British Guiana 1c Magenta

British Guiana · 1856 · 1c

The 1c Magenta is an octagonal-cut stamp printed in black on magenta paper. It features a three-masted sailing ship at its center, surrounded by the colony's Latin motto "Damus Petimus Que Vicissim" (We give and expect in return). The stamp was a provisional issue, created locally to address a shortage of stamps from Great Britain.

Printed in 1856 in Georgetown, British Guiana, this stamp was created out of necessity by local printers. The sole surviving example was discovered by a 12-year-old boy in 1873 and has since passed through the hands of the world's most famous collectors, solidifying its legendary status.