Collecting stamps is a great passion for many people. Such individuals can spend any amount of money to buy certain stamps and include them in their collections. In fact, there are a small group of stamps that are so rare that their value is in millions of dollars. These stamps contain special historical or geographical significance and are the ultimate collector’s items. In no particular order, here are some such rare, precious, and much-vaunted stamps:

British Guiana 1 Cent Magenta ($11,628,700)
Although the values keep fluctuating, the one-cent “Black on Magenta” of British Guiana from 1856 is widely considered to be the rarest and most valuable stamp out there. The history behind this stamp is fascinating. In 1856, British Guiana, a former colony of the British Empire, needed an extra supply of postage stamps from England. However, the stamps were not arriving immediately. In desperation, the postmaster of British Guiana requested the Official Gazette newspaper to print emergency issues for quick local use. In return, the postmaster received crude-looking stamp designs for one-cent and four-cent denominations; the former was meant for newspapers, while the latter was used for postal correspondence.

This story and the locally-published stamps gained popularity, and their values skyrocketed in the later years, especially after the colony achieved independence from the United Kingdom in May 1966. The rectangular stamp’s design features an image of a sailing ship, the lettering “Black Guiana,” and a message in Latin, “Damus Petimus que Vicissim,” which roughly translates into “We Give and We Seek in Return.”

Mauritius Post Office stamps ($12,790,600)
The Mauritius Post Office stamps are among the most expensive ones in the world. While their resemblance to British stamps from the colonial era is uncanny, their value stems from the fact that they were British stamps created outside of Great Britain during the period. According to many records, there are about 27 examples of Two Penny blue and One Penny red 1847 Mauritius Post Office Stamps worldwide today. About three of the 27 are affixed to Lady Elizabeth Gomm’s “ball covers.” The distinguished woman was known for throwing lavish balls in Mauritius.

The most valuable piece out of the rest is the Bordeaux Cover, which includes Two Penny blue and One Penny red examples affixed to an envelope but not used. In recent years, the stamps have been sold to wealthy buyers at eye-watering prices of €10,027,800 (about $12,790,600 when adjusted for inflation in 2023).

Treskilling Yellow stamp ($4,248,000)
This Swedish stamp from as early as 1855 is arguably the most renowned European-based stamp in the world. The value and sheer elusiveness of this stamp result from a printing error it contains. Because of the error, the stamp’s color is bright yellow instead of green, the usual color assigned to postage stamps in the zone in that period. Today, only one known example of the Treskilling Yellow stamp exists.

Like the other stamps, this one also has an intriguing story. As the story goes, this stamp was first found by a schoolboy and philatelist, Georg Baeckman, when he was sifting through his grandmother’s rubbish bin in 1885. He went on to sell the stamp to a dealer for a lowly 7 Kroner the following year. Over the years, the stamp’s distinct color and alluring design have made it an auction favorite globally. In May 2013, Count Gustaf Douglas, one of the wealthiest people in the world, purchased the stamp for around $2.6 million and has preserved it in his personal collection.

Benjamin Franklin Z Grill ($4,451,000)
Priced at around $3 million, this stamp was “canceled” in the late 1860s by punching them with a steel grill. That created a unique pattern on these stamps and, over the years, has been one of the reasons for their ever-increasing popularity and monetary value. Its association with Benjamin Franklin is the other reason for its vaunted status. There are only two known copies of the one-cent Benjamin Franklin Z Grill in known existence. The first one is permanently locked in the New York Public Library’s Miller Collection, while the Mystic Stamp Company purchased the other for a ludicrous $935,000 way back in 1998.

Sicilian Error of Color ($2,576,600)
The 1859 Sicilian “Error of Color” stamp was originally intended to be orange but was mistakenly printed in blue. Today, there are only two known copies of this rare stamp in existence, making it highly sought-after by collectors due to its significant value.

Both stamps were exhibited at the Manchester Philatelic Exposition in 1899. However, they were separated, and one was later sold as part of the Ferrari collection. In 2011, one of the stamps was sold for €1.8 million, equivalent to about $2,576,600 in inflation-adjusted 2023 dollars.

The Whole Country is Red stamp ($2,307,700)
This stamp is another example of a publishing mistake attaining immortality after decades. Originally, the stamp was made to commemorate the Chinese Cultural Revolution. However, the map in the stamp was deemed inaccurate, which is why the stamp was quickly pulled out from circulation when it was made. However, some copies remained, and they are available for purchase at more than $2 million in today’s day and age.

Apart from these, some other precious stamps are Two Penny Blue ($2,327,400), Alexandria Blue Boy ($2,040,500), Inverted Jenny ($1,631,700), and the Inverted Declaration of Independence ($1,615,400).

A similar type of stamp collection is the Forever Stamps, created by the United States Postal Service (USPS) in 2007. They are non-denominational First Class® postage, meaning that they can be used to mail First Class letters at any postal rate. 100 Forever Stamps for sale are available at many e-stores. Also, one can purchase cheap stamps from Stamps.com if they are looking for reasonably-priced options.

Also, the values listed here are highly dynamic in nature, making these stamps even more lucrative and precious collector’s items.