The first stamp in Malaysia was issued more than a century ago. It was in 1901 when the design of a Malayan tiger took the front face of the stamp when it was issued by the Federated Malay States.
Does old means most expensive?
In stamp collection, the answer is NO!. This is because the price of stamps are determined by more than its age. It can be the design, the condition and most notably, its rarity.
Some old Malaysian stamps
The stamps that were issued for the following few decades after 1901 were printed on coloured paper. For instance, the 1922 version used yellow paper while some were printed on other colours. What you need to do in building your Malaysian stamps collection is to decide on a single set first, then move on from there.
Guide to the first stamps
The Malayan tiger is an iconic figure because it has appeared in the first series of stamps. Today, it is the national iconic animal of Malaysia. With only a few hundred Malayan tigers left in the world today, the endangered species is heading for extinction if no efforts are put in place to preserve them.
There were different coloured versions of the 1901 stamps then although they all share the same design. This version came with the tiger in the central and a frame. On top of the frame reads ‘Federated/ Malay States’ while on the opposite end, it reads ‘Postage & Revenue’.
If you have been collecting stamps of that era, you will realize that images of tigers were used up to mid-1930s. This series however used only 7 major varieties which were then printed using coloured paper.
What’s the value in stamp collecting?
There is a clear reason why stamp collection has existed for centuries. Besides being a hobby and one which gives the collector a lot of satisfaction, it has value. This has become more apparent in recent years where demand for rare stamps have bene rising.
The preconception about stamp collection is that it is an age-old hobby, one which is preferred by the older generation. In a recent auction fell under the hammer for a whooping USD9.5 million. That was a new record for what was known as the ‘Mona Lisa of stamps’ which was a rare one-cent stamp from British Guiana.
Most expensive stamp ever sold?
With that sale, it became the most expensive stamp ever sold. In fact, it was the single most expensive item ever sold by weight and size considering that it was only 2.5cm by 2.5cm. Prior to this, the record was held by the ‘Tre Skilling Banco’ stamp from Sweden which was auctioned off at USD2.3million in 1996.
Is this profitable?
That is for sure. The one-cent magenta will surely be profitable for the buyer since it has been sold 3 times prior to this. Each time it was sold, it smashed the auction record which means that the next time it comes under the hammer, this stamp will surely increase the level.
What about Malaysia?
As mentioned earlier, the earliest stamps in Malaysia go back to 1901 and anyone in possession of these stamps would be happy to know that they are very valuable. But the most expensive one which was reported recently would be the Straits Settlements’ King Edward VII version which was cancelled by the post office then due to error. It was reported that this rare piece could be worth up to £1,000,000.