Why a philanthropist sold his stamp collection to challenge the Nobel legacy

Health · Published 18 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In 1980, Jakob von Uexküll attempted to expand the Nobel Prize's scope. When the Nobel Foundation refused to add categories for ecology and development, he used his million-dollar stamp collection to fund a powerful alternative: the Right Livelihood Award.

The Right Livelihood Award was born from a failed negotiation. Before 1980, German-Swedish philanthropist Jakob von Uexküll sought to persuade the Nobel Foundation to create new categories for environmental protection and sustainable development. However, following the controversy surrounding the creation of the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences, the Nobel Foundation resolved not to associate its prizes with any additional awards. Undeterred, von Uexküll used the proceeds from selling his US$1 million stamp collection to establish his own international honor.

Many call this honour the 'Alternative Nobel Prize', viewing it as a challenge to the established Nobel system. The Right Livelihood Award committee purposefully holds its presentation within Sweden's Riksdag just one day prior to the Stockholm Nobel ceremonies, despite having no links to the Nobel Foundation. Since 1985, the ceremony has typically been held in Stockholm's old Parliament building, often hosted by a group of Swedish Parliamentarians.

The award's structure and mission differ significantly from its namesake. Unlike the Nobel, which relies on Alfred Nobel's fortune, the Right Livelihood funds now come from donations. The prize money, which is shared among winners—usually numbering four—is €200,000, notably lower than the approximately €1,000,000 awarded by the Nobel. The award maintains an open nomination process where anyone can nominate individuals or organizations, provided they are not close relatives or their own organizations. Between 1980 and 2021, the foundation recognized 186 laureates from 73 countries for their work in fields ranging from human rights to environmental protection.

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