TOP 10 most expensive brands in Australia

If you are interested in collecting stamps then make sure you are prepared for what Australia has to offer you. Although Australia is, roughly speaking, a young country (a former British colony), it has something to show. Collected Australian stamps are as luxurious and varied as the country itself, offering something meaningful for both beginners and knowledgeable stamp collectors.

There are many interesting stamps to collect, especially those featuring Australian animals. With a lot of variability and choice, Australian brands have no difficulty in supporting an avid stamp collector. We decided to compile a list of the 10 best Australian stamps, so read on to find out what the finest, rarest and most expensive pieces of Australian philately are all about.

1. Inverted Swan, 1855US $ 171,543

The Inverted Swan is a famous Australian defective mark that was created in 1855. It is one of the world's "inverted" distorted stamps. Technically, the frame is inverted, not the swan picture itself, but it is called the inverted swan stamp. Before the defect was noticed, 388 stamps entered the postage circulation.

To date, only 15 of these stamps are kept in the whole world, and that is why they are very expensive. Also, they are among the rarest stamps in the world, and each of them is in the hands of passionate collectors. One of the samples sold for £ 122,400 on May 19, 2015 (approximately $ 171,543)

2. Kangaroo and Map essay stamp 10 shillingUS $ 142.563

This is a one-of-a-kind example of the ten shilling stamps "Kangaroo and Cart", the idea of which comes from a competition held in 1911 to create Australia's first generic stamp. Until then, each Australian colony had its own postal services and issued its own stamps. The winner of the competition was Hermann Altmann, but his design was never used. In October 1911, Charles Fraser was appointed Chief Postmaster, and it was he who combined elements of various designs, from which came the ten-shilling Kangaroo sample and map. A copy of this unique stamp was auctioned at the finest Morgan collection of the Australian State for $ 142,563 in London in November 2012.

3. First Kangaroo and Map Stamp, 1912 (First Kangaroo and Map Stamp)138 thousand US dollars

The First Kangaroo and Map stamp is the first Australian Postal Service issued in 1912: the stamp became the subject of controversy immediately after printing. Supporters of the monarchy were offended that the cartoonish kangaroo replaced the king's head on the stamp. Others thought the brand's design was poorly implemented and that it made Australia look like a country ruled by kangaroos. However, in our time, this stamp is considered one of the most valuable philatelic items. The print run of this brand included several colors: red, blue, brown, etc. One of the copies was put up for auction in New York for $ 138,000 in February 2007.

4. Australian King George V Penny Red~ 100 thousand US dollars

King George V of Australia is a rare stamp printed with a side watermark. A unique feature of this stamp is its flaw, which was identified by an anonymous stamp collector. Regular copies can be bought for as little as a few cents. The current world record for this brand is $ 41,041 after a fresh block of four stamps was sold at a 2001 auction. Even before the flaw was found, the stamp was one of the most collected in the world. If an anonymous collector decides to sell this Australian rarity, he will definitely get about $ 100,000 for it.

5. Classic Victoria 3d blueUS $ 94.875

Classic Victoria stamps were issued in the 1850s and since printing did not last long, only a few copies survived. In our time, the most valuable are strips of the Classic Victoria brands. For example, an unused strip of four 1850 Classic Victoria stamps in bright blue "mid-length" sold for $ 94,875 during a vintage auction in Sydney on October 11, 2006. She was part of Ken Barelli's Classic Victoria collection and brought many new prices to this sale. Although the two brands have significant folds, the strip still achieved such an incredible amount. The price of a strip in better condition would be much higher!

6. King Edward VIII twopenny scarletUSD 90,520

The King Edward VIII Red twopenny stamp is considered one of the most valuable stamps in Australia. The stamp depicts an etching of the king in naval uniform. The King Edward VIII stamp is very expensive and rare due to the fact that it was never officially released. The stamp was printed in honor of the new king of Australia in 1936, but was promptly removed from the press before the stamp was published. This was due to the king's relinquishment of power, and these stamps had to be burned. This unique brand appeared at the Mossgreen auction on June 26, 2017 in Melbourne. It sold for AU $ 120,000 (about $ 90,520)

7. Australian 20 postage stamp, 1908 (Australia 20 postage due)USD 77,000

This stamp is an extremely rare property of Australian philately. The stamp was issued with the aim of replacing previous similar stamps, on which the price was indicated at the edge of the stamp. This printing made it difficult to distinguish shillings from pence in price.

On the new stamps, after the inscription "20 shillings" there was a dash. These stamps were only distributed in some parts of Australia. Since stamps could not be purchased from the post office, only a few were used before the next replacement was issued. A copy of such a used stamp was sold for $ 77,000 at the Robert A. Siegel auction in New York in November 2013.

8. Sixpence Queen Victoria pair, 1902 (6d green Queen Victoria pair)US $ 44,270

This stamp is a very rare Australian philatelic specimen whose 6p value is shown only in the lower corners of the stamp, while the value of commonly produced stamps is indicated in all four corners. As far as we know, apart from 16 single stamps, there is only one double pair. The pair was found in an old album submitted for auction, but the owner of the album had no idea that the mark was so rare and valuable. It was purchased by an English merchant for $ 44,270 on October 21, 2006 in Melbourne.

9. George V 5d stamp blockUS $ 23.490

This block of four stamps is the largest of the twin fivepence stamps of George V. The block is believed to have been printed on leftover paper from the 1918 onepence print, which explains its uneven, bright chestnut coloring. Today this block is one of the most important representatives of this series. This unique piece was dedicated to a major stamp auction in Sydney on May 23, 2012 and generated $ 23,490 in revenue.

10. Australian 2d stamp, 1909-1910 (Australia 2d stamp)US $ 13,587

The 1909-1910 twopenny pink and yellow-green stamp is the only unused stamp in this edition. This unique brand was part of the legendary John Dupont stamp collection. John Dupont is known as the man who bought the world's most famous brand, the British pink one cent Guiana, as well as an eccentric multimillionaire and convicted murderer. After the collector's death in 2010, the one-of-a-kind stamp from 1909-1910 was sent to auction in the UK.The stamp was sold by the London House of Auctions for $ 13,587 on March 6, 2013.