The world's most valuable stamps revealed
Amazingly valuable stamps
If you think stamp collecting is just for hobbyists and not something a shrewd investor would consider, you may want to think again. Mint condition specimens have appreciated by up to 45.5% over the past 10 years, according to analysis by StampFinder for Forbes, easily beating typical returns on real estate, gold, fine wine and the broad stock market. And the rarest philatelic treasures can sell for millions, with world record prices being set recently. Read on to see the most valuable stamps of all time.
Bermuda 1848 1d Perot Provisional – $195,000 (£166k)
Bermuda's very first stamp is prized among collectors. Just 11 specimens exist and three of them form part of Queen Elizabeth II's Royal Philatelic Collection. This beauty was sold by London-based stamp collecting business Stanley Gibbons in 2016.
UK 1840 Penny Black Die Proof – $195,000 (£166k)
This rare Penny Black proof has a striking over-inked appearance that adds hugely to its value. Only three examples of this sort of proof remain and one of them is part of the Royal Philatelic Collection.
UK 1882 £1 Brown Lilac – $198,000 (£169k)
High-denomination UK stamps are few and far between. This 'One Pound' brown-lilac coloured stamp dates from 1882 and is one of just four specimens, of which it is apparently the finest. It was sold via Stanley Gibbons several years ago.
Hong Kong 96¢ Olive Queen Victoria – $206,000 (£176k) each
Another fortuitous accident, in 1864 printers produced 54 sheets of Hong Kong 96¢ stamps in the wrong colour – olive instead of brownish grey. The 40 stamps that remain command immense prices at auction – a block of four sold for HK$6.4 million ($825k/£704k) in 2011.
UK 1902 1s British Board of Education – $234,000 (£200k)
The British Board of Education hardly ever issued stamps marked with its moniker, and this 1902 example is only one of four or five in the world. An example of this philatelic rarity was sold by Stanley Gibbons for $234,000 (£200k).
Government of Canada [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Canada 1868 2¢ Large Queen on Laid Paper – $250,000 (£213k)
Only four examples of the ultra-scarce 2¢ Large Queen on Laid Paper are known to exist, making it the rarest Canadian postage stamp. The last example that came up for auction went for a hefty $250,000 (£213k).
USA 1869 24¢ Inverted Center Declaration of Independence – $275,000 (£234k)
A stunning stamp from the coveted 1869 US Pictorial Issue, the 24¢ Declaration of Independence stamp is highly esteemed by collectors in the know. The most valuable are unused examples that show an inverted centre – they are valued at $275,000 (£234k) a pop.
Surprisingly valuable old stuff you might have at home
UK 1840 Penny Black Letter – $293,000 (£250k)
The best-preserved unused specimens of the groundbreaking Penny Black are especially valuable. This exquisite example, which was sold via Stanley Gibbons, features rare 'T L' lettering and a fragment of the sheet inscription.
USA 1869 30¢ Inverted Shield, Eagles and Flags – $310,500 (£265k)
Another mistake from the 1869 Pictorial Issue that made for an incredibly valuable stamp, this inverted flags version of the 1869 30¢ Shield, Eagles and Flags stamp fetched a record $310,500 (£265k) at a Robert A. Siegel sale in New York in 2016.
National Bank Note Company, (2nd printing [die proof] by Bureau of Engraving and Printing)Engraving of Scott modeled after John Coffee’s sculpture (bust) of Scott. [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
USA 1873 23¢ Lost Continental – $325,000 (£277k)
An exalted American stamp, the Lost Continental is the only known example of the 24 cents General Wilfred Scott that was printed by the Continental Banknote Company – the stamp's rarity justifies its high value.
Hong Kong 1941 $2 Inverted Dr Sun Yat-sen – $353,850 (£302k) each
Dr Sun Yat-sen's head was printed upside down on just one sheet of $2 Hong Kong stamps in 1941. A total of 50 stamps feature the error but only two vertical pairs remain in existence – this pair realised $707,700 (£604k) at auction in 2012.
UK 1840 Penny Black Heath Proof – $384,000 (£328k)
More worthy of a public museum that a private collection, this excellent example of a Frederick Heath-engraved Penny Black proof has been described as “one of the major exhibition pieces of world philately”. It was sold by Stanley Gibbons in 2016.
UK 1840 Penny Black Master Die Proof – £410,000 (£350k)
The daddy of Penny Blacks, Stanley Gibbons sold this master proof of the world's first stamp in 2016. Just three Penny Black master proofs are in private hands – the other three are in the Royal Philatelic Collection and the United States National Postal Museum.
Valuable Disney merchandise you might have at home
China 1953 800Y Blue Military – $428,700 (£366k)
This Chinese military stamp was recalled when the authorities realised the paper was slightly transparent and there was a risk that confidential information contained within secret correspondence could be seen through the envelope. Only a few of these valuable stamps remain.
大清郵政 / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)
China 1897 2¢ Red Maiden in the Green Robe – $444,477 (£379k)
The fabled 1987 Red Revenue, aka the Red Maiden in the Green Robe, was issued as a temporary measure during currency reforms – the 2 cents face value was overprinted with green ink. Very few exist and the last one that came up for auction sold for $444,477 (£379k).
Dominion of Canada Post Office [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Canada 1851 12d Black Empress – $445,000 (£380k)
While it's not the rarest Canadian stamp, the 1851 12d Black Empress is the most valuable. Only a handful of specimens remain and the few that come on the market command colossal prices of anything up to $445,000 (£380k).
UK 1904 6d Edward VII Pale Dull Purple – $469,000 (£400k)
This British stamp from 1904 is considered the country's rarest. Only 19 sheets were printed before the issue was withdrawn and only three are thought to have survived to the present day. Also known as the I.R. Official, the only example that has come up for auction sold for a hefty $469,000 (£400k).
USA 1851 2¢ Hawaiian Missionary – $619,500 (£529k)
The most valuable individual stamp from the legendary collection of William H. Gross, this famed unused example of the 2¢ Hawaiian Missionary from 1851, the finest of a handful in existence, fetched $619,500 (£529k) at a Robert A. Siegel sale in New York in October 2018. It was snapped up by pharmaceuticals executive Arthur Przybyl.
UK 1863 Penny Red Plate 77 – $645,000 (£550k)
An example of the rare Plate 77 Penny Red stamp was sold by Stanley Gibbons for $645,000 (£550k) to a client in Australia. Plate 77 stamps were considered poor quality and all examples were supposed to have been destroyed. The five that survived are regarded as the holy grail of British philately.
China 1897 10¢-on-9-Candareen – $770,000 (£657k)
In January 2019, Spink Hong Kong auctioned this unused 1897 10¢-on-9-Candareen dark green Dragons and Shou stamp with the 10¢ surcharge inverted, from China’s Empress Dowager issue. Only three specimens of this type have ever been verified, and the stamp is the only unused example.
USA 1867 3¢ George Washington B-grill Rose – $900,000 (£768k)
This exceedingly rare version of the 1867 3¢ George Washington stamp in rose is one of America's most sought-after philatelic treasures. The last example to come up at auction sold for a staggering $900,000 (£768k).
filoposta/filoposta [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons
USA 1847 5¢ Alexandria 'Blue Boy' Postmaster's Provisional – $1.18 million (£1m)
This ultra-rare stamp, the only example on blue paper which is known to exist, was issued in Alexandria, DC, way back in 1847. Its extreme rarity makes it one of the world's most valuable stamps. The stamp sold for a whopping $1.18 million (£1m) at an auction by HR Harmer in 2019.
Post of Baden [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Germany 1851 9k Baden Error – $1.5 million (£1.3m)
Germany's most valuable stamp came about as a result of a colour error. The Baden 9 kreuzer stamp should have been printed in pink but green ink was used by mistake on a batch produced in 1851. Only four specimens remain and they are worth a jaw-dropping $1.5 million (£1.3m) each.
Bureau of Engraving and Printing [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
USA 1918 24¢ Inverted Jenny – $1.6 million (£1.4m)
In 1918, the Curtiss JN-4 airplane was accidentally printed upside down on 100 24 cent stamps. A super-valuable error stamp, the famous 'Inverted Jenny' sells for mega bucks. In November 2018, an example sold for $1.6 million (£1.4m) at a Robert A. Siegel auction.
China 1968 8f The Whole Country is Red – $2 million (£1.7m)
This Chinese stamp was recalled within a day of issue after it was discovered that Taiwan was incorrectly printed in white. One of just nine in existence, this pristine unused example went under the hammer for $2 million (£1.7m) at a China Guardian sale in Beijing in November 2018.
J.O.Barnard [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Mauritius 1847 1 & 2 Penny 'Post Office' – $2 million (£1.7m) each
Much prized by collectors, the Mauritius 'Post Office' stamps were the first British Empire stamps produced outside the British Empire. Few examples exist and the last pair available on the open market sold for $4 million (£3.1m).
United States Postal Department Public Domain PD-1923
USA 1868 1¢ Benjamin Franklin Z Grill – $3 million (£2.6m)
The 1868 Benjamin Franklin Z Grill is the rarest and most valuable of all US postage stamps. This example, which belongs to storied collector William H. Gross and is listed in the Scott Catalogue for $3 million (£2.3m), is only one of two in existence.
Got any of these? Small change that's now worth a fortune
sv:P.A. Sparre (1828-1921) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Sweden 1855 3sk Treskilling Yellow – $3.8 million (£3.2m)
This 19th-century Swedish stamp is as unique as they come – only one example is known to exist. It was printed in yellow rather than the usual blue-green, and quality control failed to pick up the error at the time. Sold for $2.3 million in Geneva in 1996, the sale price would today equate to $3.8 million (£3.2m).
大清郵政 [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
China 1897 Small One Dollar Red Revenues – $4.6 million (£3.9m) each
China's Red Revenue stamps are renowned for fetching astronomical prices, and the rare 'Small One Dollar' series is the most sought-after. The original block of four, considered the crown jewel of Chinese philately, sold for $15.2 million in 2009. That's the equivalent of $18.3 million (£15.6m) in today's money.
These 50 Christmas presents are now worth a fortune
USA 1918 Inverted 24¢ Jenny Plate Block 1918 – $4.9 million (£3.5m)
At an auction in June, a block of inverted 1918 24¢ Jenny Plate stamps with the upside-down aeroplane misprint sold for $4.9 million (£3.5m), setting a record for the sale of an American stamp. Bought by the American collector, David Rubenstein, the stamp block is set to go on public display "to help inspire and educate others about our country’s rich history".
Joseph Baum and William Dallas printers for local postmaster, E.T.E. Dalton [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
British Guiana 1856 1¢ Magenta – $8.3 million (£5.9m)
Previously the world's most valuable stamp, there's only one known example of the British Guiana 1856 1 cent magenta left. Known as the Mona Lisa of the stamp world, and created due to a shortage of British stamps in Guiana at the time, it was sold to shoe designer Stuart Weitzman for just under $9.5 million (£8.1m) in 2014. However, Weitzman has since made a considerable loss on the stamp, selling it in June for $8.3 million (£5.9m) to British stamp collecting business Stanley Gibbons, which plans to use the acquisition to launch a new fractional ownership scheme where investors will be able to buy a share of the stamp and hopefully profit from a future increase in its value.
Do you own any of these very valuable books?