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A U.S. company wanted to buy the most valuable
Czech postage stamp, displayed in New York and Washington these days, for
one million dollars, but its owner, famous Czech philatelist Ludvik
Pytlicek, refused to sell it, he has told CTK.
"I have told them that this stamp will stay in the Czech Republic since it would be a shame if we had to go abroad to see our most valuable stamp," Pytlicek told CTK in New York. The four-crown green stamp with a reversed overprint saying Posta ceskoslovenska (Czechoslovak Post) 1919 originates from the Austrian-Hungarian Monarchy, part of which the Czech Lands were until the establishment of the first Czechoslovakia in 1918. The stamp is one of the world's rarities as its exists only in eight copies, philatelists say. Pytlicek bought it for 2.6 million crowns. It is insured for 10 million crowns. Pytlicek transports it in a special briefcase. Moreover, he travels "incognito" telling no one where and when he would fly for security reasons, he said. Czechoslovak postage stamps have beet displayed in New York at a two-day exhibition of rarities from some 20 prestigious philatelists from all over the world, Pytlicek said. He presented 16 sheets with over 30 stamps there. Then the display will be opened in the Postal Museum in Washington this weekend. The most valuable Czechoslovak stamps come from the period around Czechoslovakia's establishment when the state used overprinted old Austrian-Hungarian stamps due to the lack of finances, Pytlicek explained. Pytlicek owns one of the best collections of Czechoslovak stamps in the world, comprising some 5000 sheets, and he has won many awards at international philatelic exhibitions. Pytlicek has displayed his stamps in Brazil, Japan, Russian and the United States. He is a member of the most prestigious club of philatelic rarities - Club 100 de Monte Carlo de 1 Elite de la Philatelie. Foreign insurance companies have valued his collection at over 100 millions crowns. Source: praguemonitor.com |
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