Sir Rowland Hill was an educator who was interested in developing solutions for problems in teaching. For over a decade, Hill operated schools that focused on principles of self-discipline and democratic systems, but he was also interested in everything from astronomy and transportation systems to printing and math.
However, Hill’s defining work was the creation of the postage stamp in 1837. His groundbreaking invention was officially released in 1840, marking the debut of the world’s first stamp. Hill also designed the first postage rates to be based on package weight rather than size, setting the stage for the modern mail system.
Hill was eventually knighted in honor of his work as the postage stamp spread across the globe. The United States adopted postage stamps in 1847 and by the 1860s dozens of nations were printing their own postage.
Today, most stamps are relatively cheap — but some are extremely expensive. These stamps are often rare and very old, but some earn their price due to misprints and other flaws.
Here are the top eight most expensive stamps in the world.
- The Inverted Jenny
- The 1897 Red Revenue Small $1
- The Alexandria Blue Boy
- The 9-Kreuzer Black Stamp
- Sicilian Error of Color Stamp
- The Z Grill
- The 1847 1d Orange-red and the 2d Deep Blue Mauritius “Post Office” Stamps
- The British Guiana One-Cent Black on Magenta
Issue Year: 1918
Design: An upside-down airplane
Interesting Fact: The airplane on this stamp is based on a real plane that delivered mail
photo source: smithsonianmag.com
The Inverted Jenny is probably the most famous error stamp. The design was based on Number 38262 — the first plane to deliver mail. However, there was an error during the printing process, leading to the iconic inverted plane.
Interestingly, the plane that this stamp was based on actually flipped upside-down during its first flight. According to Smithsonian Magazine, the plane was flown by an inexperienced pilot. During the maiden flight, the pilot got lost and his aircraft slipped out of control. To avoid a deadly accident, the pilot made a crash landing in a field in rural Maryland and the plane flipped over. The Inverted Jenny stamp wasn’t purposefully printed to commemorate the crash and the coincidence has “dazzle[d]” stamp fans for years.
Did you know?
As a collectible postage item, the Inverted Jenny is known as a philatelic item. Philatelic, or philately, refers to the study of postal history and postage stamps.
Issue Year: 1897
Design: Decorative print
Interesting Fact: This is one of China’s rarest stamps
photo source: paulfrasercollectibles.com
There are just 32 known examples of the rare 1897 Red Revenue stamp, making it one of China’s rarest stamps and one of the rarest stamps in the entire world. Amazingly, with a price tag of more than $880,000, this stamp is on the cheaper side in the world of expensive philatelic items.
The Red Revenue stamp series was released by the Chinese government during the Qing dynasty as it prepared to launch a national postal system. The first $1 stamp design was considered too small, making it hard to read the label. As a result, a second batch of larger $1 stamps was created — leaving an estimated 32 of the original in existence.
In 2013, five envelopes featuring these stamps went up for sale at an auction held by InterAsia Auctions — and people got really excited. “The popularity and eight-figure result for the Taiwan envelopes…[was]…truly staggering,” said Dr. Jeffrey Schneider, the director of InterAsia Auctions.
Did you know?
InterAsia Auctions provided “detailed explanations” of this stamp’s historic value during the auction.
Issue Year: 1846 – 1847
Design: Alexandria print with decorative design
Interesting Fact: This stamp was affixed to a letter “conveyed between a courting couple”
photo source: huffpost.com
In 1847, James Wallace Hooff sent a letter to his second cousin and love interest, Jannett Hooff Brown. Reports say the letter suggests James was worried about which family members knew of the romance and what they might say. Interestingly, James signs off his letter with “Yours with the greatest affection, W.” before adding “Burn as Usual” at the bottom of the page.
With such a unique history, the stamp accompanying this letter sold for $1,180,000 in June 2019.
Did you know?
James Wallace Hooff and Jannette Hooff Brown lived a few blocks away from each other, but James mailed his letter while Jannette was away visiting relatives in Richmond, Virginia.
Issue Year: 1851
Design: Decorative print
Interesting Fact: This stamp was found in a photo album
photo source: linns.com
The world only knew of four other copies before this example of the rare German state of Baden stamp was discovered. The rare postage was found by a stamp collector from the United States hidden among the pages of his family’s old photo album.
According to reports, the 168-year-old stamp was probably first obtained by the collector’s grandmother who traveled the world as a young woman in the years following World War I.
Amazingly, this stamp is worth an estimated $1,300,000, making it the fifth most expensive stamp in the world.
Did you know?
The collector who found this stamp has not been identified.
Issue Year: 1859
Design: Male profile with decorative border
Interesting Fact: This stamp was printed with the wrong color
photo source: mintageworld.com
In 2011, a rare Sicilian stamp sold for more than $2,000,000. The expensive stamp was supposed to be printed with orange ink, but it was issued in blue. The mix-up earned this postage the name Sicilian Error of Color Stamp.
Unlike some stamps on this list, the Sicilian Error of Color Stamp is in great condition. That boosted the price, but so did the stamp’s old age. According to historical records, the postage was issued in 1859.
Did you know?
It’s unclear exactly how many examples of this rare stamp exist, but only five copies have been sold to the public.
Issue Year: 1868
Design: Print of Benjamin Franklin
Interesting Fact: This stamp is sometimes called America’s rarest stamp
photo source: info.mysticstamp.com
The Z Grill was issued in 1868 — making it one of America’s earliest stamps. The rare find is also one of the rarest in the U.S., with some even calling it the rarest American stamp ever printed.
The Z Grill gets its name from the stamp’s unique design that was aimed at preventing people from using the postage more than once. According to Mystic Stamp Company, an American stamp dealer, “The Z grill is one of several embossed grill patterns used to break the fibers of certain early U.S. stamps.” This would allow ink to be “absorbed into the grill when the stamp was canceled,” making it impossible to illegally reuse the postage.
Today, the Z Grill is worth an estimated $3,000,000.
Did you know?
There are currently just two known examples of the rare 1868 Z Grill stamp. One of these rare stamps is owned by the New York Public Library, the other is reportedly owned by a billionaire named Bill Gross.
Issue Year: 1847
Design: Profile of a woman
Interesting Fact: For over 20 years, these stamps were the most expensive philatelic items ever sold
photo source: davidfeldman.com
Coming in at number two is this set of two stamps (sometimes called Bordeaux Cover). The ultra-expensive collector’s item consists of two postage stamps affixed to an envelope containing a letter sent by Edward Francis & Co. to Duncan & Lurgnie at Bordeaux. The letter itself is dated October 4, 1847 and confirms the sale of several casks of wine.
With a sale price of approximately $6,666,000 USD, these stamps were the most expensive philatelic items for over 20 years. David Feldman: International Auctioneers (the auction house behind the sale) says “Both stamps” feature deep, rich, and fresh colors. The auction house also notes that “Some trivial imperfections do not in any way” detract from the beauty of these rare stamps.
Did you know?
According to the circular mark placed across these stamps, the envelope arrived in France on December 26, 1847.
Issue Year: 1856
Design: Octangular cut with a ship and motto
Interesting Fact: The motto on this stamp says “Damus Petimus Que Vicissim,” which roughly translates to “we give and expect in return.”
photo source: news.sky.com
The British Guiana One-Cent Black on Magenta is the most expensive stamp in the world.
Its design may have faded with age, but this stamp still has a lot of character. The octangular-cut design once displayed a ship with three masts and a motto that translates to “we give and expect in return,” which seems to be a reference to the mail system in general. The stamp is the last remaining survivor of a batch printed in British Guiana — a former British colony now known as Guyana.
As such a historic stamp, the British Guiana One-Cent has been displayed by institutions like the Smithsonian National Stamp Museum in Washington DC.
According to Sotheby’s auction house, this rare postage sold for $8,307,000 to an unnamed buyer.
Did you know?
Measured gram-by-gram, this stamp is 2.5 million times more valuable than solid, 24-carat gold.
