I’m not a collector.  Sometimes, though, I wish I had a penchant for accumulation.  I had that nagging “I should be hoarding something” feeling after I found out just how much some old postage stamps are worth.  It’s amazing.

Obviously, the value of old postage stamps varies considerably based on all the usual factors governing the market prices of collectibles.  A ripped, bent or generally nasty looking stamp ain’t gonna bring as much as its pristine counterpart.  There’s also the question of what stamp you’re looking at.  Some oldies aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on, while others–even some that are relatively recent issues–can bring a bundle.

Which brings us to some of the heavy hitters in the stamp world.  Unless you’re familiar with the hobby, this information might shock you.  I know it took me by surprise.

The Swedish Three Skilling Banco from 1855 or 1857 (I’ve seen it associated with both years) was a pretty common stamp, based on what I can tell.  However, somewhere along the line one of them was printed in yellow instead of the normal green.  There’s only one of the three skilling yellow stamps in existence and you know what happens when there’s serious demand and very, very limited supply, right?  In 1996, the stamp sold for $2.3 million.

American stamps can bring hefty sums, too.  The 1867 Franklin Z-Grill is a perfect example of how the value of old postage stamps can reach lofty heights.  Around twenty years ago, one of the Franklin rarities brought over a cool million dollars at auction.  Apparently, this stamp was originally made in a way that was supposed to make it harder for postage cheats to reuse it.  The special construction wasn’t very efficient, though, so they didn’t print too many of them.

Here’s another big money stamp story.  Back before Hawaii was part of the U.S., it was still a destination for missionaries who hoped to bring Christianity to the island.  These church emissaries sent messages back home via post, using stamps that became known as “Hawaiian Missionary stamps“.  These little numbers were printed on low-quality paper with lousy illustrations.  Very few of the stamps lasted beyond their 1850s issue dates.  As a result, these babies are extremely valuable.  An unused one can bring three quarters of a million dollars.  That’s $750,000 for what was once a 2-cent stamp!

Sometimes, it’s not just about the stamp.  It’s about the way it was used.  The 1840 Penny Black, the first prepaid postage stamp in history, was an English issue and it’s a popular collectible item.  These stamps usually fetch between $240 and $3,000.  But guess what happens to the value of one of those Penny Black stamps when it bears a red Maltese cross cancellation?  It brings the seller over $2 million.

I’m not advising you to dump your other investments in favor of becoming a high-end stamp collector.  Just like any other market, stamps have their ups and downs.  There’s no guarantee that the value of old postage stamps will increase at a rate in excess to more traditional investments (if at all).

However, it is pretty wild to think about the fact that tiny old scraps of paper can be worth millions of bucks.