The Cherrystone auction, featuring the Alfred F. Kugel collection, yielded excellent results for Croatian items. Eleven out of thirteen lots were sold, most fetching more than double their starting prices.
One item stands out in particular: a Banja Luka cover with both stamps in blocks of four addressed to the philatelic bureau in Zagreb. The starting price was $1,000, and the final realization was $7,500. Taking into account the buyer’s premium and, for EU buyers, potential customs duties, the total price approaches $10,000. This undoubtedly makes it one of this period's more expensive Croatian pieces.
1941 Banja Luka local issue, express registered letter, franked with 12 din (express delivery fee 4 din, registration fee 5 din, second weight letter 3 din), sent from Banja Luka (13.VI.41) to Zagreb (14.VI.41).
I also considered purchasing this item but ultimately decided against it because the odd placement of the Express sticker bothered me a lot. I can not shake the feeling that it was affixed later.
It seems the label was adjusted to avoid covering the cancellation. Or am I mistaken?
