13 Rare Stamps to Collect in 2024 (& Alternative Investments)

If you’re a passionate stamp collector, then you need to get your hands on the world’s most valuable, rare stamps. 

But, how do you determine the value of your stamps?

Let’s explore everything about rare stamps and discover whether it’s worth investing in them or not.

And, if you want an alternative investment with more substantial and predictable returns, then you might want to check out fine wine!

13 Rare Stamps Worth Collecting in 2024

These are the best stamps that deserve a spot in your collection:

1. Mauritius Post Office Stamps
2. British Guiana 1 Cent Magenta
3. Benjamin Franklin Z Grill
4. Swedish Treskilling Yellow
5. Sicilian Error of Color
6. Two Penny Blue
7. Baden 9 Kreuzer Error Stamp
8. Inverted Jenny
9. George Washington B-Grill
10. Red Revenue One Dollar Small
11. Inverted Pair Dr Sun Yat-sen
12. Penny Red Plate 77
13. Audrey Hepburn Commemorative Postage Stamps

1. Mauritius Post Office Stamps, Mauritius, 1847 ($4 Million)

These are the first British stamps created outside Great Britain. Interestingly, they’re the world’s most expensive stamps - costing more than some of the most valuable paintings. 

In 1993, a pair of the Mauritius Post Office stamps (a One Penny Red and a Two Penny Blue) was sold for about $6.1 million at a Swiss auction.

2. British Guiana 1 Cent Magenta, British Guiana, 1856 ($9.4 Million)

This stamp was produced as an emergency solution when a stamp shipment from London was delayed. There’s only one British Guiana 1 Cent Magenta postage stamp in existence - making it the rarest stamp in the world.

This old stamp was sold for about $9.48 million at a June 2014 Sotheby’s auction. Before then, it belonged to John du Pont - an American man who bought the stamp for $935,000 in 1980.

3. Benjamin Franklin Z Grill, United States, 1868 ($2.9 Million)

Benjamin Franklin holds a special place in US postal history - he served as the country’s first post maker and is featured on most US postage stamps. The most valuable Benjamin Franklin stamp is the Benjamin Franklin Z Grill.

The US Postal Service used different types of grills (embossed patterns) to prevent the reuse of stamps. However, the Z grill was not widely used - making the Benjamin Franklin Z Grill postage stamp a rarity.

Only two of these stamps are available - one is permanently held at New York Public Library’s Miller Collection, while the other is sold at auction houses. In 2005, a Benjamin Franklin Z Grill single stamp was traded for four Inverted Jenny stamps valued at $3 million. 

4. Swedish Treskilling Yellow, Sweden, 1855 ($4.2 Million)

This valuable stamp is one of the first postage stamps produced in Sweden. It was supposed to be green but got printed in yellow by mistake.

This old stamp was sold for around $2.3 million in 1993. Today, there’s only one Swedish Treskilling Yellow stamp, and it’s worth over $4.2 million. 

5. Sicilian Error of Color, Sicily, 1859 ($2.6 Million)

This valuable stamp has a printing error - it was supposed to be orange but ended up being printed in blue. Only two of these stamps are currently available.

One of the  Sicilian Error of Color stamps was sold for around $2 million in 2011.

6. Two Penny Blue, United Kingdom, 1840 ($1.7 Million)

This is the world’s second official stamp - it was produced after the famous Penny Black postage stamp. The stamp was intended for heavier items and was used less frequently than the Penny Black.

This expensive stamp was sold for around $1.7 million at a Swiss auction in 1992.

7. Baden 9 Kreuzer Error Stamp, Germany, 1851 ($1.73 Million)

This postage stamp has a printing error - it was supposed to be pink but ended up being printed in green. There were four copies of the stamp, but only one of them currently exists - making it the rarest stamp in Germany.

This expensive stamp was sold for about $1.5 million in 2008.

8. Inverted Jenny, United States, 1918 ($1.6 Million)

The Inverted Jenny stamp has an upside-down print of the Curtiss JN-4HM - a plane used during World War I, and the first flight used to deliver mail. Only one single sheet of 100 inverted Jenny stamps was created.

In 2016, an Inverted Jenny single stamp was sold for around $1.4 million at an auction.

9. George Washington B-Grill, United States, 1868 ($1.04 Million)

A normal 1868 George Washington postage stamp isn’t worth a lot of money. However, it’s worth millions of dollars if it has a B-grill mark (tiny upward-pointing dents.)

In fact, there are only four George Washington B-Grill stamps that currently exist. One of these stamps was sold for about $1 million in 2008.

10. Red Revenue One Dollar Small, China, 1897 ($900,000)

The original Red Revenue One Dollar Small stamps have illegible text. So, they were immediately replaced with new, improved versions.

Now, these stamps are a rarity, and only about 32 of them exist. In 2013, one of the stamps was sold for around $890,000.

11. Inverted Pair Dr Sun Yat-sen, Hong Kong, 1941 ($814,000)

This stamp has an upside-down picture of the first president of the People’s Republic of China - Dr Sun Yat Sen. Only one sheet of 50 stamps was printed.

There are currently two inverted pairs in existence, and one of them sold for $707,000 at a Hong Kong auction in 2018.

12. Penny Red Plate 77, United Kingdom, 1863 ($707,000+)

The Penny Red Plate 77 stamps were initially neglected because they weren’t perforated correctly. However, these postage stamps are now valuable items that are worth collecting. 

There are about five of these stamps in existence. In 2016, Stanley Gibbons (a rare stamp merchant) sold one of the stamps for $645,000.

Now, if you’re looking for other valuable stamps or want to learn more about postal history, check out the Stanley Gibbons website. You’ll discover remarkable stamp collections such as the King George V stamps, Queen Victoria stamps, and more.

13. Audrey Hepburn Commemorative Postage Stamp, Germany, 2001 ($176,000)

These rare German stamps are sought-after at auctions due to their captivating backstory. The stamps were based on a photograph of Hepburn’s character in the classic film ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’. However, the stamp showed her holding a woman’s cigarette holder instead of sunglasses in the original picture. Hepburn's family refused copyright approval, so the stamp was scrapped. But a few sheets miraculously survived. A mint-condition sheet of 10 stamps fetched $606,000 at a 2010 charity auction in Berlin.

You might be wondering:

How Can I Tell if My Stamps Are Valuable?

As a stamp collector, you should know the value of your stamp collection. An easy way out is to seek guidance from a reputed stamp dealer or any other professional.

Anyway, here are some of the things that you should look out for as a stamp collector:

• Rarity: This is one of the main things that’ll help you easily determine the value of your stamps. Some of the most valuable stamps are ones with printing errors or an interesting history.
• Condition: The stamp’s condition affects its value. Some of the most valuable stamps have little signs of use, such as slight fading and light stamp hinge marks. Similarly, the cancellation mark on a used stamp should not cover the stamp’s design.
• Gum: This refers to the adhesive used at the back of a stamp. Unused stamps usually retain their adhesive and are usually more valuable.

Stamp collecting can be a fun activity and a good investment. 

However, the stamp market is highly unpredictable - especially during uncertain times.

Besides, maintaining your stamp collection can be a tedious task. If you don’t handle your stamps properly, they’ll end up losing their value. 

Are there any better long-term alternatives if you want solid, steady returns?

Fine Wine: A Fantastic Alternative Investment Option

The fine wine market performs well even during the market turmoils caused by pandemics and soaring inflation rates. For example, during the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, fine wine grew 24.7% by value and 19.3% by volume.

Besides, maintaining fine wine is easy - especially if you do it with a reputed wine investment company like Vinovest.

Want to build a profitable wine investment portfolio? 

Visit the Vinovest website today. This AI-powered platform makes it easy for you to buy, store, and sell wines from New York, New Zealand, France, Great Britain, Washington DC, and anywhere in the world.

Here’s how it works:

1. Complete a questionnaire that’ll help Vinovest build a personalized portfolio matching your investing goals.
2. Fund your account. Vinovest has four investment tiers - the lowest starts from $1,000.
3. Our master sommeliers, along with our investment models, will build a winning portfolio for you within 2 to 3 weeks. 
4. Best part? You own all the wines in your portfolio. 
5. You can buy or sell your bottles – whenever you like. 
6. Vinovest will take care of the insurance and storage.

Diversify Your Portfolio With Rare Stamps and Fine Wine

The world’s most popular and rare stamps (such as King George V and Queen Victoria stamps) can make a great addition to your collection. In fact, you can turn stamp collecting from a hobby into a great investment.

However, if you’re looking for the best investment returns, then you should explore alternatives like fine wine.

Check out the Vinovest website today to start investing in fine wine bottles from New Zealand, France, Washington DC, and all over the globe.