In 1860, at a time when the only portraits on stamps were those of monarchs, the postmaster general of New Brunswick, Charles Connell, had his own likeness immortalized on a stamp. The ensuing scandal and protests forced him to resign.
The stamp, which had a face value of five cents, was withdrawn, and the sheets were supposedly burned. But apparently some stamps escaped the flames. Extremely rare, they are highly prized by collectors.
As history would have it, this incident made Connell famous in the philatelic world, perhaps more so than if the stamp had been issued.
= Additional information
Frame 34
Section
New Brunswick Five Cents die proof in orange, printed on card, 1860
Details
