What a “strange” hobby Elizabeth II had. She made £100 million from it
During her 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth II had a busy schedule, but she did not forget about her hobbies.
Although Queen Elizabeth II did not have much free time, she found time for her hobbies, including horse riding, Scottish dancing and stamp collecting. These personal pursuits were an important part of her life, leaving a valuable legacy.
Stamps brought her huge income
Among her hobbies, collecting stamps occupied a special place in the empress’s heart. This extremely valuable collection is said to have earned her around £100 million thanks to the rare and extremely valuable pieces she collected over the years.
The collection includes an 1847 stamp of Mauritius, which was valued at £2 million in 2002 and is considered one of the most valuable in the world, according to the Telegraph.
This rare stamp originally belonged to her grandfather, King George V, and was purchased at auction in 1904 for £1,450, equivalent to approximately £60,000 today. It was exhibited publicly in 2002 to mark the Queen's Golden Jubilee.
How many stamps does Queen Elizabeth II's collection contain?
Queen Elizabeth II's stamp collection is impressive, numbering around 300 albums and 200 additional boxes, and is kept in the vault at St James's Church.
The passion for stamps has been passed down from generation to generation, starting with Prince Alfred, Queen Victoria's second son, who began collecting stamps in 1864. The collection then passed from one monarch to another, eventually passing to Queen Elizabeth II.
When she took possession of the collection, the Queen decided to sell some of the "extra" stamps at auction and reinvested the money in new ones.
In 2001, the stamps she sold were a great success with buyers: 200 copies brought her £750,000. Of this amount, she allocated £250,000 to purchase a unique set of 10 Penny Blacks.
