Page 28 - Gustaf Douglas: Classic Sweden

The Golden Color Error

The 3 Skilling Banco Yellow

The find After 90 years absence from London, the
The 3 Skilling Banco yellow is the best known 3 Skilling Banco yellow is again displayed on site
Swedish stamp and there are good reasons for this. It The 3 Skilling Banco yellow has a most impressive
has the great attraction of being unique but at the provenance. The chain of ownership contains a few
same time there just might be a chance that another great collectors of Swedish stamps since 1923 when
example could surface. It has been accused of being a Erik Leijonhufvud’s collection was exhibited in the
forgery but has survived these persistent rumors. Rarity Class at the London International Exhibition.
The 3 Skilling Banco yellow has a most impressive
provenance starting with Roll of Ownership
Georg Wilhelm Backman’s Georg Wilhelm Backman
find. In 1887 he had heard Heinrich Lichtenstein
that the stamp dealer Philipp von Ferrary
Heinrich Lichtenstein in Baron Eric Leijonhufvud
Stockholm would pay Claes A. Tamm
7 Kronor each for the 3 and Johan Ramberg
24 Skilling Banco stamps. King Carol II of Romania
When Backman visited René Berlingin
his grandmother during ”In the trade”
the Christmas holidays he Count Gustaf Douglas
asked her whether there
were any old letters with It took 90 years to Display
stamps left by his deceased the 3 Skilling Banco yellow
grandfather. Indeed there again in London. In a
were and the boy was private treaty transaction
allowed to remove the conducted in London on
stamps, one of which was Thursday 16 May 2013,
the 3 Skilling Banco yellow. Gustaf Douglas aquired this
N(YA) KOPP(ARBERGET) 13.7.1857 Gem.

It it the foremost Gem of Swedish Philately and its
absence cannot be ignored regardless of how many
other items may be present in a collection. The
fact that major collections of Sweden did not
include it is not justification for disregarding it.
They were the poorer for not having it among their
Skilling Banco stamps, and indeed no compre‐
hensive collection of Sweden built along modern
lines has had the distinction of containing it.

Dr. Norman S. Hubbard in his foreword
The young Georg Wilhelm Backman. to the book ”Sweden Number One” (2005)