While browsing through some old auction catalogues recently, we came across this extraordinary copy of a $5.00 Jubilee. It was offered by R. Maresch & Son at auction on May 17, 1989. Although the Jubilee set seems to be everyone’s favorite amongst Canada’s early stamps, it is not often one finds copies of the high value stamps from the set in this condition. This one was described as a bottom sheet margin copy, never hinged and superb.

R. Maresch & Son May 17, 1989 Scott 65 Catalogue $1,500 Realized $3,750

At the time, the price realized of $3,750 must have attracted a lot of attention. But in the past decade, it has been surpassed several times. In 2005, a copy sold for $5,750 and in 2007, one sold for $8,500. We had a look at the images of those two more recent copies in our catalogue library and, although they were beautiful, we think the above older one from the Maresch sale is better. The more recent ones were both NH like the above, but neither had the bottom sheet margin attached.

The Jubilee set was issued in 1897, just over one hundred years ago. It has attracted the fascination of collectors in Canada and abroad ever since. It seems that the fascination continues, at least for some of us.