TUVALU NIUTAO
1986 ROYAL WEDDING of PRINCE ANDREW and SARAH FERGUSON STAMP ISSUES

Information and Reference of What was Found in the Format Archive and Elsewhere

Varieties and Proofs

Would YOU store YOUR specialized 1986 Royal Wedding Uncut Press Sheets this way?

Information on this series is changing as more information is being discovered. This page and associated pages will be updated as more information is made available.

The 1986 Royal Wedding stamps issued for Niutao and the other seven islands have an interesting twist in regards to the normal issued single stamp sets in tete-beche form. In my research I have discovered that the majority of the uncut press sheets of the normal issued stamp pairs were separated for either booklets or resale with no regard to the tete-beche form nor the large gutters. This has now placed the tete-beche formations and gutter pairs for the islands of Tuvalu in the extremely rare category!
For Niutao the 60c value has been even more extensively broken!

I will present the following evidence to show why this is so. It is an interesting story.
This part of the presentation is repeated on all the Tuvalu Island pages, so you can skip to the reprint section if you have already read this part.

The story began back in 1991 with the sale of the Format International Security Printers Archive due to the bankruptcy proceedings which caused the liquidation of the companies assets including the archive. At the time the trials against the company and affiliated companies and owners for the said fraudulent reprinting and production of varieties which was proven to be found not guilty of all charges was also happening. The British Metropolitan Police made numerous raids on the companies including raiding the printing company and confiscating anything that looked like stamp errors. They took several tons of philatelic material including progressive color proofs, specimen overprinted, imperforate proofs, on and on from the companies and the archive. Mainly involving the countries involved in the trials including Tuvalu and the islands, St. Vincent and dependencies, St. Lucia, Nevis, etc;.

The materials left in the archive were sold via Christie's/Robson Lowe in private treaties and several public auctions with the final auction being made in 1995. One of the major buyers of the archive was Mr. Kasimir Bileski, a famous stamp dealer in Canada. In his purchases he acquired the majority of uncut press sheets from all the countries involved in the 1986 Royal Wedding Omnibus Series. He became fascinated by the tete-beche formation of the sheets and began a heavy research into what they were for and what existed. He studied them among hundred's of other studies for around 16 years before his passing. In the sale of the archive several other dealers obtained some of the sheets and Mr. Bileski for years tried and did in fact locate and purchase most of them from them to reunite with his own.

I have produced a PDF file with Different Bileski Write-ups on the 1986 Royal Wedding Tete-beches. Most have never been seen publicly. You can download and read them here.

The Bileski Documents on the 1986 Royal Wedding Tete-beches

It is interesting here to note that during all this time it was unknown about the existence of the materials that were confiscated for the trials of the printer of which included a large quantity of the uncut press sheets and such of the Omnibus Series in many forms. I wish to note the exciting news at this point that not very many (if at all) uncut press sheets of the normal issued stamp pairs from the islands of Tuvalu were confiscated!

My interest in the series began in about 1998 when in my dealings with Mr. Bileski, he sent me a "bonus gift" in one of my purchases of a set of the tete-beche pairs from all of the countries involved. I followed his research and after his passing have carried it on to today. It has been a fun study and has advanced far beyond Mr. Bileski's study of the series.

Getting back to the story on the Tuvalu Islands.
Mr. Bileski made a list of the islands and the number of sheets (for some) that he found in his purchases of the archive. Here is the list.
I have an older version of the list (shown in the PDF file) before he updated the "location" of the sheets. Note he never found the Tuvalu $1 value. Nor the Nanumea 60c value. I have. But that is another story I will post on their pages in time. Basically the list shows he located all the others. He did not write the number of sheets found but I can assure you they are at most 10-12 sheets. In some cases of which I now believe to be true with Nukufetau, only 7-8 sheets were found. Possibly more but in many cases with archival material, several may have been heavily damaged and thus not used.

After Mr. Bileski's passing, his estate was put up for auction in many different lots over a couple of years via R. Maresch Auction House. In several large lots over this time the materials from the Format Printers Archive were placed for auction. At this time I had not been dealing with Mr. Bileski for years and did not know of his passing. Several of the earlier sold lots were purchased by Mr. Karl Marquis, owner of KMPhilately. KMP broke the large lots into smaller random lots and began sales on their internet auction sales. THIS is when I discovered what had happened. I feverishly bid on many of the lots including the ones with the tete-beches and won most of them, but lost a few also. I reorganized them and reunited them and began the count. Over several years I have found the other buyers who were my competitors and purchased much and received the counts of what they have or had. The counts hold true with the documents written by Robson Lowe and Mr. Bileski my friends!

I have since taken the research even further! I have acquired the police evidence stock held in the police warehouse until 2008 on the Tuvalu side! In the stock were hundreds of the press sheets still intact and much more cut for storage. Of these all the varieties as in the second issues, silver and gold overprints, Specimen overprinted, missing value, imperforates, progressives. A wonderful find! And now the twist. For the islands of Tuvalu ONLY ONE OR A COUPLE SHEETS of the normal issued stamp pairs were there for most values for most islands!

So what happened to them all? My theory is that almost all of them were cut to either make booklet panes or for resale. Please understand the press sheets are huge and hard to store. My evidence? This.
Each packet contains over 20 of these blocks. As you can see by the configuration
1.)The gutter is destroyed
2.)The tete-beche formation is destroyed
This is what has happened to almost every value of the normal issued stamp pairs for the Island countries of Tuvalu! Thus very few of the uncut press sheets were saved intact and thus very few tete-beches and gutter pairs can exist! So in regards to the island country issues of Tuvalu, Mr. Bileski is pretty much accurate in statements regarding the tete-beche and gutter varieties. Interesting yes?

REPRINTS

The reprints for the Tuvalu Islands are difficult to define. They appear to be opposite in color contrast to the reprints of the Eastern Hemisphere countries. The originals have deeper toning than the reprints. The Country names and denominations are all black so you cannot really define them with those as you can with the different colors from the Eastern Hemisphere side.

Below are images of the subtle differences for Niutao. The reprints were used for the gold overprinted 2nd issue series and various varieties. The surplus being retained for the saved press sheets and probably some being sold by various dealers. The reasoning for this is that at present I found that the normals from the archive and the police evidence stock appear to be the reprints. The Specimen overprinted and Silver overprinted 2nd issue sets all are of the more toned variety. Being the original specimen overprints tells us which are the originals.

Note the slightly darker toning on the originals.
The faces on the couple are darker. The background is blacker.


Sarah's facial complexion has a slightly redder appearance on the originals.
This stamp is very difficult to define. But as you can see Sarah's hair is slightly darker and the background blacker on the originals.


Note the deeper coloring throughout on the originals.


This one can throw you but the deeper toning on the originals is present.

Because the rarity of the normal issued tete-beches for the islands of Tuvalu is so much more extreme than for the major countries involved and for Tuvalu itself we must factor this new equation into pricing for them.

On this page we will try to break down quantities that exist to try to establish a value for the material. All varieties come from the uncut press sheets and the saved print runs. These numbers may change as more information becomes available.

Section 1 will deal with the single stamp issues and section 2 will deal with the souvenir sheet.

PRICING IS FOR VARIETIES FROM UNCUT PRESS SHEETS, NOT NORMAL ISSUED STAMPS

SECTION 1

THE PERFORATED VARIETIES

Normal gutter varieties etc.

Based on the configuration of the uncut press sheets we will base quantities on the Bileski method of cutting or breaking the sheets. Also included in the equations will be the fact of how many intact sheets still exist.

Please note that once the stamps are separated from the large selvage or gutter and or the tete-beches are separated they cannot be distinguished from the normal issued stamps or that they did not come from booklet panes.

FROM NORMAL PERFORATED UNCUT PRESS SHEETS

NORMAL PERFORATED GUTTER BLOCKS

NORMAL PERFORATED LARGE SELVAGE CORNER STAMP PAIRS

Through my findings from emailed accounts and stocks purchased from the police evidence stock I have finally been able to come out with the quantitative figures of what was produced for the series in general. For all normal issued 1st issues of the 1986 Royal Wedding stamp issues printed by the Format Printers for the islands of Tuvalu, 150 press sheets of 80 stamps were produced. Thus 6,000 stamp pairs were produced of each value.
For all normal issued 2nd issues (Silver overprinted) of the 1986 Royal Wedding stamp issues printed by the Format Printers for the islands of Tuvalu, 75 press sheets of 80 stamps were produced. Thus 3,000 stamp pairs were produced of each value.
The reason for the lower numbers is because the island issues did not have as much popularity, demand and were not being listed in certain catalogs.

At present I have found only 1 uncut press sheet of the 60c value still existing. Evidence shows that they may all have been broken with no regard to tete-beche formation. For the $1 value 20 press sheets still exist!

Basing on 150 sheets being produced of each value we can calculate that 5 x 150 = 750 of these gutter pairs could exist. The same number of tete-beche blocks could exist.

This is not the case though as evidence shows that the majority of the tete-beches have been separated with no regard to their rarity. I found many broken sheets separated from the middle of the tete-bech pairs. Many separated from the gutters thus destroying the gutters. This has greatly decreased the number of tete-beches in both forms that can still exist. Looking back on the history of their sales in the market few are offered and when they are the owner usually only has one or a couple. This shows that very few have been saved intact.

In my acquisitions of the Bileski estate I have managed to reunite a major portion of the tete-beches he created of the 1st issue. For some countries almost 100%!

The known to exist count for Niutao aside from the uncut sheets:

66 tete-beche gutters and 66 straight-up gutters of the 60c value exists. I have seen only the tete-beche gutter block available elsewhere for the $1 value so will say 66 to 80 exist possibly of both types. Only 1 uncut press sheet of the 60c value exists as stated above which thus limits the numbers of complete sets of both values extremely.
62 tete-beche blocks of both values exist. None offered anywhere else. Only a couple tete-beche pairs exist. Again none elsewhere.

We will base pricing for tete-beches and gutters at the possibility of 75 of each existing.

As far as large selvage stamps go, 10 pairs can exist from each sheet, 5 from each side, thus 1500 pairs. Not a lot with the millions of collectors out there.
Because of the formation of booklets only corners are the sure way of proof that they came from the press sheets.

With Niutao we seem to have an anomaly!
I have NOT been able to locate any values in corners except for very few strips from the Bileski estate!! With what I have found available on the market and my own acquisitions I must state at this point that it appears any corner pairs or singles of the 60c value are extremely rare!

Pricing should run $35-40.00 each for intact gutter pairs either tete-beche or not. Gutter blocks as imaged should run at $75-80.00 each
Tete-beche pairs $20-25.00 and blocks at $40-50.00.
Stamp pairs or singles with the LARGE corner selvage should run at $50-75.00 each, maybe more!

Intact uncut press sheets of the 60c value may be unique and the $1 value is in the extreme rare category now as you can see.

NORMAL PERFORATED TETE-BECHE BLOCKS

NORMAL PERFORATED TETE-BECHE GUTTER BLOCKS

NORMAL PERFORATED "SPECIMEN" OVERPRINTED STAMPS FROM UNCUT PRESS SHEETS

The above imaged format exist for the SPECIMEN overprinted stamps as well. There are two versions of the SPECIMEN overprint. The first being larger letters in italic in silver and the second being smaller block capital lettered in silver. It appears that only the large italic lettered overprint exists on the Niutao royal wedding stamps.

SPECIMEN OVERPRINT VARIETIES

LARGE SILVER SPECIMEN OVERPRINT ON 60c VALUE

LARGE SILVER SPECIMEN OVERPRINT ON $1 VALUE

Documentation and evidence show that:
At present it is unknown if any intact uncut press sheets of the 60c value with the specimen overprint still exist.
There exists 23 intact uncut press sheets of the $1 value still.
Research shows that these are from the original printing so we can safely assert 50 sheets total were produced making 2,000 sets of pairs.

Here we must then surmise the pricing for the SPECIMEN overprinted stamps at least 100% higher than the price for normal perforated gutter pairs etc; above.
Intact uncut press sheets are probably in the rare category now. The 60c value may be extremely rare now.

PERFORATED 2ND ISSUE VARIETIES

60c Value with Silver Overprint

$1 Value with Silver Overprint

60c Value with Gold Overprint

$1 Value with Gold Overprint

The 2nd issue had both silver and gold overprints. The gold overprinted stamps were never issued postally.

Documentation and evidence show that:
At present it is unknown if any intact uncut press sheets still exist with either silver or gold overprints for the 60c value.
I have recovered 24 uncut press sheets of the $1 value with the silver overprint intact.
Research shows for the islands that we can safely presume 75 sheets of the Silver overprinted were produced of each value thus producing 3,000 sets of pairs.

Here we must then surmise the pricing for the SILVER overprinted stamps at 50% higher than the normal perforated gutter pairs etc; above.

I have recovered 28 uncut press sheets of the $1 value with the gold overprint intact.
Research shows that we can safely presume 50 sheets of the Gold overprinted were produced of each value thus producing 2,000 sets of pairs.

Here we must then surmise the pricing for the GOLD overprinted stamps at 100% higher than the normal perforated gutter pairs etc.

If in future it is found that the majority of sheets of the 60c value have been lost or destroyed then the value of these in gutter and tete-beche form could increase significantly.

THE 2ND ISSUE FIRST RUN SILVER OVERPRINT VARIETIES

The following variety exists on all the Tuvalu Island Dependency issues. I can find no examples for Tuvalu itself.
I can neither find an example for all the Eastern Hemisphere countries. Some of Eastern Hemisphere countries issued at later dates and several did not issue the 2nd issue at all!


There exists for the Niutao 2nd issue, low value stamps with a vertical overprint placed to the right. On the high values the overprint is placed upward. The placement of the overprints covers major portions of the images. Many times covering royalties faces or making it difficult to view the stamp image. Although no documentation has been found, I believe these to be rejected and unissued varieties.
Although I have seen some in used condition, in many cases the stamp dealers have had varieties sent to themselves while visiting the country of issue. Some appear CTO. An interesting subject that has never really been researched.
Similar to, for example, the St. Lucia rejected Royal Wedding souvenir sheet where the perforations cut across Prince Andrew's face. Evidence is pointing toward most of these varieties being sold through Urch Harris at the time who had access to rejected and unissued varieties produced by the Format Printers.
Generally speaking these varieties are sold on the market by very few in comparison with the normal issues. Because of the rarity of these being offered, an accurate count of what was produced and what exists cannot be obtained. In most cases the seller does not even recognize that there is a difference!

Because of the very low number of offerings for this variety it stands to reason that the majority of the first run overprinted stamps were destroyed. The probability that Urch Harris at the time only obtained a low number of the press sheets is in theory....correct. Therefore, they should be valued at much higher pricing than the normal sets.
To this day I have seen none in tete-beche or gutter form.

MAJOR OVERPRINT ERRORS

In the police evidence stock we have found several uncut sheets with major errors of the overprint both in Silver and Gold! These uncut sheets of course were destined to be destroyed but were confiscated as evidence before this could happen. These sheets have multiple types of errors as in inverted overprints, A' Cheval overprints and just plain messed up overprints! Here is an image of one such sheet from Saint Lucia.

Uncut Press Sheet of the Saint Lucia 80c Value with Silver Overprint errors

The 60c Value with Silver Overprint Inverted

These errors are true errors and thus are very valuable. Research is ongoing as to what that should be as some of the sheets have very different variations of errors meaning some pairs are unique.
I found only 3 sheets with this error in the police evidence stock.

No other errors appear to exist. None found for gold overprints. no errors other than the one imaged on the $1 value.

This basically sums up the perforated varieties of the single stamp sets.

FROM IMPERFORATE UNCUT PRESS SHEETS

So far seeming to exist are imperforate progressive color proofs only of the $1 value including only a few finals.
There does not appear to be any extra sheets of final imperforates which leads to the theory that they were all cut for booklet panes or confiscated. Still this totally disputes the statement in Stanley Gibbons that imperforates come from booklets as they exist with the progressives.
Still one should be aware that many imperforate booklets and panes do exist. Some wish to claim because they do not have staple holes that they are not from booklets which is true. Basically they are cut for the booklets and the case is that more exist in this form than the booklets themselves! The reason being because the making of the booklets was brought to a screeching halt after all the press sheets were already cut (except the ones with the color proofs) for the booklets.
I would therefore value the intact booklets perforated or not at a higher value than these unused panes.

Please visit my page on the 1986 Royal wedding Booklet Panes for more detailed information on what to look for when buying the proofs versus buying the booklet panes.
Here is the link.

The 1986 Royal Wedding Booklets

THE PROGRESSIVE COLOR PROOFS
Of the finals only 7 panes of 10 pairs were recovered all of which are severely damaged.
The right side (panes of 10) were completely recovered aside from only recovering the damaged finals.
The middle section (panes of 20) were almost fully recovered except for the finals which none were recovered.
As for the 60c value nothing as yet. It is possible they are all destroyed. Nothing of both vales is available on the market.

Based on the findings a set of color proof pairs (without the finals) of the $1 value should be valued at $30-50.00. At this point the finals are extremely rare in undamaged condition. A set of progressive of the $1 value with a damaged pair of the finals should be valued at $50-75.00. If with an undamaged pair $75-100.00. This is if no more finals are found which at this point appears doubtful.
Tete-beche block sets without the finals (since at this point none exist) should be valued at $50-100.00.

This basically sums up the stamp varieties for the Tuvalu Niutao 1986 Royal Wedding single stamp issues printed by the Format International Printers Ltd.
As new information and evidence is found it will be added to this page.


SECTION 2

THE SOUVENIR SHEET

Following is the rundown of what was saved in regards to the souvenir sheet.

THE PERFORATED SOUVENIR SHEET

It is estimated that 3,000 normal issued souvenir sheets were produced. This is based on practices by the printers during the time. Usually quantities of souvenir sheets in respect to the single issued stamp sets was around 30% of the quantities issued. Because there are no documents we will base the figures at the highest rate of 50%. Catalogue values for the normal issue are thus a tad bit out of perspective. You can see that the island issued souvenir sheets are priced a little more than the souvenir sheet from Tuvalu. There is a reason. They are rarer.

THE IMPERFORATE SOUVENIR SHEET

Documentation and evidence show that:
At present based on practices of the printer at the time 2,000 imperforate souvenir sheets were made.
Another 1,500 were produced with the progressive color proofs.

In accordance pricing should be around $10.00 each considering one should not break them from the progressives.
The problem is the progressive color proofs. Please read on.

THE PERFORATED AND IMPERFORATE SOUVENIR SHEET WITH SPECIMEN OVERPRINT
Documentation and evidence show that:
At present based on practices of the printer at the time 1,000 of each were made.
I found none in the the police evidence. Perforated versions are seen rarely on the market.

In accordance pricing should be around $20-25.00 each considering rarity if found to exist in stocks produced.

THE PROGRESSIVE COLOR PROOFS OF THE SOUVENIR SHEET
Documentation and evidence show that:
At present based on practices of the printer at the time 1,500 progressive color proof sets of the souvenir sheets were made.
I have acquired only two packs of the 8th stage (brown before black added), one part pack of blues, red/blues, and black stages. Where the rest is is unknown. Possibly destroyed or lost. No sets are available on the market.

In accordance pricing cannot be calculated except on individual color basis. Each color around $5.00.

A note on the progressives:
There is a ninth stage which is the black addition to the final colors. I have noticed that the final color progressive is also being sold as an error as it does not have the silver inscriptions. This is not correct. It would only be an error if it was perforated.
At present it does not appear any errors exist for this souvenir sheet.

This basically sums up the stamp varieties for the Niutao 1986 Royal Wedding souvenir sheet. As new information and evidence is found it will be added to this page.

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