Stamps are most important for mail delivery and postage in the country or across the globe, with numerous types the stamps available worldwide. With hundreds of countries producing different stamps for different purposes, there were approximately 400,000 types in 2000. The United States of America, for instance, has produced over 5000 postage stamps since its inception in 1847. In This, we cover details on the Top 10 Rarest and Most Valuable Stamps Ever Sold in the auctions.
Most Valuable Stamps Ever Sold
World’s Oldest Stamp
The Penny Black, invented by Rowland Hill, is the World’s Oldest Stamp on record. In 1840, the United Kingdom postal service underwent a reform that changed the way letters were sent. Before this, letters were paid for each sheet of paper and the recipient had to pay for post-delivery charges, not the sender. At that time Posts were now paid by weight and this method used ever since, reducing the price of a two-page letter from 18 pence to just one penny.
The Penny Black stamp introduced a new method for sending letters weighing under half an ounce, which were marked with a black postage stamp that cost one penny to send each letter. The introduction of the new postal method significantly increased communication through letters and postcards, allowing everyone to afford the cost of sending letters, not just the rich.
Hobby of Stamp Collecting
Stamp collecting, which began with the invention of the first stamp, has grown to an estimated 60 million collectors worldwide. This hobby offers an exploration of history and geography, with numerous designs to collect. Stamps also increase value over time like your real estate, with the rarest ones potentially worth an immense worth of money.
There are two main types of stamps: definitive and commemorative, which can be collected in mint or used condition or with a postal cancellation marking. The hobby is a long-lasting and rewarding experience.
10 Most Expensive Stamps in the World
- British Guiana 1 Cent Magenta: US$8.3 Million
- Mauritius Post Office Stamps: $3.83 million
- Treskilling Yellow: $2.3 Million
- 1859 Sicilian Error of Color: $2 million
- The Whole Country Is Red: $2 million
- Two Penny Blue: $1.77million
- 1918 Inverted Jenny: $1.3 million
- Baden 9 Kreuzer Error: $1.3 million
- The Inverted 1869 Declaration of Independence: $1.2 million
- 1868 George Washington B-Grill:1 Million
British Guiana 1 Cent Magenta: US$8.3 Million
British Guiana 1 Cent Magenta stamp, octagonal in shape, bears the initials ‘EDW’ of clerk E. D. Wight. Postmarked at Demerara on April 4, 1856, it was discovered in 1873 by a twelve-year-old local schoolboy, Vernon Vaughan. The stamp was in poor condition and slightly damaged when Vaughan soaked it off its envelope.
To raise money for his collection, Vaughan sold it to local collector N. R. McKinnon for six shillings. The British Guiana 1856 One-Cent Magenta stamp, previously sold for $9,480,000 in 2014, was sold at a Sotheby’s auction on June 8th, 2021, for $8,307,000. The stamp, previously owned by shoe designer Stuart Weitzman, remains the world’s most valuable stamp.
Mauritius Post Office Stamps: $3.83 million
The “Pink Mauritius” and “Blue Mauritius” are the Mauritius’ first stamps, this stamp was printed in 1847 with an engraved plate by Joseph Barnard. These rare and valuable stamps are the world’s rarest and most valuable. Only 27 of these exist, with some stamps belonging to Queen Elizabeth, the British Library, Hague museums, Stockholm museums, and private collectors. In a 1993 auction, a pair of these stamps were sold on a Bordeaux Cover envelope for $3.83 million.
Treskilling Yellow: $2.3 Million
Treskilling Yellow is a the141-year-old Swedish stamp, the Treskilling Yellow Stamp, has been sold at auction for a record $2.3 million, surpassing the $1.3 million paid in 1990. The auction, held by the David Feldman Auction House in Zurich, took about four minutes. The stamp is set to be displayed in New York during a Thanksgiving weekend philatelic exhibition at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.
1859 Sicilian Error of Color: $2 million
The 1859 Sicilian Error of Color Stamp, printed in blue instead of orange, is rare and only two exist. One was sold in 2011 for €1.8 million ($2 million) in excellent condition, indicating its rarity.
The Whole Country Is Red: $2 million
The “map error” stamp, a remnant of the Cultural Revolution, is a politically disastrous political error that led to the destruction of many of its copies. The stamp features soldiers, peasants, and workers of China proudly holding copies of Chairman Mao Tse-tung’s Quotations, a Little Red Book, while a white portion of the map is visible on the right. In 2018, one of the nine remaining stamps was sold for 13.8 million yuan, equivalent to $2 million.
Two Penny Blue: $1.77million
The Two Penny Blue, the first British Empire stamp outside Great Britain, was created in Mauritius. Only 12 exist, with forgeries found. In 1922, it was sold for $1.77 million, making it the most valuable of the British Commonwealth Stamps until 2014.
1918 Inverted Jenny: $1.3 million
In 1918, the U.S. Post Office accidentally printed the Curtiss 1918 Inverted Jenny Biplane upside down, which sold for about 1.3 million dollars at an auction. Philatelists at the show enjoyed browsing, selling, and trading the upside-down airplane, as it was considered to push the envelope.
Baden 9 Kreuzer Error: $1.3 million
The Baden 9 Kreuzer is an 1851 German stamp with a printer error, resulting in a small number being printed green instead of rose. In 2008, one sold for $1.5 million, despite Scott catalogs listing it at $1.3 million.
The Inverted 1869 Declaration of Independence: $1.2 million
The Inverted 1869 Declaration of Independence stamp, a rare find, sold for $1.2 million at an auction in 2008, despite being valued at $200-$300,000. Only four of the stamps have been recorded with an inverted image, making it a rare find.
1868 George Washington B-Grill:1 Million
The 1868 George Washington B-Grill stamp is a rare and highly valuable stamp, designed with embossed patterns of tiny indentations to discourage reusing. Only four of these B-grill stamps have been recorded, making them highly coveted and rare. One of these sold for $1 million in 2008.