Scott 3/SG 3, 2c 1967 Independent Anguilla overprint, VF fresh mint NH (UM)

Description

A modern rarity:
Anguilla Scott 3 (or Stanley Gibbons 3), 2c St. Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla issue overprinted "Independent Anguilla," fresh MINT NEVER HINGED (unmounted mint), clean stamp without faults.
This issue is one of the great rarities of British Commonwealth philately of the QEII era. At the time Anguilla declared its independence, only a very small stock of St. Christopher Nevis Anguilla stamps were present on the island, which were overprinted "
Independent Anguilla
" under the supervision of an Anguilla government employee by Island Press in St. Thomas, in the US Virgin Islands, and officially became available on September 4th, 1967.
So few stamps were overprinted that they were
only
available for postal usage, and sales were personally controlled by the island Postmaster. NONE were sold to the philatelic trade; hence
these stamps are missing from virtually ALL QEII Commonwealth collections
, and are very rarely for sale. Most collectors didn't even find out the issue existed till the small stock had been used up on mail, and replaced by the first official definitive series in November 1967. Just 170 sheets of 25 of the 2c value were overprinted, meaning
only 4250 stamps existed
.
The majority were used up on mail; MINT copies are extremely rare, as are multiples and used stamps on covers. ALL used copies are postmarked "
The Valley, Anguilla.
"
I know the story of these stamps quite well as I tried to create a specialized collection of them many years ago but gave up as it turned out to be almost impossible to find copies, let alone enough to reassemble all 25 (slightly differing) overprint positions from both the "vertical" and "horizontal" settings.
I don't have a modern Scott catalogue; the value of this according to my 2011 Stanley Gibbons is £55.00 (about US .00), although this is undoubtedly lower than market value.
Shipping will go via 1st class mail in the US; Standard airmail elsewhere.
Thinning out some of our rather extensive collection of art books, catalogues, antiques, old stamps and collectibles. Also known as "
My wife says we MUST reclaim at least ONE of the guest rooms!
" So that's what we're doing now... hope this finds good use and enjoyment elsewhere!