Auction 321 - 332 Australian States & Commonwealth of Australia, St. Helena, Basutoland, Bechuanaland, Swaziland, Brazil 1843 –1870 - Day 1

Bechuanaland Protectorate 1888 (Aug 7): Overprinted 'Protectorate' by Townshend, 1 s.. on 1 s.. green & black, wmk. italic VR sideways, perf. 13½, an unused example, position 60 variety "First "o" of Protectorate Omitted", overprinted diagonally with "SPECIMEN" oiverprint in black (Samuel BEC 2), fresh colour and fine, large part og. Given that 345 "Specimens" were sent to the UPU and that the sheet size was 84 stamps, it is most unlikely that more than 4 stamps with the error could exist. Rare.