People collect all kinds of things. It amazes many, who have not been bitten by the collecting bug, that a little, imprinted piece of paper can create intense interest in certain individuals, or have much value. The truth is that a stamp can bring in the millions of dollars at auction, and that a display of rare postage stamps can bring serious philatelists together from all corners of the globe.
The olive colored Queen Victoria's head is an example of a printing error. The Hong Kong stamp was printed in 1864, and was supposed to be gray brown in color. Instead fifty-two sheets were mistakenly printed in olive. In addition to the color error, there is also a mistake in the watermark style and an incorrect placement of the cc. Once selling for ninety-six Hong Kong cents per stamp, a block of four brought nearly six and a half million Hong Kong dollars in 2012.
One of the most expensive stamps in the world is the British Guiana 1 Cent Magenta. It was printed on magenta paper with black ink. This stamp came into being because of a British Guiana postmaster. He had run out of his regular postal supply and talked the local newspaper into printing an emergency batch for him. Postal workers had to initial each stamp to prevent forgeries. The stamp brought $850,000 in 1980.
Mistakes happen when people get in a hurry. The Post Office Mauritius is a good example of this. In 1847 the wife of the governor of Mauritius was planning a ball. The post office had a special stamp issued just for the occasion. The stamp was used on the invitations, but instead of saying postage paid, the stamp read post office. In 2011 one of these twelve two pennies left sold for $1.6 million dollars.
Even non-collectors will recognize the Inverted Jenny. This was the very first air mail stamp issued. The ones that are rare show the plane upside down. This mistake was not hard to make because the stamped sheets had to be fed manually through the press twice. A set of sheets were fed through the wrong way, resulting in an inverted plan. In 2005 someone bought a block of four for $3 million.
The first stamp ever made was the 1840 Penny Black. It shows the profile of Queen Victoria sketched by William Wyon. The stamp was retired after just a year because the background made the cancellation mark hard to see. There are only two in existence. One of the two was purchased recently by an American for $5 million.
The most expensive stamp on the planet is the Treskilling Yellow. Green was the intended color for this Swedish stamp, but it turned out yellow. It has changed hands several times, recently for an undisclosed amount. According to the auctioneer the Treskilling Yellow is now the most expensive single stamp in the world.
It might be hard for some to see the wisdom of paying millions for a tiny piece of paper. For philatelists, who have the money and means, a rare stamp is a prize. There is no telling what another enthusiast will be willing to pay in the future.
The olive colored Queen Victoria's head is an example of a printing error. The Hong Kong stamp was printed in 1864, and was supposed to be gray brown in color. Instead fifty-two sheets were mistakenly printed in olive. In addition to the color error, there is also a mistake in the watermark style and an incorrect placement of the cc. Once selling for ninety-six Hong Kong cents per stamp, a block of four brought nearly six and a half million Hong Kong dollars in 2012.
One of the most expensive stamps in the world is the British Guiana 1 Cent Magenta. It was printed on magenta paper with black ink. This stamp came into being because of a British Guiana postmaster. He had run out of his regular postal supply and talked the local newspaper into printing an emergency batch for him. Postal workers had to initial each stamp to prevent forgeries. The stamp brought $850,000 in 1980.
Mistakes happen when people get in a hurry. The Post Office Mauritius is a good example of this. In 1847 the wife of the governor of Mauritius was planning a ball. The post office had a special stamp issued just for the occasion. The stamp was used on the invitations, but instead of saying postage paid, the stamp read post office. In 2011 one of these twelve two pennies left sold for $1.6 million dollars.
Even non-collectors will recognize the Inverted Jenny. This was the very first air mail stamp issued. The ones that are rare show the plane upside down. This mistake was not hard to make because the stamped sheets had to be fed manually through the press twice. A set of sheets were fed through the wrong way, resulting in an inverted plan. In 2005 someone bought a block of four for $3 million.
The first stamp ever made was the 1840 Penny Black. It shows the profile of Queen Victoria sketched by William Wyon. The stamp was retired after just a year because the background made the cancellation mark hard to see. There are only two in existence. One of the two was purchased recently by an American for $5 million.
The most expensive stamp on the planet is the Treskilling Yellow. Green was the intended color for this Swedish stamp, but it turned out yellow. It has changed hands several times, recently for an undisclosed amount. According to the auctioneer the Treskilling Yellow is now the most expensive single stamp in the world.
It might be hard for some to see the wisdom of paying millions for a tiny piece of paper. For philatelists, who have the money and means, a rare stamp is a prize. There is no telling what another enthusiast will be willing to pay in the future.
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