The British Guiana 1c Magenta (1856), dubbed the "Mona Lisa of the stamp world", is believed to be the most valuable man-made item. Gram for gram, it is worth around 2.5 million times more than 24-carat gold, said leading dealer Stanley Gibbons - which purchased the stamp for $8.3m (£6.2m) at auction in June.
How to Determine Stamp Values
- Identify the stamp.
- Find out when was the stamp issued.
- Know the stamp's age and material used.
- Determine the centering of the design.
- Check the stamp's gum.
- Determine the condition of the perforations.
- See if the stamp has been cancelled or not.
- Find out the rarity of the stamp.
Worth £6.2m, the world's rarest stamp has gone on display in central London. The rarest stamp in the world is returning to Britain for the first time in almost 150 years. The British Guiana 1c Magenta (1856), dubbed the "Mona Lisa of the stamp world", is believed to be the most valuable man-made item.
Most valuable U.S. stamps
- $1,350,000.
- $1,200,000.
- $900,000.
- $850,000. 1c Benjamin Franklin stamp, 1868.
- $800,000. 15c Landing of Columbus Center Inverted, 1869.
- $600,000. 30¢ Shield, Eagle & Flags Inverted, 1869.
- $375,000. 1c Benjamin Franklin stamp, 1851.
- $310,000. 1c Benjamin Franklin vertical pair, 1908.
The rarest stamps in the world
- British Guiana 1c magenta – 1856.
- Treskilling Yellow – 1855.
- The Sicilian Error of Colour – 1859.
- The Plate 77 Penny Red – 1863.
- Edward VII 6d Pale Dull Purple – 1904.
- Penny Black Die Proof – 1840.
- Edward VII 2d Tyrian Plum – 1910.
- £1 Brown Lilac Stamp -1884.
Stamps from the Victorian era are some of the most valuable, with certain varieties worth as much as £21,000. Which coins are the most valuable? Many coins are also worth much more than their original value, including the 1937 Edward VIII Brass Threepence, which could fetch an astonishing £45,000 today.
: a specialist in philately : one who collects or studies stamps.
The Penny Black was the world's first adhesive postage stamp used in a public postal system. It was first issued in the United Kingdom (referred to in philatelic circles as Great Britain), on 1 May 1840, but was not valid for use until 6 May. The stamp features a profile of Queen Victoria.
A set of "Blue Albums" was added for the reign of King George VI, and a set of "Green Albums" was added for the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. The collection is kept at St.James Palace in London, and parts of it are occasionally exhibited by the Royal Philatelic Society at international exhibitions.
You can get the stamp in Royal services - near the church. It costs 50 silver coins. You can also get the stamp by completing a mission for Snake. After reaching 30 friendship points, he will just come to you and give you the stamp.
The Great Seal of the Realm is the chief seal of the Crown, used to show the monarch's approval of important State documents. The seal meant that the monarch did not need to sign every official document in person; authorisation could be carried out instead by an appointed officer.
The 10 Most Valuable U.S. Stamps
- The Inverted Jenny.
- 1847 Issue Block of 16 of Ben Franklin.
- Almanac Stamp of 1765 or 1766.
- 'Blue Boy' Alexandria Postmaster's Provisional.
- 1869 Pictorials—Inverted Center Errors.
- 5 Myths About Slavery.
- Two-Cent Blue Hawaiian Missionary.
- 1860 Stolen Pony Cover.
The 10 Most Valuable U.S. Stamps
- The Inverted Jenny.
- 1847 Issue Block of 16 of Ben Franklin.
- Almanac Stamp of 1765 or 1766.
- 'Blue Boy' Alexandria Postmaster's Provisional.
- 1869 Pictorials—Inverted Center Errors.
- 5 Myths About Slavery.
- Two-Cent Blue Hawaiian Missionary.
- 1860 Stolen Pony Cover.
The Four Main Elements of a Stamp
| Stamp | Year | Price |
|---|
| The Inverted Jenny | 1918 | $1.35 Million |
| 1c Benjamin Franklin Z Grill | 1868 | $935,000 |
| 3c George Washington w/ B Grill | 1867 | $900,000 |
| Tiflis Stamp | 1857 | $700,000 |
9 ways to sell your stamp collection
- Stamp magazines. The reputable publication 'Stamp Magazine' (above) is available from larger newsagents and the classified advertising section will help you to locate dealers and collectors who offer a valuation service.
- Stamp fairs.
- Philatelic Traders Society.
- Sell at auction.
The one certainty in the world of first-day cover collecting is that blank first-day covers are virtually worthless in today's stamp collecting marketplace. In general, only stamps canceled with the first-day date are deemed collectible without a cachet.
The free “Stamp Manager†app takes the stamp collectors' world into the digital age with a mobile desktop platform. The app is available for both iOS and android free of charge in the respective app store.
Most valuable German stamps
- $1,545,000. Baden 9 Kreuzer error stamp, 1851.
- $389,183. Oldenburg 1/3 Gr.
- $176,000. Audrey Hepburn stamp, 2001.
- $112,394. "Kerstfest" error stamp, 2016.
- $65,500. 2-mark Germania stamp with quatrefoil watermark, 1920.
- $60,790. 5m Kaiser Wilhelm II invert error stamp, 1905.
- $44,957.
- $30,300.
However, in 2019, a Penny Black can cost as little as £15 to £30 if it's in poor to reasonable condition. You might have to pay between £40 to £150 for a specimen of better quality, whereas a fine used example could fetch around £250 to £400.
1970-74 Regular Issue
| Denom. | Description | Mint |
|---|
| 8 cent | United States Postal Service | $0.35 |
| 14 cent | Fiorello LaGuardia | $0.55 |
| 16 cent | Ernie Pyle - Journalist | $0.90 |
| 18 cent | Elizabeth Blackwell - First Woman Physician | $0.65 |
The Most Expensive and Valuable Stamps of Australia
- Inverted Swan.
- Essay Stamp.
- Map Stamp. Price realized: 138,000.
- Classic Victoria. Price realized: 94,875.
- 2-Penny Scarlet. Price realized: 90,520.
- 4-Pence Stamp. Price realized: 75,000.
- Queen Victoria Pair. Price realized: 44,270.
- 5d Stamp Block. Price realized: 23,490.
So, what is the value of used Two Penny Blue stamps? Today, they are probably worth around 200 per cent more than they were two decades ago. But most are still not worth that much, with examples of the later issues regularly trading online from as little as £10 to £15 in 2021.
With more than 21 billion Penny Reds produced and used, the truth is that they are NOT rare – and usually NOT very valuable. If you own an imperforate Penny Red stamp in good condition, expect it to be worth between 50p to £5. Perhaps slightly more if it has four fine margins, but much less if they're poor.
