The one-cent magenta

By Barron, James

Subjects: Biography, Stamp collecting, Rare postage stamps, New York Times reviewed, Stamp collectors, Postage stamps, collectors and collecting, History

Description: "When it was issued in 1856, it cost a penny. In 2014, this tiny square of faded red paper sold at Sotheby's for nearly $9.5 million, the largest amount ever paid for a postage stamp at auction. Through the stories of the eccentric characters who have bought, owned, and sold the one-cent magenta in the years in between, James Barron delivers a fascinating tale of global history and immense wealth, and of the human desire to collect"--