Which Is Most Expensive Stamps You Ever Bought Or Traded!

Dear All,

I guess this is the right forum to ask this question.

Alright, As title suggests,
Which the most expensive stamps, FDC, Postal Cover you ever seen, bought or traded ?
Personally I have never seen any one of those yet.
Hope to get atleast some of you shared.

I am sure your interest is innocent, and my sensibilities may not be universal, but it seems to me that modesty should keep one from bragging about such things. I will just say that the most I have spent is more than some and less than others. I did brag once about something I acquired for $14. I was as excited about that as I was about anything costing hundreds of dollars.

I'll go with "seen." I was lucky enough to attend Ameripex '86, where I saw the British Guiana 1 penny magenta and the Swedish treskilling yellow. I've also seen at other shows the plate block of the inverted jenny, the "Dawson" Hawaii Missionary cover (last sold for 1.95 million), the 1 cent Z grill and any number of other rarities. One of the nice things about looking at the exhibits!

I have not had, of course, the opportunity to handle any of these, much less possess them. :)

Well, I've SEEN an Inverted Jenny.

But as for my finances, I spend a little less than that.

During some years I earned well and at the time I got myself a "penny black" of Great Britain and also the first stamp of Bavaria, the "Schwarze Einser" - in the period of the Deutsche Mark in amounts of 3 digits.
Both I sold again because my main interest is now with cancels and I needed the cash.
I enjoy being occupied with cancels. It's infinite.
Heinrich

If you knew about the stamp and its price, I would answer as King George V did when asked about the cost of his purchase of the unused Mauritius Post Office. "Yes, I am that damned fool."

1. Ever seen - all of those noted by Paperhistory as we had a booth at Ameripex in 1986. Also any that were shown at any US International since 1966 as I've been to all of them;

2. Ever personally handled - the unique US #164;

3. Ever personally had for sale - US C3a in our public auction;

4. Ever personally purchased - One of the many specialized collections we formed over the years was the 15c US 1870-1890 Banknote stamp. About c.1993-94 we were offered the only known intact full pane of 100 (it has since, I believe, been broken up so no full panes now exist). I won't say how much I paid, but I will say that I lost a considerable amount of money on it when I sold it in about 1997-98. Often a collectors enthusiasm to own something costs him more than he probably should have paid! But I never regret such purchases as I believe that the only way to build a comprehensive collection of any specialized area is to "bite the bullet" and pay what is necessary to aquire key items. Note that I say "specialized" area because I certainly do not feel that way about "general" collecting areas where there is always more of what you need availble in the marketplace.

I once bought an auction lot of covers and sold 2 of them for many times multiplied the price paid. A figure I shall not put (4 digits) (my Wife might see it)-lol. I limit myself to around $50.00 per month.

The most I ever paid for a single stamp was $135.00 for the first US #1 I got. Ironically the most I ever paid for a single cover was also US #1, I got that for $117.00. The most I ever got for a single cover was $275.00 for a nice E7 on cover that I had paid $35.00 for. I have not sold too many expensive single stamps. I know I once sold an R2 for $40.00. I will never forget the most I ever paid for a collection as my wife still brings it up from time to time. It was $850.00 and it was one heck of a deal. At least in my eyes. You all have heard it said that it is easier to receive forgiveness than permission. Yeah, that isn't always true.

I would say a few hundred dollars at the most for any one stamp. I am sure that I have never spent thousands on any one stamp.

I usually set myself up for one splurge a year at the Boxborough MA Stamp show in May. I will arrive with about $300 to make planned purchases from Dealers I feel comfortable with. My biggest splurge was at the Washington 2006 Show where I spent close to $1,000. In every case I felt that I received value (as I was able to acquire many classics for reasonable below catalogue). I think the largest single item purchase was around $50 - $75 for a pre-1900 Franklin, well centered, clean & lightly postmarked. I am looking forward to the 2016 NY Show and this years Boxborough MA show.

I will be at the Spink auction in New York next Wednesday and based upon review of the catalogue, I am likely to become a damned fool again.