Lot 52 Southern Nigeria SC#32var, 33, 33var 1/2d Dull Green, Head A and 1d Carmine Heads A and B, 1907-1910 King Edward VII Universal Colours Keyplate Issue, Combination Usage on Cover to Lome, Togo, Estimated Value $25

A very good to fine cover, sent from Forcados on December 6, 1910 to Lome, Togo. Franked with both head A and B 1d Edward VII keyplates and a head A 1/2d dull green, paying the 2.5d letter rate to Lome, Togo. Unfortunately, head B 1d is torn from opening the cover at the top, but both the scarcer Head A's are unaffected. Head A is not listed in Scott, but does list in Gibbbons for 3 GBP per stamp off cover, so for both stamps the value on cover is $24. Togo is a better destination, but the cover is only very good to fine, because of the tear at the top right. So the value is based solely on the value of the head A stamps on cover. Proud type D5 Forcados CDS, dated December 6, 1910 (20 GBP on cover in Proud), December 8, 1910 double circle Lagos transit backstamp, and no less than 3 transit backstamps for Dahomey: December 10 Porto Novo, December 12 Grand Popo and December 12 Agoue. Gibbons prescribes a multiplier of 8x for Queen Victoria issues used on cover, and 4x for Edward VII and George V issues. This is the starting point in valuing these covers. Then, the value of any postal markings is added and both the rate and route travelled are considered, as well as condition. The basic catalogue value, based on the multiplier applied to 2022 Scott Classic catalogue values is $24. Based on all the factors considered, we estimate the value of the cover to be $25.