Sicilian Error of Color
The Sicilian Error of Color is a rare postage stamp error from the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, issued in 1859. It is one of the most valuable and sought-after stamps in Italian philately, with one example selling for €1.8 million at auction in 2011.
History and issuance
The Sicilian stamps featured the profile portrait of King Ferdinand II, facing left, based on a photographic portrait. The engraving was executed by Tommaso Alojsio Juvara, a renowned engraver from Messina, who was paid 139 Grana and 80 Ducati for his work and materials. The stamps were printed using the chalcographic process from copper plates, with printing carried out at the printing house of Francesco Lao in Palermo. Giuseppe La Barbera provided the technical materials for production.The stamps were printed in sheets of 100 pieces, arranged in 10 rows of 10 stamps each, separated by thin typographic blades.Seven denominations were issued, ranging from 1/2 grana to 50 grana, each in a different color.
The error
The 1/2 grana stamp was intended to be printed in orange. However, a printing error resulted in a small number of stamps being produced in blue—the color designated for the 2 grana denomination. The exact cause of this color error remains unknown. Some sources suggest that two examples from the second plate of the 1/2 grana value were printed as trial proofs or essays and mistakenly issued in blue instead of orange.Rarity and condition
Only two examples of the Sicilian Error of Color are known to exist today. Both stamps were first publicly displayed at the Manchester Philatelic Exposition in 1899. Following this exhibition, the two stamps were separated and subsequently appeared as part of the famous Ferrary collection before being sold separately.The stamp is particularly notable for its exceptional state of preservation. Despite dating from 1859, both known examples remain in remarkably fine condition, appearing almost as if recently printed. The stamp depicts King Ferdinand II in profile and features the inscription "BOLLO DELLA POSTA DI SICILIA" with the denomination "GR." and the value.
Auction records
On June 10, 2011, one example of the Sicilian Error of Color was sold at auction in Basel, Switzerland, by Galerie Dreyfus.The stamp realized a price of €1.8 million, purchased by an online bidder from the United States. Jean-Paul Bach, spokesman for the Basel-based auction house, confirmed the sale but declined to identify the seller, stating only that the seller was based in France.At the time of sale, it was declared "the most expensive Italian postage stamp and second most expensive stamp in the world." The stamp has since been surpassed by other philatelic rarities such as the British Guiana 1c Magenta, which sold for $9.48 million in 2014.