Add the History of World's Rarest Stamp to Your Collection
With British Guiana Mint Commemorative Sheet
In 2014 the famous 1¢ British Guiana sold for 9.5 million dollars, by far the highest price ever paid for a postage stamp. The British Guiana is not only unique (it’s the only one known), but the stamp also has a fascinating history.
The British Guiana's Journey to Fame
The story began in 1873, when a young Scottish emigrant to Guiana found the stamp among his uncle’s papers and immediately sold it for six shillings. He cut the corners to form the eight-sided stamp. Over the years, the 1¢ Magenta sold for increasingly higher prices, breaking the world’s record for the most expensive single stamp four times.
In the 1920s and ‘30s, Arthur Hind of Utica, N.Y. (about 30 miles from Mystic’s office), owned the stamp as part of his fabulous collection, outbidding the King of England. Decades later, a group of investors, headed by my father’s friend Irwin Weinberg, bought the 1¢ Magenta. Having a flare for theatrics, Weinberg carried the stamp to shows in a case handcuffed to his wrist. I saw the stamp in 1976 at the International Philatelic Exhibition in Philadelphia.
John du Pont bought the British Guiana in 1980 for $935,000 and owned it until his death in 2010. His estate commissioned Sotheby’s to auction his extensive stamp collection including the world’s most famous stamp. After only two minutes of bidding, the 1¢ Magenta was sold to an anonymous bidder.
Now you can own a piece of this history with this neat $800 Guyana mint stamp sheet. Order yours now.