William Thorne | |
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| Born | September 7, 1845 New York City |
| Died | January 19, 1907 (aged 61) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Businessman and philatelist |
| Known for | President of the Collectors Club of New York |
William Thorne (September 7, 1845 – January 19, 1907) was a wealthy American businessman and philatelist. In poor health, he retired early from the leather trade and began to collect postage stamps. He was one of the founders of the Philatelic Society of New York and the second president of the Collectors Club of New York. He was the owner of the unique block of four of the 1869 24¢ United States stamps with inverted center. He sold his collection but restarted in order to provide a distraction from his poor health. He died in 1907 after three operations for what was thought to be throat cancer.