Some of the most valuable stamps in the world

Inverted Jenny

This stamp features an incorrect upside down printing, doubling the value. Furthermore, it is another specialty of being a stamp that encapsulates the history of international mail. The stamp shows a 'Curtis JN-4HM' aircraft that saw exceptional service during the First World War. Most important to the stamp world, the Curtiss JN-4HM was the first aircraft used to deliver mail.

  This was created in 1918 as a single sheet of 100 stamps only. A single stamp sold at auction in 2016 for $1,351,250 and the Inverted Jenny is worth more than $1,631,700 today.

The Whole Country Is Red

A common stamp by mistake. It has become the most valuable stamp in the world. Designed to commemorate China's Cultural Revolution, the stamp depicts a worker, peasant and soldier holding a copy of the late Chinese leader Mao's selected works.

The facts being this, the map of China shown on the stamp was confirmed to be inaccurate. Thus, the stamps were quickly withdrawn from production. The official reason is that the borders of various countries are drawn incorrectly, and the Spratly and Paracel Islands are missing from the map.

In 2018, one sold for a reported 13.8 million yuan, equivalent to $2,307,700 today.

Mauritius Post Office Stamps

Although paintings are highly valuable works of art, more valuable than the price of such paintings, Mauritius Post Office Stamps are the most valuable stamps in the world.

At first glance, one would think that the Mauritius Post Office stamps were identical to other British stamps of the time. These differ from contemporary British stamps as they are the first British stamps created outside of Great Britain.

In 2021, one cover with a penny red stamp sold for €10,027,800. That value is an inflation-adjusted $12,790,600 in 2023.

Thus, stamps are like treasured treasures of the hobbyist, of infinite value.