Inverted jenny rare

The 1918 Inverted Jenny is one of the world's most famous stamp errors, featuring a Curtiss JN-4 airplane printed upside down.

About this subject

The Inverted Jenny, also known as the "Jenny Invert," is a philatelic rarity from the United States. Issued on May 10, 1918, to celebrate the inauguration of air mail service, the 24-cent stamp featured the Curtiss JN-4 airplane, nicknamed "Jenny." Due to a printing error on a sheet of 100 stamps, the airplane appeared upside down. The defect occurred when the sheet was fed incorrectly into the press, causing the central image to invert.

The error was discovered by William T. Robey, a collector from Washington D.C., who purchased the entire sheet at a post office. Robey paid the face value of $24 and later sold the sheet for $15,000 after intense negotiation. Today, each stamp is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars; a single example sold for $1,593,000 at auction in 2018. The fame of the Inverted Jenny has made it a cultural icon, appearing in films and even inspiring a 2013 commemorative issue that intentionally recreated the error.

The rarity of the Inverted Jenny lies not only in the mistake but also in its historical context: it marked the beginning of air mail in the U.S., a technological innovation that connected the country in unprecedented ways. Only 100 stamps were produced with the defect, and many were used or damaged, reducing the number of preserved copies. The piece is considered the "Mona Lisa" of American philately, attracting collectors and investors worldwide.

Interestingly, the Inverted Jenny has inspired numerous forgeries and reprints over the years. In 2018, the U.S. Postal Service issued an intentionally inverted version for the error's centennial, sold in sheets of six stamps, but without the same historical value. Authenticity of an original Inverted Jenny is verified by experts through characteristics such as paper type, ink, and the first-day-of-issue cancellation.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Inverted Jenny stamps exist?

Only 100 stamps were produced with the printing error in 1918. Many were used or damaged over time, and it is estimated that about 50 copies still exist in good condition.

What is the current value of an Inverted Jenny?

The value varies depending on condition and authenticity. In recent auctions, a stamp can fetch between $100,000 and $1.5 million. The record is $1.593 million in 2018.

Was the Inverted Jenny sold as a regular stamp in 1918?

Yes, the sheet of 100 stamps was sold at face value of $24 at a post office in Washington D.C. The buyer, William T. Robey, noticed the error and purchased the entire sheet.