HONG KONG.- Zurich Asia announced that its upcoming Hong Kong auction will take place on 2 & 3 June 2020, offering over 2,300 lots of rare philatelic treasures, banknotes and coins. In light of the special circumstances due to Covid-19, the auction will be held privately at Zurich Asia’s office. Registered bidders can participate in live Internet bidding on the website: www.stampauctionnetwork.com.

Leading the sale is a complete sheet of 80 stamps of 8 fen from 1980 Year of the Monkey (“Golden Monkey”). In very fresh condition and with a shiny golden colour, this rare offering is one of the most highly sought-after Chinese philatelic items (Estimate: HK$950,000-1,000,000/ US$121,795-128,205).

Another star lot is a 1925 inverted surcharge in red on second Peking printing Junk issue 3 cents on 4 cents slate-grey stamp. This is the rarest of the “Four Treasures of the Republic” variety with fewer than 10 copies recorded, of which 3 are used (Estimate: HK$600,000-800,000/ US$76,923-102,564).

Among the prized Qing dynasty stamps on offer is an 1897 small figures surcharge, 4 cents on 3 cents revenue stamp. A very fine example of this rare variety, it is in mint condition with full original gum (Estimate: HK$160,000-200,000/ US$20,513-25,641).

An excellent selection of covers will be presented in the sale. One of the key highlights is an 1899 tri-colour mixed franking cover from Kiungchow to Switzerland, on the front bearing a Hong Kong Queen Victoria 10 cents purple on red stamp, tied by a ‘HONG KONG/21.11.99’ circular date stamp and adjacent is a rare and neat ‘KIUNGCHOW/19.11.99’ Dollar chop. On the reverse are a large figures 1 cent on 3 cents Red Revenue surcharge stamp and CIP Coiling Dragon stamps of 4 cents and 5 cents, a tied very neat ‘KIUNGCHOW’ Dollar chop which matches the front cancellation, and a ‘LAUSANNE’ arrival circular date stamp (Estimate: HK$80,000-100,000/ US$10,256-12,820, Lot 367).

Another rare offering is a combination Large Dragon printed cover from Shanghai to Germany, 1887, with a France Peace and Commerce 25 cents stamp on the front, tied by a double ring ‘SHANG-HAI/15.2.87’ French P.O. circular date stamp. The reverse displays a Large Dragon 3 candarins vermilion stamp, tied by a very neat “SHANGHAI’ black seal chop, matching the ‘CUSTOMS/SHANGHAI/2.5.87’ cancellation alongside, with double ring ‘LIGNE.PAQ.FR.No.2’ French ship cancel and ‘BIEBRICH/26.3.87’ arrival circular date stamp (Estimate: HK$50,000-80,000/ US$6,410–10,256, Lot 341).

Of note is a mixed 1898 franking cover to New Jersey, USA, bearing Dowager small figures stamps surcharged 5 cents on 5 candarins and Small Dragon small figures surcharged 5 cents on 5 candarins, both very neatly tied by the rare ‘TAKU’ Dollar chop in black. It also features a pair of Hong Kong Queen Victoria 5 cents blue stamps, tied by small single ring ‘SHANGHAE’ Webb type C (Estimate: HK$50,000-60,000/ US$6,410-7,692, Lot 360).

The sale includes a special section related to the Basel Mission, a Switzerland-based Lutheran missionary society established in 1815. In March 1847, missionaries from the Basel Mission arrived in Hong Kong and began working in China. They first focused on Hakka people in Guangdong province before transferring to Hong Kong in 1851.

Among the highlights in this section is a 1913 King George V 1 cent brown stationery card to Kaiying, tied by a ‘HONG KONG’ circular date stamp, alongside a few rare transits, including bilingual ‘SHUMCHUN’, ‘NANTOW/24.9.13’ char. ‘CANTON/LUNGKONGHUI/25.9.13’ circular date stamps and ‘LUNKONGHUI/KWAICHUNG’ Tombstone frame chop in red (Estimate: HK$20,000-30,000/ US$2,564-3,846, Lot 3080).