1918 Inverted Jenny
Except otherwise stated, all results below include the premium.
See also : Stamps
See also : Stamps
Intro
The Inverted Jenny is one of the most famous errors in U.S. philatelic history, a 24-cent postage stamp issued on May 10, 1918, to commemorate the launch of regular airmail service between Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and New York City, which began on May 15. The stamp features a red frame and a blue vignette of a Curtiss JN-4 biplane, nicknamed the "Jenny," which was modified for mail delivery by removing the second pilot seat and increasing fuel capacity. Due to the rush to produce the stamps—engraving started on May 4 and printing on May 10—sheets were printed in two colors on a flat-bed press, requiring each sheet of 100 to be fed through twice. This process, prone to human error as seen in prior invert mistakes from 1869 and 1901, led to at least three misprinted sheets being discovered and destroyed during production.
However, one sheet of 100 stamps escaped detection, with the blue airplane printed upside down relative to the red frame. No other inverted sheets have ever been found. Stamp collector William T. Robey, anticipating possible errors due to the bicolor design (similar to the Pan-American inverts), visited the New York Avenue post office in Washington, D.C., on May 14, 1918, and purchased the entire inverted sheet for $24 after the clerk unknowingly sold it to him. Postal officials quickly realized the mistake and halted sales temporarily to inspect remaining stock, but Robey's sheet was the only one that made it out. Fearing more errors might surface and devalue his find, Robey sold the sheet within a week for $15,000 to dealer Eugene Klein, who then broke it up and resold the stamps individually or in blocks to collectors.
The Inverted Jenny became a legend in stamp collecting, with the 100 stamps tracked meticulously over the decades. Many passed through notable collections, such as that of Colonel Edward H.R. Green, whose estate auctions from 1942 to 1946 dispersed 38 of them. Some have dramatic histories, including thefts: a block of four was stolen in 1955 from a philatelic convention, with individual stamps from it resurfacing over time, one recovered by authorities as recently as 2016 after being missing for 61 years. Values have soared; a single stamp sold for $977,500 in 2007, and another fetched $2 million in 2023. In 2013, the U.S. Postal Service issued a $2 reprint souvenir sheet to celebrate the original's centennial and National Stamp Collecting Month, intentionally including both upright and inverted versions. The error symbolized early aviation's challenges, as the inaugural airmail flights themselves were plagued by issues like pilots getting lost or crashing.
The stamp's rarity and story continue to captivate, housed in institutions like the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum, which displays examples and explores its role in postal and aviation history.
However, one sheet of 100 stamps escaped detection, with the blue airplane printed upside down relative to the red frame. No other inverted sheets have ever been found. Stamp collector William T. Robey, anticipating possible errors due to the bicolor design (similar to the Pan-American inverts), visited the New York Avenue post office in Washington, D.C., on May 14, 1918, and purchased the entire inverted sheet for $24 after the clerk unknowingly sold it to him. Postal officials quickly realized the mistake and halted sales temporarily to inspect remaining stock, but Robey's sheet was the only one that made it out. Fearing more errors might surface and devalue his find, Robey sold the sheet within a week for $15,000 to dealer Eugene Klein, who then broke it up and resold the stamps individually or in blocks to collectors.
The Inverted Jenny became a legend in stamp collecting, with the 100 stamps tracked meticulously over the decades. Many passed through notable collections, such as that of Colonel Edward H.R. Green, whose estate auctions from 1942 to 1946 dispersed 38 of them. Some have dramatic histories, including thefts: a block of four was stolen in 1955 from a philatelic convention, with individual stamps from it resurfacing over time, one recovered by authorities as recently as 2016 after being missing for 61 years. Values have soared; a single stamp sold for $977,500 in 2007, and another fetched $2 million in 2023. In 2013, the U.S. Postal Service issued a $2 reprint souvenir sheet to celebrate the original's centennial and National Stamp Collecting Month, intentionally including both upright and inverted versions. The error symbolized early aviation's challenges, as the inaugural airmail flights themselves were plagued by issues like pilots getting lost or crashing.
The stamp's rarity and story continue to captivate, housed in institutions like the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum, which displays examples and explores its role in postal and aviation history.
The Inverted Jenny sheet was a standard 10x10 pane of 100 subjects (Scott C3a), printed from two separate plates: red frame and blue vignette (Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny" biplane). The error occurred when the blue vignette plate was fed upside down relative to the red frame. Only one error sheet reached the public via William T. Robey on May 14, 1918.Eugene Klein (who bought the sheet from Robey) numbered each stamp on the back (1–100, left-to-right, top-to-bottom) to preserve its original position before breaking it up. This numbering system is the standard reference used today.
Sheet Layout Overview
The sheet is arranged as follows (simplified grid representation; rows 1–10 top to bottom, columns 1–10 left to right):
Additional Context
Sheet Layout Overview
The sheet is arranged as follows (simplified grid representation; rows 1–10 top to bottom, columns 1–10 left to right):
- Top row (Positions 1–10): Often had a straight edge (trimmed) on many examples.
- Right column: Also frequently straight-edged.
- Bottom row: Included the blue plate number (8493) in the selvage below Position 97.
- Notable features:
- Plate number selvage at bottom (under 97).
- Many stamps show natural variations in centering, gum bends, and minor faults due to handling and storage over a century.
- Position 49 (row 5, column 9): The finest known (XF-Superb 95 NH). Pristine, never-hinged, exceptional centering. Record holder at ~$2M.
- Position 99 (row 10, column 9): Bottom selvage example in the current Siegel sale (Lot 2). Shares desirable bottom margin traits with the famous block.
- Famous Block (87, 88, 97, 98): Bottom-right area with plate number selvage below 97. One of the most iconic multiples.
- Position 66: The only stamp still unaccounted for/missing.
- Straight-edge positions: Top row and right column had natural straight edges on the original sheet.
Additional Context
- Straight edges: The original Robey sheet had trimmed top and right selvages, creating 19 straight-edge stamps.
- Condition trends: Upper positions (like 49) often fared better due to storage; lower ones more prone to handling damage. Most show some faults (hinges, thins, stains, gum issues).
- Multiples: Rare intact blocks include the plate block area and a few others (e.g., 45-46/55-56).
Plate Block 87-88-97-98
2021 SOLD for $ 4.9M by Sotheby's
For being more appealing and less inviting to counterfeiting, bicolored stamps were issued in the United States. Their printing in two runs was a source of error by reversing the figures.
May 15, 1918 is a historic date for the civil aviation : the first regular airmail service is inaugurated in Washington DC by President Wilson. It connects New York to Washington and return, with a change of plane in Philadelphia.
Mail shipping was set at 24c and the two-color stamp was available since the day before. The blue center features the biplane model selected for this service, a Jenny, nickname for the Curtiss JN-4. The preparation of the stamp was made in a hurry. The die for printing the plane had been completed only six days earlier. The engraver added in the picture the serial number of the aircraft scheduled for the official inaugural flight, 38262.
After the inverted images in bicolored US stamps of 1869 and 1901, philatelists hoped that the inverted error would also affect that new bicolor issue. In the morning of that first day, May 14, the administration is informed that a full sheet with the upside-down plane has been sold to a customer in a post office of Washington DC.
The discoverer, William T. Robey, had rushed at the opening of the post office while one of his friends was doing the same in Philadelphia. Warned after the transaction when Robey was asking for another similar sheet, the employee had not been in position to prevent it.
In the afternoon of the same day, the sale to the public is suspended for two hours in Philadelphia, New York and Washington for an inspection of the stock and the scrap of the defective sheets. In order to standardize the shipment, the production process included a trimming of the top edge where both plate numbers, 8493 for the blue and 8492 for the carmine rose, had been printed. The error sheet was an exception where the blue plate reference was left untrimmed, on the opposite edge.
We are still in the heroic time of aviation. The President is upset : he is wasting his precious time. 38262 takes off southward instead of going toward Philadelphia. The pilot tried to land in the countryside and bogged down in a swamp this plane carrying the first mailbag of the new service. Fortunately in the opposite travel on the same day the first north-south transfer is successful.
The reaction of the administration after the Inverted error discovery had been extremely rapid. For the following runs, the word TOP is added at the top edge of the sheet and is checked in a specific production control. On May 21, when the dealer Eugene Klein buys for $ 15,000 from Robey this Inverted Jenny sheet paid for $ 24 six days earlier, it already appears that the additional checks have been effective and that this example will remain unique.
A few hours later, Klein sells the complete sheet to the rich and eccentric collector Colonel Green. The unpleasant trimming had intentionally removed the top and right margins and damaged he perforations in their adjacent stamps. Green does not want to keep the whole. He will only accept the best positions for his collection and entrusts the sale of the rest to Klein. It is at this point that Klein numbers each stamp from 1 to 100 on the reverse of the sheet to record the original position of each stamp before dividing the sheet into singles and blocks.
The blue plate number is printed in the otherwise blank element below position 97. One of the elements kept by Green is a block of eight, 85-88 and 95-98, with its sheet margins, therefore including the plate number.
The quality of the eight stamps was uneven. In 1944 a new owner removed individually the four stamps on the left, which had gum defects and thinning. This rework was judicious. The remaining block, consisting of positions 87, 88, 97, 98 plus the two sheet margins including the plate number below the 97, is extremely fine for the paper, colors, perforations, thickness, original gum and centering.
The unique Inverted Jenny plate block was sold for $ 1.1M by Christie's on October 12, 1989, for $ 2.97M by Robert A. Siegel on October 19, 2005 and for $ 4.9M by Sotheby's on June 8, 2021, lot 2.
The image is shared by Wikimedia.
May 15, 1918 is a historic date for the civil aviation : the first regular airmail service is inaugurated in Washington DC by President Wilson. It connects New York to Washington and return, with a change of plane in Philadelphia.
Mail shipping was set at 24c and the two-color stamp was available since the day before. The blue center features the biplane model selected for this service, a Jenny, nickname for the Curtiss JN-4. The preparation of the stamp was made in a hurry. The die for printing the plane had been completed only six days earlier. The engraver added in the picture the serial number of the aircraft scheduled for the official inaugural flight, 38262.
After the inverted images in bicolored US stamps of 1869 and 1901, philatelists hoped that the inverted error would also affect that new bicolor issue. In the morning of that first day, May 14, the administration is informed that a full sheet with the upside-down plane has been sold to a customer in a post office of Washington DC.
The discoverer, William T. Robey, had rushed at the opening of the post office while one of his friends was doing the same in Philadelphia. Warned after the transaction when Robey was asking for another similar sheet, the employee had not been in position to prevent it.
In the afternoon of the same day, the sale to the public is suspended for two hours in Philadelphia, New York and Washington for an inspection of the stock and the scrap of the defective sheets. In order to standardize the shipment, the production process included a trimming of the top edge where both plate numbers, 8493 for the blue and 8492 for the carmine rose, had been printed. The error sheet was an exception where the blue plate reference was left untrimmed, on the opposite edge.
We are still in the heroic time of aviation. The President is upset : he is wasting his precious time. 38262 takes off southward instead of going toward Philadelphia. The pilot tried to land in the countryside and bogged down in a swamp this plane carrying the first mailbag of the new service. Fortunately in the opposite travel on the same day the first north-south transfer is successful.
The reaction of the administration after the Inverted error discovery had been extremely rapid. For the following runs, the word TOP is added at the top edge of the sheet and is checked in a specific production control. On May 21, when the dealer Eugene Klein buys for $ 15,000 from Robey this Inverted Jenny sheet paid for $ 24 six days earlier, it already appears that the additional checks have been effective and that this example will remain unique.
A few hours later, Klein sells the complete sheet to the rich and eccentric collector Colonel Green. The unpleasant trimming had intentionally removed the top and right margins and damaged he perforations in their adjacent stamps. Green does not want to keep the whole. He will only accept the best positions for his collection and entrusts the sale of the rest to Klein. It is at this point that Klein numbers each stamp from 1 to 100 on the reverse of the sheet to record the original position of each stamp before dividing the sheet into singles and blocks.
The blue plate number is printed in the otherwise blank element below position 97. One of the elements kept by Green is a block of eight, 85-88 and 95-98, with its sheet margins, therefore including the plate number.
The quality of the eight stamps was uneven. In 1944 a new owner removed individually the four stamps on the left, which had gum defects and thinning. This rework was judicious. The remaining block, consisting of positions 87, 88, 97, 98 plus the two sheet margins including the plate number below the 97, is extremely fine for the paper, colors, perforations, thickness, original gum and centering.
The unique Inverted Jenny plate block was sold for $ 1.1M by Christie's on October 12, 1989, for $ 2.97M by Robert A. Siegel on October 19, 2005 and for $ 4.9M by Sotheby's on June 8, 2021, lot 2.
The image is shared by Wikimedia.
The unique Inverted Jenny plate block (positions 87-88/97-98) is widely regarded as one of the most important and visually striking items in all of United States philately.
It is the only known plate number multiple from the sole discovered error sheet of 100 stamps (Scott C3a). The blue plate number "8493" appears in the bottom selvage directly below position 97, and the block also features wide bottom and right sheet margins. This configuration makes it the premier showpiece for the issue.
Position and Sheet Context
On the original 10x10 sheet (numbered left-to-right, top-to-bottom by Eugene Klein):
Condition
Significance
This block combines extreme rarity (the only plate number example), dramatic visual appeal (inverted plane + plate number in selvage), and exceptional quality. It is frequently called the "greatest showpiece" of U.S. philately and has been exhibited at major shows including Anphilex 1971 and Interphil 1976. Its existence is partly fortuitous: the plate number was in the bottom selvage, which would likely have been trimmed on a normal (non-inverted) sheet.
Provenance and Sales History
This block embodies the pinnacle of Inverted Jenny collecting: it ties directly to the error's production story, carries the plate number that confirms its sheet origin, and has passed through legendary collectors. For interactive details, photos, and the full sheet map, the definitive resource is invertedjenny.com (maintained by Siegel Auction Galleries).
It is the only known plate number multiple from the sole discovered error sheet of 100 stamps (Scott C3a). The blue plate number "8493" appears in the bottom selvage directly below position 97, and the block also features wide bottom and right sheet margins. This configuration makes it the premier showpiece for the issue.
Position and Sheet Context
On the original 10x10 sheet (numbered left-to-right, top-to-bottom by Eugene Klein):
- 87: Row 9, Column 7
- 88: Row 9, Column 8
- 97: Row 10, Column 7 (directly above the plate number)
- 98: Row 10, Column 8
Condition
- Previously hinged (OGph) with pristine original gum and natural flat-plate gum bends (typical for the issue).
- Superbly centered with fresh, vibrant carmine rose frames and blue vignettes.
- Intact perforations; sound overall with only a barely perceptible inclusion at top right noted in some descriptions.
- Size: Approximately 51 x 50 mm for the block itself, plus generous selvage.
Significance
This block combines extreme rarity (the only plate number example), dramatic visual appeal (inverted plane + plate number in selvage), and exceptional quality. It is frequently called the "greatest showpiece" of U.S. philately and has been exhibited at major shows including Anphilex 1971 and Interphil 1976. Its existence is partly fortuitous: the plate number was in the bottom selvage, which would likely have been trimmed on a normal (non-inverted) sheet.
Provenance and Sales History
- 1918: Purchased as part of the full sheet by William T. Robey → sold to Eugene Klein → Colonel Edward H.R. Green.
- 1944: Green estate auction; Amos Eno buys the block of eight for $27,000 and reduces it to four.
- 1954: Eno estate; Benjamin D. Phillips via Weill Brothers ($18,250).
- 1989: Christie's (Weill stock); Kerby Confer ($989,000–$1.1M).
- 2005: Siegel; William H. Gross for a record $2.97 million (then traded days later to Donald Sundman/Mystic Stamp Co. for the 1¢ Z Grill).
- 2014: Mystic sells privately to Stuart Weitzman.
- 2021: Sotheby's (Weitzman collection); sold for $4.86 million (one of the highest prices ever for a U.S. philatelic item).
This block embodies the pinnacle of Inverted Jenny collecting: it ties directly to the error's production story, carries the plate number that confirms its sheet origin, and has passed through legendary collectors. For interactive details, photos, and the full sheet map, the definitive resource is invertedjenny.com (maintained by Siegel Auction Galleries).
Block of Four 45-46-55-56
2019 SOLD for $ 1.74M by Spink
In the 1940s the auctions of the Green deceased estate reveal his preferences in terms of the Inverted Jenny : a block of eight, three blocks of four, a vertical block of two and a few single stamps. Some stamps in bad condition appear in the same sales : these are the unsold stamps which had been returned at some point by Klein to Green.
After the Green sale, the block of eight is separated into a very fine block of four, retaining the inscribed bottom margin, plus four single stamps.
On September 27, 2019, Spink sold for $ 1.74M as Lot 1 one of the blocks of four from Green's selection, consisting of the central positions 45, 46, 55 and 56 of the original sheet. This block is in very fine condition with a small disturbing to the original gum which is common in the Green collection.
After the Green sale, the block of eight is separated into a very fine block of four, retaining the inscribed bottom margin, plus four single stamps.
On September 27, 2019, Spink sold for $ 1.74M as Lot 1 one of the blocks of four from Green's selection, consisting of the central positions 45, 46, 55 and 56 of the original sheet. This block is in very fine condition with a small disturbing to the original gum which is common in the Green collection.
Position 49
2023 SOLD for $ 2M by Robert A. Siegel
Until recently, there were two stamps that had never been located after the separation. Position 79, found in a collection with some minor flaws including the mark of a paper clip, was sold for $ 300K by Leslie Hindman on February 15, 2017.
The mapping of the original separation is now complete. The last missing position, 49, surfaced in a bank vault. From the region of the sheet that displayed the best centering, this time capsule had been hoarded in the dark as soon as it was purchased.
Found by a descendant of the original investor, Position 49 had never been handled during these one hundred years of storage away from light. It has very fresh colors and never had a hinge. It is the best specimen with an intact gum, graded Mint Never Hinged Extremely Fine 90 by the Philatelic Foundation.
Position 49 was sold for $ 1.6M by Robert A. Siegel on November 15, 2018, lot 644. It was observed at that time that its grading did not overcome the best specimen from that sheet, Position 58, graded 95 Between Extremely Fine and Mint - Previously Hinged.
Submitted in 2022 to Professional Stamp Experts and again to The Philatelic Foundation, 49 was upgraded by both Extremely Fine-Superb 95, so that it may now be considered as the finest Inverted Jenny in existence. It was sold for $ 2M by Robert A. Siegel on November 8, 2023, lot 2154. Position 59, of a similar quality as the 49 but previously hinged, has not yet been certified.
Position 49 of the 1918 Inverted Jenny (Scott C3a) is universally recognized as the finest known example of this iconic U.S. error stamp.
It comes from the sole discovered sheet of 100 inverted-center 24¢ airmail stamps sold by the Post Office in Washington, D.C., on May 14, 1918, to collector William T. Robey. The error occurred when the blue vignette plate (showing the Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny" biplane) was fed upside down relative to the red frame plate.
Condition and Grading
Provenance and History
Significance in Philately
Position 49 exemplifies the romance and value drivers of the Inverted Jenny: rarity (only 100 exist), dramatic error story tied to the dawn of U.S. airmail, and condition sensitivity. Its sheet position (upper right area) contributed to excellent centering on this particular stamp. It has been featured in major media (NYT, NPR, etc.) and remains a benchmark for the issue.
Current status (as of 2026): Privately held by Charles Hack, who stores it securely (similar to prior owners) and brings it out selectively. No further public auction is imminent.For high-resolution images, full certificates, or sheet position diagrams, the dedicated site invertedjenny.com (maintained by Siegel) is the authoritative resource. This stamp's trajectory—from a 24¢ postal error to a multimillion-dollar icon—highlights why condition and provenance can multiply value exponentially in the Inverted Jenny market.
The mapping of the original separation is now complete. The last missing position, 49, surfaced in a bank vault. From the region of the sheet that displayed the best centering, this time capsule had been hoarded in the dark as soon as it was purchased.
Found by a descendant of the original investor, Position 49 had never been handled during these one hundred years of storage away from light. It has very fresh colors and never had a hinge. It is the best specimen with an intact gum, graded Mint Never Hinged Extremely Fine 90 by the Philatelic Foundation.
Position 49 was sold for $ 1.6M by Robert A. Siegel on November 15, 2018, lot 644. It was observed at that time that its grading did not overcome the best specimen from that sheet, Position 58, graded 95 Between Extremely Fine and Mint - Previously Hinged.
Submitted in 2022 to Professional Stamp Experts and again to The Philatelic Foundation, 49 was upgraded by both Extremely Fine-Superb 95, so that it may now be considered as the finest Inverted Jenny in existence. It was sold for $ 2M by Robert A. Siegel on November 8, 2023, lot 2154. Position 59, of a similar quality as the 49 but previously hinged, has not yet been certified.
Position 49 of the 1918 Inverted Jenny (Scott C3a) is universally recognized as the finest known example of this iconic U.S. error stamp.
It comes from the sole discovered sheet of 100 inverted-center 24¢ airmail stamps sold by the Post Office in Washington, D.C., on May 14, 1918, to collector William T. Robey. The error occurred when the blue vignette plate (showing the Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny" biplane) was fed upside down relative to the red frame plate.
Condition and Grading
- Mint Never-Hinged (NH) with pristine, undisturbed original gum.
- Graded XF-Superb 95 by both the Philatelic Foundation (PF) and Professional Stamp Experts (PSE). This is the highest grade any Inverted Jenny has received or is likely to receive, due to superior centering, bright colors, intact perforations, and overall freshness.
- Sound with no faults, thins, creases, or significant inclusions. The stamp benefited from ideal storage in a bank vault for ~100 years after its 1918 purchase, protecting it from light, handling, and environmental damage.
Provenance and History
- 1918: Purchased by Robey as part of the full error sheet → sold to dealer Eugene Klein → then to Colonel Edward H.R. Green (son of Hetty Green) for $20,000. Green broke up the sheet and numbered stamps on the back.
- Position 49 passed to an anonymous collector (a descendant of the original purchaser) and remained hidden from philatelists for a century.
- 2018 Rediscovery: Certified by the PF in September; auctioned by Siegel on November 15, 2018, for $1,350,000 hammer ($1,593,000 with premium)—a record at the time.
- 2023: Sold again at Siegel (from the Nathanael Greene collection) on November 8 for $2,006,000 (including premium), setting a new record for a single U.S. stamp at auction. Buyer: collector Charles Hack.
Significance in Philately
Position 49 exemplifies the romance and value drivers of the Inverted Jenny: rarity (only 100 exist), dramatic error story tied to the dawn of U.S. airmail, and condition sensitivity. Its sheet position (upper right area) contributed to excellent centering on this particular stamp. It has been featured in major media (NYT, NPR, etc.) and remains a benchmark for the issue.
Current status (as of 2026): Privately held by Charles Hack, who stores it securely (similar to prior owners) and brings it out selectively. No further public auction is imminent.For high-resolution images, full certificates, or sheet position diagrams, the dedicated site invertedjenny.com (maintained by Siegel) is the authoritative resource. This stamp's trajectory—from a 24¢ postal error to a multimillion-dollar icon—highlights why condition and provenance can multiply value exponentially in the Inverted Jenny market.
Stamp smashes US record as it sells for $2m: 'Inverted Jenny' depicts a plane printed upside down in error and originally cost just 24 cents in 1918 https://t.co/NbPDe7VPT5 pic.twitter.com/sTsmfp16pm
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) November 14, 2023
A superb example of the classic 1918 "inverted Jenny" error brought nearly $1.6 million at a recent auction, setting a new record https://t.co/KRszXj8aUS #philately #stamps @LinnsStampNews pic.twitter.com/kDQLEgIeeJ
— David L. Tranbarger (@dltcoins) November 17, 2018
Position 58
2016 SOLD for $ 1.35M by Robert A. Siegel
The condition of a stamp is graded by Professional Stamp Experts (PSE) on a scale from 10 to 100. Top grades are 100 (gem), 98 (superb), 90 (extremely fine) and 80 (very fine) with intermediate values at 95 and 85.
The best Inverted Jenny is Position 58. It is graded by PSE XF-Sup 95 Mint OG, meaning between extremely fine and superb, not canceled, keeping its original gum (with minor hinging traces). Its centering with wide full margins contributes to its grading at 95. Very fresh, it has the most beautiful front side. A trace of hinge prevents it from reaching the top grade.
Robert A. Siegel sold it for $ 580K on June 3, 2005 and for $ 1.35M on May 31, 2016, lot 275.
The best Inverted Jenny is Position 58. It is graded by PSE XF-Sup 95 Mint OG, meaning between extremely fine and superb, not canceled, keeping its original gum (with minor hinging traces). Its centering with wide full margins contributes to its grading at 95. Very fresh, it has the most beautiful front side. A trace of hinge prevents it from reaching the top grade.
Robert A. Siegel sold it for $ 580K on June 3, 2005 and for $ 1.35M on May 31, 2016, lot 275.
This #InvertedJenny stamp is the highest graded in the worldhttps://t.co/XYoBeb3YQG pic.twitter.com/Y4xTSUEfVX
— Paul Fraser (@PFCollectibles) May 12, 2016
Position 57
2007 SOLD for $ 980K by Robert A. Siegel
Position 57 was sold for $ 980K by Robert A. Siegel on 14 November 2007. With an exceptional freshness and well centered, it is one of the best of the series.
Position 84
2007 SOLD for $ 825K by Heritage
In November 2007, a few days after the sale of Position 57 by Siegel, Position 84 was sold by Heritage for $ 825K before fees to the under-bidder of the 57.
Position 77
2014 SOLD for $ 575K by Spink
The one hundred Inverted Jenny stamps each have their features and defects. The centering of the margins varied during the processing. This is certainly also the case for the vividness of original colors. Storage conditions have tarnished some stamps. The use of hinges has more or less removed the gum.
On May 21, 2014, Spink sold for $ 575K the Inverted Jenny from the Safra collection, position 77. Graded 85, it was the best among the very few never hinged Inverted Jennys until Position 49 resurfaced in 2018.
Its margins are wide and regular and the perforations have no damage. The colors remained very fresh on this stamp which neighbored on the original sheet with the plate block of four (87-88-97-98).
On May 21, 2014, Spink sold for $ 575K the Inverted Jenny from the Safra collection, position 77. Graded 85, it was the best among the very few never hinged Inverted Jennys until Position 49 resurfaced in 2018.
Its margins are wide and regular and the perforations have no damage. The colors remained very fresh on this stamp which neighbored on the original sheet with the plate block of four (87-88-97-98).
Position 68
2013 SOLD for $ 575K by Robert A. Siegel
The printing quality of the Inverted Jenny single sheet was homogeneous but their centering was uneven and their storage conditions went to be different. The best examples are the ones that kept the freshest colors and never had a hinge.
The never hinged Position 68 is graded Very Fine 80. It is very fresh but less centered than the 58. It was sold for $ 575K by Robert A. Siegel on October 9, 2013.
The never hinged Position 68 is graded Very Fine 80. It is very fresh but less centered than the 58. It was sold for $ 575K by Robert A. Siegel on October 9, 2013.
Position 39
2019 SOLD for $ 425K before fees by Spink
Position 39 was sold for $ 425K before fees by Spink on September 27, 2019, lot 101.
This rare example of a single Inverted Jenny from the selection of Colonel Green had certainly been retained by him for its perfect centering. It is in very fine condition with a tiny hinging trace on its original gum.
This rare example of a single Inverted Jenny from the selection of Colonel Green had certainly been retained by him for its perfect centering. It is in very fine condition with a tiny hinging trace on its original gum.
Position 21
2008 SOLD for $ 400K before fees by Robert A. Siegel
Position 21, the far left of the third row, still has its left sheet selvage. It is in very good condition with minor defects. It was sold for $ 400K before fees by Robert A. Siegel on June 7, 2008, lot 706. Its condition is graded Fine - Very fine.
Special Report
evaluating a non premium example
In the Siegel sale of May 28, 2026, Lot 2 is the Inverted Jenny # 99, from the immediate vicinity of the extraordinary block 87, 88, 97, 98 and similarly with the bottom sheet selvage.
The estimate of # 99 at $250,000 - $350,000 seems to be highly undervalued. Is it impaired by its condition ? Catalogue condition summary : original gum, small hinge remnant, tiny natural inclusion speck, few perf separations between stamp and selvage and natural flat plate gum bends, faint semi-translucent stain spots.
No, the $250,000–$350,000 estimate for Lot 2 (Position 99 with bottom sheet selvage) in Siegel Sale 1380 does not appear highly undervalued. It aligns reasonably with the stamp’s documented condition flaws, market realities for non-premium Inverted Jennys, and its last public sale in 1994.
Condition Summary and Impact
The catalogue notes match the user’s description and align with long-standing records for this position:
Market Context and Valuation
Auction result : sold for $ 300K + 18 % buyer's premium.
The estimate of # 99 at $250,000 - $350,000 seems to be highly undervalued. Is it impaired by its condition ? Catalogue condition summary : original gum, small hinge remnant, tiny natural inclusion speck, few perf separations between stamp and selvage and natural flat plate gum bends, faint semi-translucent stain spots.
No, the $250,000–$350,000 estimate for Lot 2 (Position 99 with bottom sheet selvage) in Siegel Sale 1380 does not appear highly undervalued. It aligns reasonably with the stamp’s documented condition flaws, market realities for non-premium Inverted Jennys, and its last public sale in 1994.
Condition Summary and Impact
The catalogue notes match the user’s description and align with long-standing records for this position:
- Original gum (OGph) with a small hinge remnant (previously hinged).
- Tiny natural inclusion speck, few perf separations between the stamp and selvage.
- Natural flat plate gum bends (common on many Jennys due to the thick gum and flat-plate printing).
- Faint semi-translucent stain spots (described historically as light staining).
Market Context and Valuation
- Last sale (1994 Siegel auction): Realized $88,000 (against a $135,000 Scott catalogue value at the time). It had been off the market for many years (inherited in 1957 and kept privately).
- Broader Jenny market: Sound, attractive singles routinely bring $200k–$500k+ in recent years, depending on centering, gum, and faults. Top examples far exceed this, but average/faulty ones trade lower. The market has risen since 1994 due to inflation, collector demand, and publicity from record sales, but condition remains the dominant pricing factor.
- The estimate reflects a conservative-to-realistic range for a fresh-to-market example with known flaws and strong provenance (from the original sheet via Robey → Klein → Green → Baker → Jackman → Gesen). It is only the second auction appearance since 1929, adding some scarcity premium.
Auction result : sold for $ 300K + 18 % buyer's premium.
