British Guiana 1c magenta

British Guiana 1c magenta
Country of productionBritish Guiana (now Guyana)
Location of productionGeorgetown
Date of production1856
Nature of rarityVery limited printing
Emergency issue
Only one known
No. in existence1
Face value1c
Estimated valueUS$8,307,000 (last sale, 8 June 2021, including buyer's premium)[1][2]

The British Guiana 1c magenta is regarded by many philatelists as the world's most famous rare stamp.[3][4] It was issued in limited numbers in British Guiana (now Guyana) in 1856, and only one specimen is now known to exist. It is the only major postage stamp ever issued in the United Kingdom or British Commonwealth that is not represented in Britain's Royal Philatelic Collection.[5]

An example of the 4-cent stamp of the same issue

It is imperforate, printed in black on magenta paper, and it features a sailing ship along with the colony's Latin motto "Damus Petimus Que Vicissim" (We give and expect in return) in the middle. Four thin lines frame the ship. The stamp's country of issue and value—rendered in small, black uppercase lettering—surround the frame.

Neil McKinnon, a local collector in Guiana, purchased the only known example of the stamp in 1873 after initially declining to buy it. A Liverpool dealer, Thomas Ridpath, recognised its rarity and bought it in 1878. The stamp left the United Kingdom that same year, and noted French-born collector Philipp von Ferrary owned it for several decades.[6] It was seized by the French government at the end of World War I, auctioned off in Paris in 1922 for a world record sum, and then spent years in the hands of American owners. It was exhibited at the 1939–40 World's Fair, and among numerous other displays it was also shown at the London International Stamp Exhibition in 1923. King George V saw the stamp at this exhibition, and is said to have politely declined an offer to own it, although he had sent his agent to the Paris auction.[6]

With its sale in June 2014 to Stuart Weitzman for $9,480,000,[1][2] the 1c magenta has broken the world record for a single stamp auction price a total of four times.[7] The 2014 auction also made it the most expensive item, by weight and size, ever sold in history.[7] The stamp was next sold in June 2021 to London stamp dealer and publishing company Stanley Gibbons PLC for $8,307,000.[8]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference sothebys-n09154-auction was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference sothebys-n09154-results was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Carlton, R. Scott (1997). The international encyclopaedic dictionary of philatelics. Krause Publications. pp. 36–37. ISBN 0-87341-448-9.
  4. ^ "Rare stamp sets auction record". BBC News. 18 June 2014. Archived from the original on 25 November 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  5. ^ Feinberg, Ashley (1 March 2014). "Why This Red Smudge Is The Most Valuable Stamp In The World". Gizmodo Australia. Archived from the original on 31 October 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  6. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ a b "Rare British Guiana stamp sets record at New York auction". BBC News. 17 June 2014. Archived from the original on 18 June 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Linns was invoked but never defined (see the help page).