Additional Coverage:
- 12 Postage Stamps That Are Worth a Small Fortune (financebuzz.com)
Rare Stamps: Tiny Treasures Worth a Fortune
Stamp collecting has been a popular hobby for over a century and a half. Because of this, countless stamps, some in pristine condition, can be found at estate sales, thrift stores, and elsewhere.
Could one of these tiny treasures be worth a fortune? While it’s a long shot, some extremely rare stamps command staggering prices.
Here are a few examples of stamps that have sold for substantial sums:
1. US Benjamin Franklin Z-Grill: Benjamin Franklin, the first U.S.
Postmaster General, graces numerous stamps, but the most coveted is the Z-Grill. This rarely used embossed pattern makes this one-cent stamp, issued in 1868, incredibly valuable.
Only two are known to exist. In 2005, one was traded for $3 million, and a recent sale fetched $4.4 million.
2. Audrey Hepburn German Commemorative Stamp: This 2001 stamp features Audrey Hepburn in her iconic “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” role.
After Hepburn’s family requested its withdrawal, the stamp became a rarity. In 2021, one sold for $176,000.
3. British Guiana One-Cent Magenta: Considered the world’s rarest stamp, only one copy of this octagon-shaped 1856 stamp is known to exist. It’s currently held in a vault in Philadelphia.
4. Red Revenue One Dollar Small: This 1897 Chinese stamp is another highly prized rarity.
Its illegible text led to its withdrawal, and only around 30 are believed to remain. One sold for $970,000 in 2013.
**5. Inverted Pair Dr.
Sun Yat-sen:** A printing error in 1941 resulted in a sheet of fifty $2 Dr. Sun Yat-sen stamps being printed upside down.
Only two pairs from this sheet are thought to exist. One pair sold for $707,000 in 2018.
6. Inverted Jenny: This famous 1918 misprint shows the Curtiss JN-4 airplane upside down.
Only one sheet of 100 was ever sold. One recently sold for $2 million.
7. 2c George Washington Carmine Vertical Coil Stamp: Only five pairs of these 1908 carmine red stamps are believed to exist. A pair sold for $1,475,000 in 2021.
8. Black Empress: Canada’s rarest stamp, the 1851 12d Black Empress, is worth an estimated $547,464 today, adjusted for inflation from its $425,000 sale in 2011. Of the original 51,000 printed, fewer than 150 remain.
The Bottom Line: While finding a valuable stamp is unlikely, these examples illustrate the potential value hidden within old collections. Like baseball cards or other collectibles, significant profits usually require either a large collection or an exceptionally rare and well-preserved item. Still, the thrill of the hunt and the possibility of uncovering a hidden treasure make stamp collecting an engaging and potentially rewarding pastime.
Read More About This Story:
- 12 Postage Stamps That Are Worth a Small Fortune (financebuzz.com)