Stanley Gibbons £1 Million Portfolio

Protect and grow your wealth

The global finance markets are still volatile, yet we are currently experiencing record demand for our safe haven investment products and, recently, we sold our single most valuable rare stamp.

At a time when many financial & housing markets are fragile a Stanley Gibbons client has paid £375,000 ($595,000) for a single British stamp, the 6d IR Official. Recently, a single Penny Black also sold for £250,000 ($397,000). It's a world record for a single example of the world's first postage stamp.

It doesn't surprise us. Secure, tangible assets which have shown strong, consistent historical growth, have come to the fore.

In the UK, to ensure absolutely safety you'd need to open 20 bank accounts with £50,000 in each to qualify for the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, remembering that you will not be afforded maximum protection twice for banks that are linked to each other.

Not the most practical solution...

It's why more and more astute investors are placing their money in the collectibles markets, and also why we are seeing a groundswell of interest from Asia and the Indian sub-continent. Just this month the Times of India wrote:

"Considered to be an "undervalued" but a highly stable asset class, investing in rare stamps is catching the fancy of Asians, particularly Indians. Investment portfolio managers feel that with India 's growth story, rare stamps will be the next big asset class to invest in for the well-heeled."

The Wall Street Journal also reported:

"These days, wealthy people prize collectibles that are scarce since they tend to produce stronger (or "non-correlated") returns compared with more common assets such as stocks and bonds"

With that in mind Stanley Gibbons has once again created the Million Pound Portfolio.

A selection of the rarest stamps and autographs in the world today. It's your opportunity to invest in a solid and safe tangible asset with proven long-term historic returns. After all, what could be scarcer than:

Prized, premium Penny Blacks - the world's first and most famous stamp
Henry VIII - a 450 year old document signed by the historic icon
Edward IV - the earliest known British Royalty signature in private hands
Oliver Cromwell - A direct order personally signed by Cromwell on 14 February 1650

We first launched a £1million portfolio last year and the interest was massive. We were even featured on the BBC's Working Lunch show and the historical pieces have gone on to feature on the prime time BBC One Show.

Media interest is currently very high in collectibles investments. The New York Times recently reported that this class of asset is becoming more popular among investors and:

"Yields a higher return when the stock market does poorly"

To find out why you should be diversifying into the world of collectibles read our FREE GUIDE

www.stanleygibbons.com/freereport

Or have a look at what your Million Pound Portfolio might look like below:

	EDWARD IV -- Royalty & Aristocracy A remarkable original engrossed royal proclamation of the conclusion of a treaty of peace for thirty years with Francis Duke of Brittany. Signed by the King at the close as 'EdowardR' (thought to be the French form of his signature) and with stated warranty of Parliament . The document is dated 8th June 1468 (in fact 1467), written in French and is accompanied by a full translation. It is in superb condition and measures 15.25x23.25 inches. Documents written by Edward IV are the earliest royal ones that a collector can ever realistically expect to obtain. Price: £150,000.00
	Great Britain 1840 SG: 2 1840 1d Black Pl.1a. Exceptionally fine and fresh four margin right hand marginal unmounted o.g. strip of four lettered DI-DL accompanied by a 1974 BPA certificate. A magnificent exhibition piece and a very rare multiple, without doubt one of the finest plate 1a pieces extant. Price: £125,000.00
	VAN GOGH, VINCENT -- Art An extremely rare handwritten poem on a portion of a leaf cut from an album (with pre-printed parallel red lines at the left margin), approx. 5.5x10.7 cm. The leaf was originally included in an album containing about sixty entries (approx. 180 pages) written during Van Gogh's residence in England in 1876. While there, Van Gogh wrote to his brother Theo of his love for English hymns, especially "Tell Me the Old, Old Story". The four verses of this poem are neatly penned in tiny script, while the verso contains 32 partial lines of Dutch religious verse, also in Van Gogh's hand. The handwritten entry has been documented and verified by the Van Gogh Museum.. Handwritten material of Vincent Van Gogh is exceedingly rare and desirable. The few letters that have come onto the market in the last ten years have all sold in the six-figure range. Price: £50,000.00
	GREAT BRITAIN 1854 SG: 57 1854 10d Brown (Die 4). A magnificent unused o.g. block of eight from the top two rows of the sheet, just touched at lower right with a couple of minor creases as is to be expected with such a multiple. A stunning exhibition piece of the highest rarity accompanied by 1982 Holcombe and 2001 BPA Certificates. Ex. Burrus, Fraser. Price: £110,000.00
	HENRY VIII -- Royalty & Aristocracy Document Signed, Henry R, one page, oblong folio, on vellum, Hampton Court, March 9, 1543. To Sir Richard Rich, First Chancellor of the Court of Augmentations, referring to future payment schedules for a debt incurred by Edward North, Crown Treasurer, for lands received from the King. The Court of Augmentations was established by Henry VIII to try cases affecting the suppression of monasteries. Fine condition. Framed with a handsome engraved portrait after Holbein, in ivory silk with silver-gilt bevels and a beaded silver-gilt frame. Framed dimensions: 24 inches wide by 13½ inches high. Price: £45,000.00
	GREAT BRITAIN 1840 SG: 2 1840 1d Black Pl.4. A magnificent unused o.g. four margin horizontal strip of five lettered KA-KE accompanied by a clear 2006 BPA Certificate. A stunning exhibition piece of the highest rarity. Ex. De Worms (1938). Price: £95,000.00
	ELIZABETH I -- Royalty & Aristocracy Important and impressive document, signed Elizabeth R, approving the list of the twenty members of the Order of the Knights of the Garter for 1589, including Philip II of Spain, who the year before had launched the Spanish Armada against England. 11 by 11 inches, on vellum. Very fine condition, framed in gilt with an exceptional engraved portrait. Framed dimensions: 25 inches wide by 19 inches high. Price: £45,000.00
	Mauritius 1859 SG: 19,29,37 1859 (MY 9) outer wrapper from Port Louis to 'Alex Taylor, Esq, London', endorsed 'Via Aden & Marseilles', franked at 1s (½oz) packet rate by the unique and wonderful three-colour, triple issue combination of 1848-59 1d 'POST PAID' red-brown on bluish paper, worn impression, pos. 2, 1858-62 'Britannia' 9d dull magenta (issued April 1859) and 1859 (Mar) 'Lapirot' 2d blue, early impression, pos. 12, each with fine colour and clear to good margins, tied by mute barred oval cancels. On reverse, double oval 'PACKET LETTER/MAURITIUS' despatch ds and red sender's cachet of Lestrange & Co., Port Louis. On face '10d' credit mark in red crayon, crisp 'LONDON PAID' arrival cds (JU 6 59) in redand further red 'L' cds of same date, probably applied in connexion with the rather inadequate address and the note 'Try 16 Ludgate Hill (E.C.).' Carried by P&O steamers 'Malta' from Mauritius to Suez and by 'Ellora' from Alexandria to Marseilles on the recently re-opened route from Australia. An absolutely extraordinary and unparalleledfranking, which captures a brief period in the history of the Mauritius post office, when these three disparate issueswere simultaneously current, and which is also the earliestrecorded usage of the 2d Lapirot. Unquestionably one of thegreat covers of Mauritius and British Empire philately, of exceptional beauty and in a remarkable state ofpreservation. Ex Kanai (Feldman 3/11/93, lot 158 - realisedSF184,000 and the eighth highest individual realisation in a sale which included four 'POST OFFICE' items (!), and illustrated on p.83 of 'Classic Mauritius'. BPA cert (1994). Price: £95,000.00
	EDWARD VI -- Royalty & Aristocracy A magnificent letter to the dean and chapter of Exeter, forwarding a grant by the Bishop of Exeter to Sir William Paget and asking him to confirm it under the cathedral chapter's seal. The document is dated at 10th February 1548 and is countersigned by Lord Protector Somerset. The document is in very fine condition. There is some expected paper loss to the right which has been professionally repaired and did not affect the writing. Letters by Edward VI are very scarce as the King only ruled the country from 1547 until 1553). This example is presented in a fine buckram box with leather label, gilt to the lid, accompanied by a full transcription. Price: £37,500.00
	Great Britain 1867 SG: 126var 1867-74 5s Rose Pl's 1 & 2. The unique pair of unused o.g. matching corner imprimaturs from plates 1 and 2 lettered HJ showing current numbers "284" and "294" respectively. Some minor gum creasing nevertheless a magnificent pair of positional pieces, unique in private hands. AA the other current number position still being present on the imprimatur sheet. Price: £80,000.00
	FALKLANDS WAR - SOUTH GEORGIA -- Military The note that began the countdown to the Falklands War - one page, original message dictated by Rex Hunt, Governor of the Falkland Islands, over the radio to Trevor Edwards of the British Antarctic Survey, and to him by the Argentine expedition that had landed on South Georgia, headed 'Sat March 20th 1982 from the Governor of the Falklands Islands’. The piece begins ‘You Have Landed illegally at Leith without obtaining proper clearance’ and is written in green ballpoint pen on lightweight paper. It was recently displayed at the National Army Museum to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the war. Price: £29,950.00
	Great Britain 1878 SG: 129var 1878 £1 Brown lilac Pl.1. Superb unused o.g. imperforate imprimatur lettered FD. Very rare, one of only 28 possible example many of which are in institutional collections. A magnificent stamp with an unrivalled provenanace. Ex. The Royal Philatelic Collection of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. 2001 RPS Cert. Price: £45,000.00
	KENNEDY, J.F. & JACQUELINE -- Politics An extremely rare, historic signed and inscribed 8 x 10 photograph by both John and Jacqueline Kennedy individually. The image depicts Senator Kennedy and his new wife standing together in a full length pose as they emerge from St. Mary's Church in Newport, Rhode Island following their marriage ceremony on 12th September 1953. John Kennedy has signed the image in fountain pen ink across a light area at the base, 'Dave and Mrs. Deignan, with very best wishes from us both, Jack' and Jacqueline Kennedy has added her signature ('Jackie') in black ink alongside. Inscribed to David Deignan who was employed by Kennedy's father, Joseph, as a chauffeur and personal assistant. Kennedy has experienced some slight pen trouble at the beginning of the inscription, however his signature remains bold. Jacqueline Kennedy's signature has fair contrast and is entirely legible. Signed photographs by both Kennedy's are extremely rare and this is a particularly good image to find signed. Neatly mounted, otherwise in very good condition. The wedding of the Kennedy's, who were to become one of the most famous and iconic couples of the 20th century, was considered the social event of the season. Price: £24,000.00
	Great Britain 1980 SG: 1113ac 1980 12p 150th Anniversary of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway. The superb unmounted o.g. corner marginal se-tenant strip of five with lemon omitted affecting all five stamps. A spectacular and major missing colour rarity with only two strips recorded. 1996 Brandon Cert. Price: £45,000.00
	BEATLES, THE -- Music A superb vintage 10x8, full length, black and white photograph of The Beatles in casual dress pictured on a beach in the Bahamas taken during the filming of the 1965 film 'Help!' Signed and inscribed across the upper portion of the image, "To Warwick, Best Wishes Ringo Starr', "To Warwick, Good heavens from Uncle John Lennon" and "To Warwick best wishes from Uncle George Harrison" and signed across a lower left portion by Paul McCartney. McCartney and Starr have signed in blue felt tip and Lennon and Harrison in blue ballpoint, the signature from Harrison being rather light. With pin holes to all four corners, scattered creasing and surface staining and edge toning as a result of previous mounting this still remains a fantastic set of extremely desirable signatures which are becoming increasingly scarce to find on a photograph of this size and quality. A good example of four rare and highly sought after signatures on an attractive image, mounted framed and glazed. Price: £19,500.00
	Malaya - Johore 1922 SG: 128 1922-40 $500 blue and red, o.g. Fractionally toned gum but fine fresh appearance and apparently unmounted. A very rare stamp, one of the key items of 20th Century Malaya. Clear BPAcert (1976). Price: £18,000.00
	DIANA - PRINCESS OF WALES -- Royalty An absolutely stunning 14x16" (approx.) colour, portrait, official photograph of a smiling Princess Diana, wearing a beautifully encrusted diamond and pearl tiara and matching earrings. Signed across the mount, below the image in black pen ink, dated in her own hand '1992'. Beautifully and professionally double mounted, framed and glazed. Contemporary responses to Diana's life and legacy have been mixed but a popular fascination with the Princess endures. Price: £12,500.00
	CROMWELL, OLIVER -- Military An order to pay Phillipe Twistleton the sum of one thousand three hundred and seventy nine pounds and fourteen shillings for payment to the officers and soldiers in his regiment of horse, addressed to Sir John Woollaston, Treasurer at War and signed 'O Cromwell'. One page folio, receipted at the foot by Philippe Twistleton, n.p., 14 February 1650. The first three lines of the document have faded somewhat, but the remainder remains clear and legible throughout. Price: £12,500.00