British postage stamp valuations: What's the most valuable British stamp?
Did you know that some of themost valuable postage stamps in the world have been issued in Britain? So, if you think yourcollection is worth some money, we’ve put together a guide explaining which designsattract the most interest from philatelists and how to obtain a good stampvaluation from a reputable dealer.
Rarities and obscure treasures
Featuring the distinctivesilhouette of Edward VII, the 2d Tyrian plum stamp was issued in 1910. However,following the death of the king on May 6, most of the 24m stamps weredestroyed. Only a handful now remain in the hands of private collectors andthey will most likely stay guarded under lock and key!
Misprinted stamps are also highlysought after by stamp enthusiasts.
Why? Because when some stampswere originally printed, certain details were missing such as the stamp’sprice. This is certainly the case with the 1976 Roses 13p stamp although giventhe fact that there are only three left (and the Queen owns two of them), it’sunlikely that another will resurface.
Early stamps
Of course, the most famousstamp of them all is the Penny Black.
The world’s first adhesivepostage stamp was issued in 1840 and represented the beginning of a postalrevolution. Now, instead of payment on delivery, the introduction of a pre-paidstamp made the sending of correspondence simple and affordable.
With its unmistakable profileof the ruling monarch Queen Victoria, the Penny Black is highly desirable ifnot particularly rare.
Specialist interests
When England won the World Cupin 1966, Postmaster General Edward Short ordered a run of commemorative stampsto celebrate the victory.
These proved immensely popularat the time, with the demand so great that stocks ran out in certain places.
However, in the rush to getthe stamps into circulation, there were misprints and colour variations whichcan command a higher valuation in today’s market – so it’s always worth takinga closer look at your stamp album to check for anomalies.
Stamp valuations by the experts
If in doubt and you have aquestion, it is a good idea to use an experienced dealer who can give an honestappraisal about its valuable, past andfuture.
Tony Lester’s nextstamp auction willbe held on June 30. For more information about timings and auction item here’show to get in touch to find out more.
