Treskilling Yellow (Tre Skilling Banco)
A Swedish stamp error so rare it has only one known example. The 3-skilling banco stamp was accidentally printed in yellow instead of its correct blue-green color in 1855, making it one of the world's most valuable stamps.
Sweden · 1855
Treskilling Yellow (Tre Skilling Banco)
Overview
The Treskilling Yellow is one of philately's greatest mysteries. The Swedish 3-skilling banco stamp of 1855 was supposed to be printed in blue-green — but a single example was printed in yellow, the color normally used for the 8-skilling stamp. The precise cause remains unknown: most experts believe a single printing error occurred, though some have suggested a color trial or printer's proof gone missing. The stamp was discovered in 1885 by a teenager named Georg Wilhelm Backman, who found it in his grandmother's attic in Sweden. He sold it to a stamp dealer for a few kronor. Over the next century, it passed through the hands of legendary collectors including Count Philippe de la Renotière von Ferrary and was eventually auctioned at David Feldman's Geneva salesroom in 1996 for a record CHF 2.87 million ($2.3 million at the time). The stamp remains privately held and has not appeared at public auction since, making its current value a subject of speculation — most experts estimate it would exceed $3-4 million today.
Design & Technical Details
Swedish coat of arms on an oval design, surrounded by decorative scrollwork. The numeral '3' and the text 'SKILLING BANCO' identify the denomination. All other 3-skilling stamps are blue-green; this unique example is unmistakably yellow-orange — the color reserved for the 8-skilling denomination.
Historical Facts
- Printed in 1855 by the Swedish State Printing Office
- Discovered in 1885 by teenager Georg Wilhelm Backman in his grandmother's papers
- Passed through the legendary collection of Count Philippe de la Renotière von Ferrary
- Sold in 1996 for CHF 2.87 million (approximately $2.3 million USD) — a world record at the time
- Scientific analysis has never definitively explained why it was printed in yellow
- Has not appeared at public auction since 1996; current whereabouts private
How to Identify This Stamp
If you believe you may have found a Treskilling Yellow (Tre Skilling Banco), here are key identification characteristics to check:
- Only one example exists — authentication by a leading expertizer is essential
- The color is unmistakably yellow-orange, sharply contrasting with legitimate blue-green 3-skilling stamps
- Swedish State Printing Office watermark should be present
- The stamp is used (cancelled) — no mint example has ever been recorded
- Compare against reference examples of the legitimate blue-green 3-skilling in catalogues
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Treskilling Yellow so valuable?
The Treskilling Yellow is valuable because it is the only known example of a dramatic printing error on one of Sweden's earliest stamps. The combination of extreme rarity (one copy), historical significance (1855), mysterious origin, and legendary provenance through world-class collections makes it one of the most coveted stamps in existence.
How much is the Treskilling Yellow worth today?
When last sold publicly in 1996, the Treskilling Yellow fetched $2.3 million. Experts estimate its current value at $3-4 million or more, given the general appreciation of top-tier stamps since the late 1990s. However, it has not appeared at auction since 1996 and its current owner is private.