IAN KIMMERLY STAMPS
WEEKLY FEATURES

Weekly Feature #201

For the week of May 2nd - May 9th, 2004

VANCOUVER ISLAND

As a colony, Vancouver Island has a rich past. An aboriginal population, known as the Nisg'aa, inhabited the Island for centuries. The explorer, Juan de Fuca landed in 1592. Despite this event, Spain didn't officially appropriate the island until 1774. In 1778, the English explorer, James Cook arrived, landing at Nootka Sound. At the time he was under the impression that the island was the western edge of the mainland. Eight years on, James Strange, under the auspices of King George III, claimed Nootka Sound for England. Spain disputed the claim briefly, but in 1790, the authority of Britain was established.
In 1792, Captain George Vancouver charted the island that now bears his name. The island remained largely rooted in commerce and the military, until 1849, when the Hudson's Bay Co. arrived with a mandate to attract British settlers. A series of Governors held office, ruling Vancouver Island as a colony, until November 19, 1866. This is the date of amalgamation with British Columbia, five years before Confederation with Canada.
Just over a year prior to unification with B.C., on September 19, 1865, Vancouver Island issued an imperforate and perforate 5c rose (#3 & 5), and an imperforate and perforate 10c blue (#4 and 6). These four stamps are the only ones ever issued specifically for Vancouver Island.

THE STAMP
This imperforate Vancouver Island 10c blue, #4 is a lovely stamp. With rich, vivid colour and original gum. It has well clear to large margins on all four sides. It makes a beautiful addition to collections of British colonial postage, or B.C./Vancouver Island postage in particular. Many would grade this as very fine because of the overall quality. Others would cut the grade back to F-VF because of the narrower left margin.
It has a 1973 B.P.A. Certificate. Unitrade recognizes the scarcity of this stamp in top quality mint condition in a backhand way by listing values only in fine and very good condition so we can give you a catalogue value foe a grade higher than fine. As fine the catalogue value is $5625.

Our Price is:
WF201
CDN $3000
US$2250

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