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150-year-old Canadian stamp expected to sell for over $250K in auction this weekend 

A rare mint condition Canadian stamp issued over 150 years ago will be auctioned off in Ottawa this Saturday, and it’s expected to sell for up to $250,000 Sparks Auctions told NOW Toronto in an email statement. 

The auction house says the stamp is only one of two in the world in mint, never hinged condition, according to their website

The stamp, known as the 12-Penny Black, has never been mounted or placed in an album and still has the glue on its back intact. 

The current bid as of late Thursday afternoon is $150,000, but Sparks Auctions says they wouldn’t be surprised to see it sell for more than $250,000.

(Courtesy-Sparks Auctions)

Collectibles market values are guided by age, rarity, and condition. This 12-penny Black hits a “home run” on all three.

The “sister” stamp to the mint sheet was sold by Sparks Auctions in 2017 for $327,000- the current record for a Canadian stamp sold in Canada. The other mint condition stamp, known as the “Black Empress,” sold for $425,000 in New York in 2011.  

The 12-Penny Black was issued in 1851 and features a portrait of Queen Victoria. Sparks Auctions calls it the star attraction of its “Athena Collection”, and it will go up for sale in two parts starting this Saturday.  

The collection of stamps ranges from the first issues of 1851 to just after World War II. 

Adding to its rarity is the fact that only 1,450 of these stamps were ever sold, mostly due to their price. In 1851, a 12-cent stamp was considered extremely expensive (the equivalent of $16.40 today). 

The auction will be conducted on a traditional live floor, on their website, and through telephone bids. 

More details of the auction can be found on the Sparks Auction website. 

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