Christoph Gärtner has recently held its “Worldwide Rarities Public Auction” auction that offered a wide variety of remarkable items from all over the world, including unique pieces, world rarities and post-historically important items of all kinds. One of the rarest philatelic items that was sold during this sale is an unused pair of 1850 'Winterthur' 2½ Rp stamps that is often called as a real gem of Swiss philately. The stamps featuring very fresh colors and wide margins managed to fetch $46,485. The auction took place on August 16-17.
The Swiss stamps known as “Winterthur” were issued in 1850 by Zürich postal administration. The items with a 2½ Rappen value were released to pay reduced postage for local mail in the important towns of the cantons Zürich, Zug, Schaffhausen and Thurgau. An unusual feature of “Winterthur” stamps is the ornamental design, featuring the Swiss federal cross and a posthorn, placed between the stamp subjects. Winterthur stamps were in circulation for a very short time, as the Federal local appeared generally throughout Switzerland on April 5, 1850. A set of two Winterthur stamps sold by Christoph Gärtner is one of the most desirable items in the world of philately. Congratulations to its new owner!
