheets per value), leaving an estimated 5,000 complete sets that escaped correction, including a very small number still exhibiting “1943” errors. All these factors explain the exceptional rarity and significance of the unique set of complete sheets containing the "1943" errors.

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Estimate
£10,000 to £20,000

Starting price
£9000