Stamp Market Rarities Index
In 1954 Life magazine assembled what it considered, at that time, to be 53 of the world's rarest stamps. It took Life editors and photographers 2 years to negotiate and prepare the article for publication with the respective owners of each rarity. It was the first time that any of the stamps had been photographed in full color.
At that time, the collection was estimated to be worth $1 million. If time travel were possible, one could realize a total value in excess of $250 million for those very same stamps today. The list is fascinating. Once the exclusive domain of collectors until 1970, the 80's and 90's witnessed the emergence of a new breed of serious investors in collectibles, art, and antiquities, equipped with data driven portfolio diversification objectives and new viable strategic plans.
1X2-COV-01 - The Unique Alexandria
1907 George H. Worthington thru Bartels - $3,000
1955 Caspary sale, H. R. Harmer sale, lot 4 - $10,000
1967 Lilly sale, Siegel Sale 312, lot 3, to Weill for John R. Boker Jr. - $18,500
1975 To an anonymous European collector from Feldman - $964,040
1981 Sold to a German collector - $1,000,000
2019 Harmers Sale - $1,000,000
US 121b UNC-02
1972 Col. Stillwell collection, sold by order of U.S. Trust Co., Siegel Sale 413, lot 126 - $30,000
1975 Siegel 1975 Rarities of the World, Sale 468, lot 103 - $32,500
2014 Siegel 2014 Rarities of the World, Sale 1075, lot 1111 - $290,000
2016 Hanover Collection, Siegel Sale 1122, lot 72 - $270,000
Census of $500.00 Red Orange, Green & Black, Second Issue, "Large Persian Rug" (Scott R133)
1986 Frajola Private Treaty - Unknown
2002 Drucker Collection, RAS Sale 851, Lot 657 - $19,000
2005 Bennett Sale 297, Lot 3271 - $28,000
2006 Heritage Sale 998297, Lot 3271 - $28,000
2014 Curtis Collection, RAS Sale 1089, Lot 473 - $50,000
5c Blue, Perf 12 x 10 (formerly Scott 428a) (Scott 423C) 423C-CAN-05
1999 RAS 1999 Rarities, Sale 811, lot 193 - $5,250
2001 Floyd Collection, SPG - $12,500
2004 Chesapeake Collection, RAS Sale 877, lot 167 - $27,000
2008 Tahoe Collection, RAS Sale 951, lot 99 - $67,500
5c Deep Blue (Scott 204) 204-UNC-05
1967 Lilly Collection, RAS Sale 312, lot 311 - $6,750
2001 Floyd Collection, SPG Sale, lot 347 - $140,000
2009 Minervino Collection, SPG Sale 112, lot 1113 - $350,000
2012 RAS 2012 Rarities, Sale 1025, lot 175 - $350,000
15c Brown & Blue, Center Inverted (Scott 119b) 119b-OG-01
1904 Sold to George H. Worthington - $1,200
1917 J. C. Morgenthau, lot 476 - $4,100
1933 Phillips-Kennett, lot 390, to Elliott Perry for Alfred R. Brigham - $7,000
1967 Siegel Auction Galleries, Sale 312, lot 216 - $35,000
1982 Siegel 1982 Rarities of the World, Sale 596, lot 241 - $180,000
1993 Christie's NY, lot 740 - $195,000
2003 Matthew Bennett Inc., lot 1331 - $375,000
2013 "Beverly Hills" Collection, Siegel Sale 1052, lot 1 - $800,000
24c Green & Violet, Center Inverted (Scott 120b) 120b-UNC-02
1933 Phillips-Kennett, lot 390 - $1,400
1968 H. R. Harmer, lot 239 - $10,000
1974 D. F. Kelleher, Sale 518, lot 2233 (with 119b-UNC-02 and 121b-UNC-06) - $100,000
2008 Philip Weiss, plus 13% to private collector — world record for a single U.S. stamp - $1,125,000
15c Black, Z Grill (Scott 85F) 85F-CAN-01
1963 Newbury Collection - RAS Sale 264, lot 530 - $11,500
1986 Isleham Collection - RAS Sale 662, lot 1099 - $100,000
1998 Zoellner Collection - RAS Sale 804, lot 235 - $190,000
10c Green, Z Grill (Scott 85D) 85D-CAN-03
1975 Wilbur H. Schilling, Jr. Collection, RAS 1975 Rarities, lot 86 - $20,000
2015 RAS 2015 Rarities, lot 3103 - $325,000
4c Brown, Imperforate, Schermack Ty. III Private Perf (Scott 314A) 314A-OG-PR-01
1968 Lilly Collection - RAS (as strip of five) - $26,000
2009 Whitman Collection, RAS Sale 968B, lot 389 - $400,000