HONG KONG.- Zurich Asia, the leading stamp auction house in Asia, held its spring auction of rare stamps and philatelic treasures in Hong Kong on 7 and 8 February 2015 at Harbour Plaza Hotel North Point. Over 2,600 lots of magnificent philatelic items and works of art were offered in the sale.

The top selling lot was the 1980 Year of the Monkey (“Golden Monkey”) stamps in a complete sheet of eighty that achieved HK$1,276,500/ US$163,654 after spirited bidding. This excellent sheet in unmounted mint and with vivid colour sold to an Asian collector bidding in the saleroom.

Another complete sheet of the 1980 “Golden Monkey” stamps realized HK$1,265,000/ US$162,179. A large block of 56 “Golden Monkey” stamps of 1980 sold for HK$805,000/ US$103,205.

There was great interest for a rare complete pane of twenty-five of 1897 large figures surcharged 1 cent on 3 cents Red Revenue stamps which commanded HK$$253,000/ US$32,436.

A vertical strip of three 1894 Dowager first printing 9 candarins dull green stamps with imperforate between variety fetched HK$276,000/ US$35,385. An extremely fine and fresh example of bright colour and with full original gum, the present lot is notably the finest of the only 5 strips in the world with this variety.

A 1946 (14 June) cover from Chu Hsien in Shantung to Meng Hsien in Honan, sent from the army troop sold for HK$63,250/ US$8,109. On reverse it bears the surcharge on War Time Post, a vertical strip of five Chairman Mao $1 on 5c deep blue stamps and red surcharged with 'Temporarily used'. The cover is tied by large single ring 'SHANTUNG/CHUHSIEN' circular date stamp on front with small part of registration receipt attached. This fantastic cover was once in the collection of renowned collector Ronald F. Lankester.