Britain’s most expensive stamp collection being sold – and it could be worth a fortune | Bristol Live

Britain’s most expensive stamp collection is being sold – and is expected to fetch up to £12M. The unique set includes the largest surviving block of unused Penny Blacks and has been dubbed the finest collection of British philatelic trophy assets ever assembled.

The British Philatelic Trophy Collection features a total of 52 stamps, valued at a combined £8 million to £12 million. They range from rare examples of the world’s first postage stamp, the 1840’s Penny Black, to Britain’s most celebrated error stamp, the 1935’s 2 12d Prussian Blue.

They are being sold by UK stamp dealer Paul Fraser Collectibles who described it as the “most valuable collection of GB stamps available anywhere in the world.” The Bristol-based company said it assembled the collection over several years and worked with many key philatelic figures around the globe to unearth and secure the most important and finest quality British stamp rarities.

Highlights include the block of 24 unused Penny Blacks which was last auctioned in 2007 for $1.15M and is the most valuable item in the collection. The rarest and most valuable single GB stamp is a Plate 77 Penny Red, priced at £650,000.

Printed in 1864, just nine examples of the stamp exist, with this the finest of the three in private hands. It last sold in 2012 for £550,000. Also in the set is Britain’s most celebrated error stamp – the 1935 2 12d Prussian Blue. King George V had forbidden the stamp from being printed in the Prussian Blue colour, but 480 examples still appeared. It is priced at £12,000.

Estimates for the collection are between £8M to £12M. Paul Fraser Collectibles’ CEO, Mike Hall said: “This is the finest collection of British philatelic trophy assets ever assembled.

“It comprises some of the most elusive and valuable classic British stamp rarities, and is worth even more than the sum of its parts. It’s impossible to replicate. The collection tells the important story of the early postal history of Great Britain and how a tiny piece of paper transformed global communications and trade. Our internal valuation of the collection is between £8 million and £12 million.”

Paul Fraser Collectibles is accepting offers to buy the collection now. Any interested parties should contact info@paulfrasercollectibles.com or call 01534 639998.