Rare stamps are to stamp collectors, what Dusenburgs are to car collectors. They are usually a feather in the cap of the stamp collector who owns them. Some stamp collectors are willing to spend fortunes on finding and acquiring these rare stamps.
There are many reasons which can make a stamp rare. It could be because of a limited production, old age, or a printing mistake. Rare stamps are very valuable, even if they are used, though unused stamps are significantly more expensive.
Contrary to the norm, the 1st postage stamp, the Penny Black, isn't very rare. Any stamp collector can buy a used one for $180 per sheet. Single pieces have been sold for $20, though an unused one can cost about $3,000.
Benjamin Franklin Z-grill stamp
This rare stamp was printed in 1868, and was exceptional because it had small squares imprinted on the back of the stamp. This was done so that the ink would be absorbed into the squares, thus preventing people from cheating the postal system by washing out the cancellation marks. Only 2 known copies of the Z-grill stamp are known to exist and their value is approximated to be around $2.97 million.
British Guiana 1 cent Magenta
This rare stamp was prin ted in 1856, by a local newspaper company because the postmaster could not wait for a delivery of stamps from England. Each one of these stamps had to be initialised by a post office employee before they were used so as to avoid forgery of the stamps. There is only one British Guiana 1 cent Magenta knows in existence and its value is approximately $935,000.
Post office Mauritius, Red/Blue Penny
The Red Penny and the Blue Penny was printed in Mauritius in 1847. More than 240 pieces of the stamp were sold before it was realised that they had printed 'post office' instead of 'post paid'. There are 26 known copies of the Red/Blue Penny in existence and their value is around a million pound sterling.
Three-Skilling Yellow
Also known as the Treskilling Yellow, this rare stamp was printed in Sweden in the year 1855. The stamp was supposed to be green in colour but due to a mysterious error, it was printed in yellow. There is only one copy of the Three-Skilling Yellow in the world and is worth approximately $2.3 million, making it the most expensive stamp in the world.
The Inverted Jenny
This rare stamp was created in 1918, for the delivery of mail by air. The printing process was quite complicated and required the sheets of stamps to be fed into the machine twice. Someone accidentally must have flipped the sheets into the machine the wrong way during the second time. Hence, the plane was printed upside down. An individual Inverted Jenny stamp can cost about $500,000.
Rare stamps drive some stamp collectors to extreme lengths in order to get them. It is the Holy Grail for them and they shall not stop until they have acquired these priceless and rare stamps.
There are many reasons which can make a stamp rare. It could be because of a limited production, old age, or a printing mistake. Rare stamps are very valuable, even if they are used, though unused stamps are significantly more expensive.
Contrary to the norm, the 1st postage stamp, the Penny Black, isn't very rare. Any stamp collector can buy a used one for $180 per sheet. Single pieces have been sold for $20, though an unused one can cost about $3,000.
Benjamin Franklin Z-grill stamp
This rare stamp was printed in 1868, and was exceptional because it had small squares imprinted on the back of the stamp. This was done so that the ink would be absorbed into the squares, thus preventing people from cheating the postal system by washing out the cancellation marks. Only 2 known copies of the Z-grill stamp are known to exist and their value is approximated to be around $2.97 million.
British Guiana 1 cent Magenta
This rare stamp was prin ted in 1856, by a local newspaper company because the postmaster could not wait for a delivery of stamps from England. Each one of these stamps had to be initialised by a post office employee before they were used so as to avoid forgery of the stamps. There is only one British Guiana 1 cent Magenta knows in existence and its value is approximately $935,000.
Post office Mauritius, Red/Blue Penny
The Red Penny and the Blue Penny was printed in Mauritius in 1847. More than 240 pieces of the stamp were sold before it was realised that they had printed 'post office' instead of 'post paid'. There are 26 known copies of the Red/Blue Penny in existence and their value is around a million pound sterling.
Three-Skilling Yellow
Also known as the Treskilling Yellow, this rare stamp was printed in Sweden in the year 1855. The stamp was supposed to be green in colour but due to a mysterious error, it was printed in yellow. There is only one copy of the Three-Skilling Yellow in the world and is worth approximately $2.3 million, making it the most expensive stamp in the world.
The Inverted Jenny
This rare stamp was created in 1918, for the delivery of mail by air. The printing process was quite complicated and required the sheets of stamps to be fed into the machine twice. Someone accidentally must have flipped the sheets into the machine the wrong way during the second time. Hence, the plane was printed upside down. An individual Inverted Jenny stamp can cost about $500,000.
Rare stamps drive some stamp collectors to extreme lengths in order to get them. It is the Holy Grail for them and they shall not stop until they have acquired these priceless and rare stamps.
