1 CENT MAGENTA BACK

The 1 Cent Magenta printed in 1856, is the world’s most valuable postage stamp. Earlier this year it came up for auction at Sotheby’s New York and was bought by Stanley Gibbons for $8.3million, making it gram for gram the most expensive object in existence. Stanley Gibbons will be selling shares in the stamp, opening up fractal ownership so anyone can own a small part of this philatelic treasure.

To accompany this Stanley Gibbons have asked Guy Gee to reproduce the stamp in three sizes as enlarged framed prints. Traditionally 240 stamps would have been printed on a sheet so we have decided it fitting these reproductions are limited to runs of 240 for the small and medium sizes and 56 for the large prints, in reference to 1856, the stamp’s conception.

The reverse of the stamp has been signed by a number of its flamboyant owners over the last century and a half, further adding to the intrigue of the 1 Cent Magenta. Due to this, prints of the back will also be available for purchase.

“The British Guiana 1c Magenta really is the Holy Grail of philately. It’s truly one of a kind, and we’re delighted to be welcoming it back on to British soil where we hope it will remain,”

Graham Shircore, CEO of Stanley Gibbons