24 Old Stamps Worth An Absolute Fortune Today

Stamp collecting has been a popular hobby for well over a century. Collectors have sought out the most colorful and striking stamps for their collections since the first postal service was inaugurated in the United Kingdom.

Many of us collect stamps that we find interesting. Perhaps we like to focus on a theme such as sport, music, or wildlife. We all dream, however, of locating that stamp that could offer a life-changing value. The quest will remain a fantasy for most, but which items should we look for?

1. British Guiana One-Cent Magenta

Anyone with a passing interest in philately will know that this is the rarest stamp of all. Only a few examples were issued, and the British Guiana one cent in magenta is the record holder in terms of price paid for a single stamp. Only one is known to exist today, and it was sold in 2014 to collector Stuart Weitzman for a cool $9,480,000.

2. USA The ‘Inverted Jenny’

A new record for a US postage stamp was set in November 2023 when a collector paid an incredible $2m for the iconic ‘Inverted Jenny.’ These rare stamps appeared in a 1918 series featuring a Curtiss JN-4 airplane. Around 100 were printing errors with the plane shown upside down, and they are arguably the most famous collectible stamps of all time.

3. UK Penny Black

The Penny Black represents Genesis as far as postage stamps are concerned. While there are rarer items around, the Penny Black was the first adhesive postage stamp in circulation, and many collectors consider it the ‘Holy Grail.’ Standard editions in average condition can be bought for less than $100, but rarer versions are much more valuable. In 2011, a Penny Black from one of the first 1840 registration sheets sold for $560,000.

4. Mauritius 2D Blue

Mauritius issued its first set of stamps in 1847, which came in two denominations. The 1D Red is more common, but the 2D Blue is more desirable, and an anonymous collector paid $1,150 for an example in 1993. As Mauritius was a British colony then, the designs feature the head of a young Queen Victoria.

5. China Red Revenue One Dollar

While not quite a misprint, the original runs of this rare Chinese stamp included text that proved to be illegible. The producers decided to start again, but 32 of the first 1897 pressing remained. In 2013, a single stamp from that run was put up for auction and sold for $890,000.

6. UK Penny Red

While the Penny Black is considered more desirable, its red counterpart has raised more money at auction. Both stamps feature the head of a young Queen Victoria, but the Penny Red came out in more significant quantities. Two billion were printed, so it may only be worth a few cents if you have one. However, sheet 77 contained imperfections but was still sent out in general circulation. In 2012, a collector paid £550,000 for one of these penny reds.

7. USA George Washington B-Grill

Stay calm if you have a George Washington definitive issue from the 1860s. Chances are it’s just a regular issue with no significant value. However, you’re ready for the high life if it’s a B-grill version. A B-grill is a series of tiny indents that point upwards. Only four of these remain, and one of these sold for a cool million dollars in 2008

8. Germany Audrey Hepburn Commemoratives

It’s unusual for a modern stamp to attract high value, but this 2001 German issue is a notable exception. The design was based on an iconic Audrey Hepburn photograph from the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s, but there was one change to the image. A cigarette holder replaced the actress’ iconic sunglasses. The Hepburn family refused copyright, so the stamp never made it to general release, but a few survived. A set of ten of these commemoratives fetched $606,000 at an auction in Berlin in 2010.

9. Hong Kong Sun Yat Seng Inverted Pair

Another misprint makes it onto the list. Initially issued in Hong Kong in 1941, the stamp featured the head of the first President of the People’s Republic of China, Sun Yat Seng. One sheet of 50 showed the President’s head upside down, and two pairs remained. One of these was sold at auction in 2018 for $707,000.

10. UK The 13p Rose

It’s back to the UK now for what should have been a regulation commemorative issue. In 1978, a set of flowers was issued with the 13p edition featuring a sweet briar rose. In another printing error, a tiny selection was published without the 13p price shown and is now said to be worth around £130,000. Before you check your collection, it’s reported that only three exist. Two are with the British Royal Family, while a private collector owns the third.

11. UK Penny Blue

The blue edition of the UK’s ‘penny’ series was intended for heavier postage items, and relatively few were issued. As the penny blue heads towards its 175th anniversary, it remains highly sought after, with one example selling for $1.7 million in Switzerland in 1992.

12. USA 23 Cents Lost Continental

Regarding rarity, the United States Lost Continental trumps all other stamps on this list. The Continental Banknote Company produced it, featuring the head of General Wilfred Scott, and only one is known to exist. As a unique item, a value of $325,000 seems modest, and it could increase significantly if it were to get to auction.

13. China 800Y Blue Military

One of the more exciting misprints adds to the value of this 1953 release. The original print run of this military stamp was run on transparent paper, and the authorities were concerned that this could reveal details of the envelope’s contents when held up to the light. Only a few examples remain, and their value is estimated to be more than $400,000.

14. Canada 12D Black Empress

We head north of the border now for Canada’s rarest stamp. This 1851 release contains no misprints, but its short print run has enhanced its value. Depending on the condition, the 12D Black Empress will likely sell for between $150,000 and $450,000.

15. USA 2 Cents Hawaiian Missionary

Once again, this stamp is valued for its rarity rather than any variations in the print run. Issued in 1851, the last Hawaiian Missionary two cents stamp was sold for $619,500 by the auctioneer Robert A. Siegel in 2018.

16. China 10 Cents on 9 Candareen

The error on this rare stamp relates to the inverted surcharge mark. Initially released in 1897, only three stamps have ever been verified. Only one of those three remained unused, and it was auctioned by Spink of Hong Kong in 2019, fetching $770,000.

17. Germany: Baden 9 Kreuzer Error

A significant misprint saw a small run of this 1851 German stamp issued in green rather than its intended pink. Four were printed, and it’s believed that only one survives, and that unique example sold for $1.5 million in 2008.

18. Sweden Treskilling Yellow

Another color error saw this 1855 release issued in yellow instead of the regulation green. It’s Sweden’s rarest stamp by far, and, once again, only one is thought to exist. That unique issue fetched $2.3 million at auction back in 1993.

19. China: Red Maiden in the Green Robe

A currency’s collapse led to a hasty reissue of this 1897 stamp. The Red Maiden in the Green Robe was produced during currency reforms under China’s Qing dynasty, and reports claim that only nine have survived. One of the remaining stamps found its way to auction in Hong Kong in 2004, selling for $444,477.

20. UK 6D Pale Dull Purple

As this 1904 stamp was produced, an order canceled the run. The printing presses stopped before a tiny amount was issued. The UK Inland Revenue issued them, and while never officially in circulation, some have survived, and the most recent example sold for £400,000 in 2010.

21. USA Inverted Declaration of Independence

Modern printing techniques have eradicated the type of mistakes that occasionally occurred in 19th-century stamp production. Another release, this time in 1869, saw some Declaration of Independence stamps published with the image upside down. Four exist; the most recent sale produced $1.2 million in 2008.ge

22. USA Alexandria Blue Boy

This scarce stamp was issued in 1847, shortly before the US Federal Government took over countrywide production. Only one example remains on the blue paper background, and it last sold for $1.18 million in 2019. That’s a considerable investment on its original face value of 5 cents.

23. China The Whole Country is Red

Another Chinese issue was quickly pulled from the printing presses. On this occasion, the stamp referred to as The Whole Country in Red was suspended after the original map contained errors. A recent release from 1968 shows that a small number survived, and they are worth around $2.3 million today.

24. Sicily Error of Color

As the name suggests, this is another stamp that saw a small run issued in the wrong colors. The rare stamps are blue instead of orange, which is the regulation. Only two remain in existence; one was sold in 2011 for 1.8 million Euros.