List of most expensive philatelic items

Last updated

This is a list of the highest known prices paid for philatelic items, including stamps and covers. The current record price for a single stamp is US$9,480,000 paid for the British Guiana 1c magenta. [1] [2]

Contents

This list is ordered by consumer price index inflation-adjusted value (in bold) in millions of United States dollars in 2024. [note 1] Where necessary, the price is first converted to dollars using the exchange rate at the time the item was sold. The inflation adjustment may change as recent inflation rates are often revised. A list in another currency may be in a slightly different order due to exchange-rate fluctuations. Individual items are listed only once, i.e. for the highest price sold.

Adjusted priceOriginal priceItem(s)Example
image(s)		CountryYearNo. in existenceDate of saleSellerBuyerAuction houseRefs
$24,900,000$17,400,000 Red Revenue block of four and sheet of 25 5-candarin Large Dragon stamps Smallone.jpg
Big Dragon stamp 5-candareen.jpg 		Qing China 1878 (Large Dragons)
1897 (Red Revenues)		Unknown (Large Dragons)
1 known (Red Revenues block of four)
32 known (Individual Red Revenues)		2009Lam ManyinDing JingsongUnknown [3]
$13,000,000$11,200,000 * "Ball Cover" with Mauritius 1d red (XX) 1847 Mauritius One Penny "Post Office" Ball Cover.jpg British Mauritius 18473 knownJune 26, 2021AnonymousAnonymousChristoph Gärtner [4] [5] [6]
$12,592,000$9,480,000 * British Guiana 1c magenta British Guiana 1856 1c magenta stamp.jpg British Guiana 18561 knownJune 17, 2014Estate of John du Pont Stuart WeitzmanSotheby's, New York [1] [2]
$8,707,000$4,000,000"Bordeaux Cover" with Mauritius 2d blue (XXII) and Mauritius 1d red (XXI) Bordeaux Cover.jpg British Mauritius 1847Unique1993AnonymousAnonymousDavid Feldman SA, Geneva [7]
$6,400,000$4,800,000 Inverted Jenny block of four Inverted jenny400.jpg United States 19181 (as block of four)
100 (as individual stamps)		October 4, 2014Donald SundmanAnonymousPrivate sale [8]
$5,570,760$5,570,760500 mon Inverted Centre Japan 1871 500 mon Inverted Centre.jpg Empire of Japan 18711 knownJune 3, 2023Yuji YamadaAnonymousDavid Feldman SA, Geneva [9] [10]
$4,780,000$2,970,000 [note 2] Z Grill Stamp US 1868 1c Z grill Gross.jpg United States 186822005Donald Sundman Bill H. Gross Private exchange [11]
$4,611,000$2,300,000 [note 3] Treskilling Yellow Gul tre skilling banco.jpg Sweden 18551 known1996AnonymousThe Box ABDavid Feldman SA, Geneva [12] [13] [14]
$3,921,000$1,900,000"Missionary cover" with Hawaiian 2c Blue, 5c Blue and two United States 3c Brownish Carmine Dawson Cover.jpg Hawaii and United States 1852UniqueNovember 7, 1995The Honolulu Advertiser CollectionAnonymousRobert A. Siegel, New York [15]
$3,540,000$2,690,000"Bombay Cover" with two Mauritius 1d red (XVIII & XIX) Bombay Cover.jpg British Mauritius 1847Unique2016AnonymousAnonymousDavid Feldman SA, Geneva [16] [17]
$3,060,000$2,190,0001⁄2 grano blue "error of colour" Two Sicilies 18592June 10, 2011AnonymousAnonymousGalerie Dreyfus, Basel [18]
$2,960,000$1,900,000"Rush 1847 Cover" with strip of six 10c black stamps 1847 "Rush cover" US 10C/ strip of 6 stamps.jpg United States 1847UniqueMay 13, 2006AnonymousAnonymousRobert A. Siegel, New York [19]
$2,770,000$1,900,000"Xiphopagus Triplet" with two 30r and one 60r stamps The Xiphopagus Triplet - Pack Strip stamps of Brazil used 1844.jpg Brazil 1843UnknownJune 5, 2008The Islander Collection of South AmericaAnonymousRobert A. Siegel, New York [20]
$2,503,000$1,150,000 Mauritius 2d blue (III) Modry mauritius.jpg British Mauritius 184712 known1993AnonymousMauritian private consortiumDavid Feldman SA, Geneva [21]
$2,380,000$1,680,000"Champion" letter with two 5-centime Strubels in blue misprint and brown 5-centime Strubel Switzerland 1855UniqueJune 10, 2011AnonymousAnonymousGalerie Dreyfus, Basel [22]
$2,344,000$1,605,000"Trondheim" block of 39 4-skilling stamps Stamp-1855 Norway Trondheim 4sk block 39.png Norway 1855UniqueApril 2008AnonymousAnonymousDavid Feldman SA, Geneva [23]
$2,500,000$2,000,000 The Whole Country is Red People's Republic of China 1968UnknownNovember 23, 2018AnonymousAnonymousChina Guardian, Beijing [24]
$2,149,000$1,471,500 Baden 9 Kreuzer error Baden-Fehldruck.jpg Baden 18514April 3, 2008AnonymousAnonymousDavid Feldman SA, Geneva [25]
$1,995,000$1,593,000* Inverted Jenny US Airmail inverted Jenny 24c 1918 issue.jpg United States 1918100November 15, 2018AnonymousAnonymousRobert A. Siegel, New York [26]
$1,878,870$1,344,180 Mauritius 2d blue (XIII) Modry mauritius.jpg British Mauritius 184712 knownJune 28, 2011The Chartwell Collection of Humphrey Cripps AnonymousSpink, London [27] [28]
$1,500,290$1,073,340 Mauritius 1d red (X) Mauritius stamp.jpg British Mauritius 184715 known1993AnonymousMauritian private consortiumDavid Feldman SA, Geneva [29]
$1,450,000$1,180,000 Alexandria "Blue Boy" cover Scott 1X2.jpg United States 1847UniqueJune 22, 2019AnonymousAnonymousH.R. Harmer, New York [30]
$1,314,000$900,000 B Grill US stamp 1867 3c Washington.jpg United States 1867-84 knownOctober 28, 2008The Perry Hansen Collection of U.S. Stamps and CoversAnonymousRobert A. Siegel, New York [31]
$1,309,000$970,000 Red Revenue Hong Yin Hua .Xiao Yi Yuan .jpg Qing China 189732 known2013AnonymousAnonymousInterasia Auctions, Hong Kong [32]
$1,240,000$600,0002-cent unused Hawaii "Missionaries" stamp Hawaii stamp 2c 1851.jpg Hawaii 18511 (unused)
15 (total)		November 7, 1995The Honolulu Advertiser CollectionAnonymousRobert A. Siegel, New York [33]

* Buyer's premium included

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ The Wikipedia template uses a yearly average inflation. Using monthly averages gives slightly different numbers, most significantly for items sold early or late in a year with significant inflation.
  2. ↑ Value derived from exchange with Inverted Jenny block of four, bought in the same year (2005) for $2,970,000. [11]
  3. ↑ The stamp was sold on May 22, 2010 for an undisclosed price higher than the 1996 price of $2.3 million USD, to Armand Rousso. [12] [13]

References

  1. 1 2 "The British Guiana 1-Cent Magenta Stamp". Sotheby's. 2013-09-14. Archived from the original on 2020-05-11. Retrieved 2020-07-04.
  2. 1 2 Brown, Robin (2014-06-18). "Du Pont stamp sells for $9.5 million". delawareonline. Archived from the original on 2018-08-29. Retrieved 2020-07-04.
  3. ↑ "BIG SPENDER：百年郵蹤" [Big Spender: Hundred-Year Trail of Philately]. Apple Daily 蘋果日報 (in Chinese). 2013-08-22. Archived from the original on 2019-12-28. Retrieved 2020-07-05.
  4. ↑ "Record result for the Mauritius Ball Cover". 2021-06-21. Archived from the original on 2022-11-28. Retrieved 2023-01-17.
  5. ↑ Healey, Matthew (2021-06-30). "Mauritius Ball cover sells for almost $12 million, an all-time record price". Linns Stamp News. Archived from the original on 2022-09-26. Retrieved 2023-01-17.
  6. ↑ Morgan, Helen. "Post Office Mauritius (20), one penny, used (XX) (1847)". Research Companion. Archived from the original on 2021-08-07. Retrieved 2022-01-17.
  7. ↑ Morgan, Helen (2006-03-14). "Post Office Mauritius (21/22), one penny, used (XXI) + two pence, used (XXII) - Stamp - Blue Mauritius". Research Companion. Archived from the original on 2018-05-29. Retrieved 2020-07-05.
  8. ↑ "Mystic sells Inverted Jenny plate block; purchase price 'north of $4.8 million'". Linns Stamp News. 2014-10-10. Archived from the original on 2020-07-06. Retrieved 2020-07-06.
  9. ↑ Leclere, Estelle (2023-06-03). "Japan stamp sells for world record price of 5.4 million Euros". David Feldman SA. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
  10. ↑ "Lot 30070 - 1871, 500 mon, greyish yellow-green, earliest printing, plate 1, pos. 8 center inverted | 2023 June 1st-3rd Latin America, Egypt and Japan | David Feldman SA David Feldman SA". David Feldman SA. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
  11. 1 2 Schmid, Randolph E. (2006-05-25). "Rare and Costly Stamps to Go on Display". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2018-10-03. Retrieved 2020-07-05.
  12. 1 2 "Rare stamp fetches record price". BBC News. 2010-05-22. Archived from the original on 2019-02-15. Retrieved 2020-07-04.
  13. 1 2 Lee, Julia (2019-02-16). "Treskilling Yellow is back in the hands of a philatelist - World". Stamp Magazine. Archived from the original on 2018-01-11. Retrieved 2020-07-04.
  14. ↑ "World's 'rarest' stamp 'to break record'". The Telegraph. 2010-05-21. Archived from the original on 2017-11-15. Retrieved 2020-07-04.
  15. ↑ "The Honolulu Advertiser Collection". Siegel Auction Galleries. 1954-05-03. Archived from the original on 2020-07-06. Retrieved 2020-07-06.
  16. ↑ "The Bombay Cover". davidfeldman.com. Archived from the original on 2022-12-03. Retrieved 2022-01-17.
  17. ↑ Morgan, Helen. "Post Office Mauritius (18/19), one penny, used (XVIII) + one penny, used (XIX) (1847)". Research Companion. Archived from the original on 2017-02-25. Retrieved 2022-01-17.
  18. ↑ swissinfo.ch (2015-04-23). "Rare stamps fetch big money". SWI swissinfo.ch. Archived from the original on 2019-12-19. Retrieved 2020-07-05.
  19. ↑ "Auction: 10c Black (2)". Siegel Auction Galleries. 2006-05-13. Retrieved 2020-07-06.
  20. ↑ "Auction: 1843, 30r/30r/60r Black, Se-Tenant Strip of Three (1d)". Siegel Auction Galleries. 2008-06-05. Archived from the original on 2020-07-06. Retrieved 2020-07-06.
  21. ↑ Morgan, Helen (2006-03-14). "Post Office Mauritius (03), two pence, unused (III) - Stamp - Blue Mauritius". Research Companion. Archived from the original on 2017-02-24. Retrieved 2020-07-05.
  22. ↑ "1.8 million euros for a postage stamp at Galerie Dreyfus Investor Basle". Business Wire. 2011-06-09. Archived from the original on 2011-08-20. Retrieved 2020-07-05.
  23. ↑ "Stamp News". sammler.com. 2011-06-25. Archived from the original on 2019-10-21. Retrieved 2020-07-06.
  24. ↑ ""The Whole Country is Red" fetched $2 million at China Guardian auction – World Stamp News". Find your stamps value online. 2018-11-28. Archived from the original on 2020-07-05. Retrieved 2020-07-05.
  25. ↑ "David Feldman Spring Auctions, April 1–5, 2008, Feature Great Results for Rarities". David Feldman. Archived from the original on 2008-06-13. Retrieved 2008-04-07.
  26. ↑ Healey, Matthew (2018-11-15). "Nov. 15 Jenny Invert sale sets record". Linns Stamp News. Archived from the original on 2019-12-25. Retrieved 2020-07-05.
  27. ↑ "Stamp Sells for £1 Million at Auction". Archived from the original on 2011-07-03. Retrieved 2011-07-01.
  28. ↑ "Mauritius 2d Post Office sells for £900,000 - World". Stamp Magazine. 2019-02-16. Archived from the original on 2018-01-11. Retrieved 2020-07-05.
  29. ↑ Morgan, Helen (2006-03-14). "Post Office Mauritius (10), one penny, unused (X) - Stamp - Blue Mauritius". Research Companion. Archived from the original on 2017-02-25. Retrieved 2020-07-05.
  30. ↑ Baadke, Michael (2019-06-25). "Alexandria 'Blue Boy' cover auctioned for $1.18 million". Linns Stamp News. Archived from the original on 2019-10-27. Retrieved 2020-07-05.
  31. ↑ "Auction: 3c Rose, B. Grill (82)". Siegel Auction Galleries. 2008-10-28. Archived from the original on 2020-07-06. Retrieved 2020-07-06.
  32. ↑ ""1897 Red Revenue Small One Dollar" stamp sells for $970,000 at auction". NewsComAu. 2013-07-03. Archived from the original on 2020-03-28. Retrieved 2020-07-05.
  33. ↑ "The Honolulu Advertiser Collection". Siegel Auction Galleries. 1921-06-23. Archived from the original on 2020-07-06. Retrieved 2020-07-06.
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