Stamps to turn your world upside-down... Classic invert errors star at Spink Shreves

The upcoming rare stamps auction in New York is led by Greek, Jamaican and Australian beauties

As every collector and investor knows, some of the finest sales are those in which a whole private collection is on offer, such that those bidding can see in context how its owner saw every item.

Spink Shreves' December 2010 Collector's Series Sale is filled with an exceptional range of highly desirable United States, British Empire and Worldwide postage stamps and postal history with several named collections highlighting this particularly valuable and comprehensive sale of 1,503 lots.

£2 Deep rose and black, large perforated OS kangaroo stamp Rich colours & original gum, est: $5,750.00

Some of the many collections featured are:

The George J Berger Collection of United States Postage Stamps. Many of the more valuable and higher quality stamps found in the sale come from this wonderfully comprehensive collection - the vast majority of which are accompanied by certificates from the PF and/or the PSE.

The Susan S Menson Collection of Premium Quality US Stamps. Formed with excellent taste over many years, the Menson collection is characterized by exceptional stamps of freshness, brightness of colour and outstanding centring. Again, most are accompanied by certificates.

Jamaican $1 orange central invert with excellent centring, brilliantly rich colours, est: $27,500

The Thomas W Flattery Collection of United States Postal Stationery. Mr Flattery's collection is filled with a wide array of scarce postal stationery cut squares - many of which are full corner examples - along with a number of unusual entires. His offering concludes with a substantial and valuable collection balance.

The William O Schuman Collection of Specialized Washington-Franklin Issues. The majority of exceptional Washington- Franklin issues in the auction - plate blocks, varieties and errors - come from noted award winning exhibitor and collector, William O Schuman, one of the nation's foremost authorities on plate numbers.

Yellow orange on bluish 'Zante error' with '10' inverted on front of the stamp est: $23,500

The auction concludes with some exceptional specialised offerings from such diverse areas as Great Britain (with many Line Engraved rarities), Greece (classic singles and multiples), Jamaica (including the two rarest stamps of the country) and Korea (souvenir sheets and complete sheets).

Those interested in collecting rare stamp errors like the two shown here may be interested to know that an exceptional example of the famous 1932 Newfoundland $1.50 on $1 deep blue surcharge invert is currently available.