The plan to issue
a set of stamps depicting Mahatma Gandhi ("Bapu", or
"father" in Hindi), the architect of Indian independence, was
initiated in January 1948. The India Security Press in Nashik was entrusted
with the task of producing a set of 4 stamps. But before the stamps were
issued, Gandhi was assassinated. The Indian Government decided to print these
stamps as a memorial, using photogravure press, and hence had to employ the
services of the Swiss printers, Helio Courvoisier, Sa. LaChaux De Fonds,
instead of the India Security Press. The word "Bapu" was printed on
the stamp in Hindi and Urdu languages as a symbol of communal harmony. Four
sets of stamps with denominations 1.5 annas, 3.5 annas, 12 annas and 10 rupees
were issued. The stamps were controversial since Bapu was not shown in his
customary dhoti. One of the stamps of the set was issued with a very high price
of 10 Rs., out of reach of the common populace in India. The stamps were issued
on 15 August 1948, on the occasion of the first anniversary of India's
Independence Day.
The 10 Rupees Postage
stamp depicting Mahatma Gandhi issued by India in 1948 is one of India's
most famous stamps. A set of 100 of these stamps were overprinted with the word
"Service" and provided only to the Governor General of India for his
official use. This "Service" overprinted stamp is one of India's
costliest and rarest stamps. This stamp was a part of the 1948
"Service" set which was auctioned for 38,000 Euros in the David
Feldman auction sale on 5 October 2007. In an auction on May 19 2011 at Geneva,
David Feldman sold the 1948 10 Rupee Mahatma Gandhi stamp of India for a World
Record price of EUR 144,000 (US$ 205,000); this also set the record for the
most expensive modern stamp.
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