Inverted jenny rare

The Inverted Jenny is one of the most valuable and famous printing errors in philately, an icon of United States postal history.

About this subject

The Inverted Jenny stamp, issued in 1918 by the United States, is one of the most coveted items among collectors worldwide. It belongs to the 24-cent airmail stamp series featuring the Curtiss JN-4 “Jenny” biplane. Due to a printing error, on a single sheet of 100 stamps, the airplane appeared printed upside down. This flaw made the piece extremely rare and valuable.

The story begins on May 14, 1918, when collector William T. Robey bought the sheet at a post office in Washington, D.C., paying the face value of 24 dollars. Shortly after, the discovery caused a scandal, and the government tried to recover the stamps, but Robey sold them to a dealer for $15,000. Today, a single stamp can be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars; a full sheet sold for over $1.3 million at auction.

The Inverted Jenny is a pop culture icon in America, appearing in movies, TV shows, and even in numismatics. In 2013, the US Postal Service issued a commemorative reprint, but the original remains one of the most famous postal errors in the world. For philatelists, owning an Inverted Jenny is a mark of prestige, and its history involves myths, such as the alleged theft of a copy by a postal employee decades ago.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Inverted Jenny stamps exist?

Only 100 stamps from the original sheet are known, as it was discovered intact. Over time, some were damaged, lost, or stolen, so the exact number of preserved copies is fewer than 100.

What is the value of an Inverted Jenny stamp today?

The value varies by condition. Individual stamps in good shape can sell for over $100,000, while a full sheet has reached $1.3 million at auction.

Why is the airplane upside down on the stamp?

It was a printing error: the sheet went through the press twice, and on the second pass the paper was fed upside down, resulting in the airplane image being inverted relative to the frame.