An inverted "Jenny stamp," one of philately's most sought-after collectibles, just sold to a private collector for $825,000, slightly less than a record price. The stamp is a 1918 misprint, which shows a Curtis JN-4 (Jenny) biplane flying upside-down. Only 100 were printed. The buyer is a Wall Street executive who wished to remain anonymous.
The buyer tried to purchase another Jenny stamp at auction last month, but lost to a winning bid of $977,500. There are very few people with the money and drive to go after the stamp, said one expert. "This is the Rolls-Royce," he said. "It's the most expensive airmail stamp in the world." (More stamps stories.)