Show Filters

Postage Stamps from European Countries

European postage stamps have a rich and diverse history, reflecting the cultural, political, and social changes across the continent. The concept of postage stamps originated in Europe, specifically in Great Britain, and quickly spread across the continent.

Origin (1840)

The world’s first adhesive postage stamp, the “Penny Black,” was issued in the United Kingdom on May 1, 1840. It featured Queen Victoria’s profile and revolutionized the postal system by introducing prepayment for mail delivery.

Switzerland (1843): The Canton of Zurich issued its first stamps.
Belgium (1849): Introduced its first postage stamps.
France (1849): Issued its first stamps featuring Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture.
Other countries quickly followed suit throughout the 1850s and 1860s.

The introduction of stamps helped standardize postal rates and services across Europe, making mail more accessible and affordable for the general public.

Cultural and historical significance:

National identity: Stamps often featured national symbols, monarchs, or important historical figures, reinforcing national identity.
Commemoration: Special stamps were issued to mark important events, anniversaries, or achievements.
Art and design: Stamps became miniature canvases for artistic expression, showcasing a country’s cultural heritage.

Philately:

The hobby of stamp collecting (philately) emerged in the 1860s and became particularly popular in Europe, contributing to the preservation of postal history.

European postal unions:

1874: The General Postal Union (later Universal Postal Union) was established in Bern, Switzerland, facilitating international mail exchange.
1959: The European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) was formed to coordinate postal policies.

Most Valuable European Postage Stamps

1. British Guiana 1c Magenta 1856

British Guiana (now Guyana) Value: Considered one of the most valuable stamps in the world, it sold for millions of dollars in recent auctions. A rare error stamp, it was the only known example of its kind for many years.

2. Mauritius Penny Blue and Two Penny Red 1847

Value: Extremely valuable due to their rarity and historical significance. These stamps were the first to be issued in the British colonies, and the “Penny Blue” is particularly rare.

3. Sweden Tre-Skilling Yellow 1855

The 1855 Swedish Tre-skilling Yellow was part of Sweden’s first postage stamps ever produced and should have been printed in green. The mistaken yellow copies are down to one in existence today, a pristine example of the rarest stamp in the world.

It is not easy to say exactly how much it is worth. It was sold in 2010 and 2014 for undisclosed amounts, the last known sale was in 1993 for $2.3 million, or $4,248,000 in 2023 dollars.

4. Western Australia “Inverted Swan” 1857

The Inverted Swan, a 4-pence blue postage stamp issued in 1854 by Western Australia, was printed with the frame upside-down in relation to the swan at its centre. The inverted swan was one of the world’s first invert errors. It was originally thought that the swan was inverted until the original frame was found and the truth was uncovered.

5. Baden 9 Kreuzer Error Stamp 1851

Contrasting the otherwise orderly reputation of Germany, this stamp is special due to a mistake that happened in 1851. The Baden 9 Kreuzer stamp should have been printed in pink colour, but somehow green ink slipped in which was intended for use on 6 Kreuzer stamps, creating one of the most valuable rare stamps wanted by collectors. only 4 copies are known to exist. One sold for €1,314,500 ($1.5 million) in 2008

6. Sachsen 3 Pfennigs Red Stamp, 1850

One of the most impressive classical European stamps, only a few thousand copies exist today. A strip of 3 sold for $30,300 in 2015

7. UK 6 Pence Pale Dull Purple 1904

Slippery hands from 1904 are to thank for this stamp still existing. Issued on the same day that an official order came in to destroy this set of stamps, somehow a few examples evaded the eternal flame and have made their way into the collector’s market. They were exclusively used by the Inland Revenue government department, and it would have been a criminal offense for the public to possess or sell these stamps. One sold for £400,000 in 2010, equal to approximately $823,902 today.

8. United Kingdom Two Penny Blue 1840

If you want to get one of the earliest stamps ever collected, then look no further. The Two Penny Blue is the world’s second official postage stamp, coming behind the legendary Penny Black. The Two Penny Blue was meant for heavier items and was used less often than the Penny Black.

It sold for 1,610,000 Swiss Francs in 1992, equivalent to $2,327,400 in inflation-adjusted 2023 dollars. It was known as the most expensive stamp from the British Commonwealth for over 20 years until 2014.

9. Sicilian Error of Colour 1859

The 1859 Sicilian Error of Colour was supposed to be orange but instead was printed blue. There are only two known to be in existence today, making it one of the most valuable rare stamps wanted by collectors.

Both were shown at the 1899 Manchester Philatelic Exposition, then separated before one was sold as part of the Ferrari collection. One sold in 2011 for €1.8 million, or about $2,576,600 in inflation-adjusted 2023 dollars.

10.Penny Red Plate

The worst examples often make incredible collector’s items. That’s the case with the UK 1863 Penny Red Plate 77 stamp, which was found to be too low quality for usage before any were sold. This batch was not perforated correctly in production and was meant to be destroyed. But it seems some were able to evade the incinerator. A rare Plate 77 Penny Red sold in 2016 for £495,000, equal to about USD 806,822 today.