Rare stamp sells for $225,000 in Halifax

A rare stamp fetched a record $225,000 including auction fees at an auction inHalifax over the weekend.

The "Twelve Penny Black" was issued in 1851. Just under 1,500 copies were made at the time.

It features a portrait of a young Queen Victoria.

Gary Lyon, owner of Eastern Auction, said the stamp is in mint condition.

"This is about as good as you're going to get. It's believed to be the finest known example, actually. It has incredibly nice colour for a stamp of that vintage. The colour is still exceptionally fresh. It was owned by a Canadian and it was sold to a Canadian, which is nice," he said.

Lyon said it was a record sale for his company.

Lyon saida stamp like the "Twelve Penny Black"only comes up for sale once in a lifetime.

"The owner had owned this once since 1980, so that's33 years," he said. "Collectors can own an individual item anywhere from 20 to 60 years, probably. Sometimes when you really want something you have to be aggressive because you may never see it again in your lifetime."