Australian Financial Review: King Edward VIII stamp, dubbed Australia's most valuable, up for sale

A second example of what is claimed as Australia's most valuable stamp will appear for sale through Mossgreen on June 26 in Melbourne.

The King Edward VIII twopenny scarlet (KEV 8 in shorthand) is especially rare because these stamps were never officially released.

"These don't appear in catalogues" says Torsten Weller, head of philately at Mossgreen. "One isn't held in the Royal Collection, so even the Queen doesn't have an example. And it's not in the Australian Post archive either."

The reason is obvious. Edward VIII succeeded his father George V in January 1936 but famously abdicated the throne on December 10 to marry American socialite Wallis Simpson. This dramatic act sparked a series of bureaucratic headaches, including a severe case of migraine at the Australian Postmaster-General's department.

It was about to release the new twopenny base rate stamps bearing the new King's portrait when news of the abdication came through. The department promptly ordered that any stamps already printed were to be destroyed, along with related proofs, dies and printing instruments.

http://www.afr.com/lifestyle/arts-and-entertainment/art/king-edward-viii-stamp-dubbed-australias-most-valuable-up-for-sale-20170606-gwm0or