Victorian Hong Kong stamps given antiques valuation of $820k
A set of four stamps has sold for $820,000 in Hong Kong, a record amount in the former British colony.
An anonymous stamp collector has paid $820,000 (£515,000) for a set of four items up for sale at a recent auction.
The antiques valuation is the highest ever paid in Hong Kong for a single lot of stamps.
Each of the stamps was issued in 1865 in the former British colony and features a profile of Queen Victoria based on sketches made by Sir Hercules G R Robinson, who was the region's governor between 1859 and 1865.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the stamps are particularly rare because of their unusual olive-bistre colour, which came about by accident.
An error at the printing firm led to only 52 sheets of the stamps being printed and has resulted in only 48 unused examples existing today.
Earlier this month, the Economic Times stated that stamps represent an investment that is largely immune to the problems seen in the global economy.
It noted that the most expensive stamp in the world is currently valued at $2.97 million.
Posted by Lisa Marriott