Lot 282 Nigeria #79 1.5d Emerald & Black 1953 Coronation Issue, Two Blocks of 12 Used on Registered Airmail Cover to UK, Net. Est. $30

Underpaid triple weight registered airmail cover sent from Ibadan on June 2, 1953 to Cheshire, UK. Franked with two blocks of 1.5d Coronation stamps, paying exactly 3/- postage. Given that the airmail rate to the UK was 1/- per ounce, this means that this cover is either underpaid 3d, representing the registration fee on the triple weight rate, or it is overpaid by 9d on the double weight rate. Each stamp in the blocks has been tied by a crisp strike of Proud type D17 (2 GBP on cover in Proud), and the cover also bears a strike of Proud type R4 oval registry handstamp (also 2 GBP in Proud on cover), as well as Proud type R37 of Lagos. The Coronation Issue was released on June 2, making this a First Day Cover.

The cancellations list in Proud for 4 GBP and the cover value to a common destination is approximately $12 applying Gibbons’ prescribed multiplier of 2 to the Scott value of $6 for the stamps off cover. But the first day use and the large multiples make this a much more valuable cover. So, the value of this cover, taking the destination, rate, franking and cancellations into account is $30.