Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Stamps have been around for a very long time, 179 years to be exact, and since the first issue of the British Penny Black, literally billions of stamps have been printed from nearly every country in the world since.
Post offices now issue stamps especially for collectors, these stamps of course will never increase much in value as too many have been issued, and in many cases, such as Australia, many modern issues have been reprinted many times.
There are many reasons why people collect stamps, for the thematic designs, selected countries, postmarks, FDCs, future investment either for you or your children, varieties etc., whatever the reason, stamp collecting is a great hobby, the hobby of Kings.
If a collector decides on creating an investment collection that will increase in value in the future, then the collector will need to decide how much they are willing to invest financially towards that future return, or not wanting to sell but to have a collection that will become more valuable over time.
Very scarce, rare, very rare and extremely rare stamps are necessary for such an investment and such stamps will be very expensive; if you pay $1,000 for 1,000 unused $1 stamps, 10 years down the track it will still be worth $1,000; if you pay $1,000 for one stamp, the increase of value in 10 years is a certainty.
Many people who have inherited a stamp collection believe that the old stamps within the album or albums are worth a small fortune, if your ancestors did not pay a lot of money for the stamps and have collected them off envelopes, it is likely the stamps are common issues and many are, and cancelled, very heavily.
But that doesn’t mean that every old album will have common stamps, who knows, it is worth having the albums professionally looked at by a dealer. If the album smells of dampness and mildew, it is a guarantee that every stamp is ruined, and many stamps will show various forms of rust.
I was shown by a dealer a rare superbly centred mint unhinged McCracken £1 specimen coronation stamp that smelled of mildew, had patches of rust on the front and the gum was covered in rust, the stamp was taken out of a mildew affected album only moments before; it was totally ruined, otherwise it would have been worth over $2,000 (less than 200 were printed); every stamp in the album was ruined, the album was kept in a garage on top of a cupboard for many years, in all, the album if properly cared for had a market value of $7,000.
The McCracken £1 specimen I do not have. The tinted 5/- coronation stamp was printed on thin paper.
The stamps below is a regnal collection of KGVI, it will be impossible to show all the QEII stamps as there are far too many stamps for the displaying of the QEII regnal series, to date there are over 5,000 in my collection from 1953-2019; what will be shown though will be the stamps that have investment value.
Of course one can be lucky enough to buy an extremely rare stamp for only a few dollars, this can happen and it has happened to one collector – twice (one was exceedingly rare, and he paid about $20 for both of them), it’s an extremely isolated case, but it can happen.
There are many varieties in the reign of KGVI and QEII, but it is seldom that varieties during the reign of these two monarchs are considered rare or extremely rare. I was asked recently would all the stamps of QEII increase once the Queen dies; no they will not, the death of a monarch does not increase the value of any stamp; low printing, paper type, die type, errors, varieties, condition and demand are the prime factors of a stamp increasing in value.
The stamps shown are in the 2015 ACSC order (the collection is still a project in progress).
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Thankyou Rob as this for me has been a very big help, also very interesting
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Beautiful collection....thanks for sharing.
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Hi Pooh
I'm glad this post has been of help to you, very soon I'll be posting a selection of very scarce to extremely rare stamps of QEII pre-decimal and decimal stamps. As mentioned it would take many posts to upload all the stamps; actually what I will post is the entirety of my QEII pre-decimals.
Rob
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Hi Paul
It is a beautiful collection when all the stamps fall into order; there is still stamps to acquire though I am certain that it will most likely take many more years to complete because of the difficulty of obtaining other rarities, as two stamps I had seen, the McCracken £1 specimen coronation stamp which was in superb condition and the £2 specimen Coat-of-Arms with roller flaw (a very rare stamp) were both hinged, so I couldn't buy them.
The very early cracked plate is the only one known and to have a combination of three is unique and very valuable.
I will be posting all my pre-decimal QEII stamps very soon, the QEII stamps are very difficult to ascertain as a potential increase in market value as the majority do not have investment potential, even if they are in perfect condition, the collection relies on certain varieties and errors to give the collection a boost into the future as having an investment potential.
Rob
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Hi Rob,
Anything that you comment on & building collections is very important
I keep all you comments in a special file
The number of times that I have listened to your advice has enabled me to pursue a entirely exciting world of MNH Australian stamps
Horamakhet
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Hi Horamakhet
Helping fellow collectors with their collections is very important to me, and I feel humbled that you keep a special file on my contributions to this website, and I am also impressed with the MNH stamps you have displayed on Stamporama since your move into collecting the finest condition in pre-decimal issues.
Rob
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My wife says
Not another stamp, then promptly tells me to increase a bid so I don't get outbid
I love the way you organise your collections
Are there any plans a foot by ACSC to redo the QEII specialist catalogue in colour
Horamakhet
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Hi Horamakhet
In a way Victoria is similar to your wife, she gives an appearance that she has no interest in stamps, yet Victoria always lets me know when new stamps are issued and has since joined the ACCC as she finds the members very interesting to speak to, and also finds speaking to Michael Drury and Geoff Kellow a highlight of the meetings.
The way the stamps are organised in the display is exactly how the stamps are organised in my album, and to know which stamp is which, I have a very detailed excel formulated catalogue to every stamp I have, and each page is titled under the monarch of that era; and each stamp is in the 2015 ACSC order which corresponds to the way the stamps in the album is set out.
I doubt if the QEII and even the KGVI for that matter will have a footnote or even some sort of addendum in the ACCC bulletin any time soon, but I will bring the subject up in the next meeting of the ACCC on May 20.
Rob
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A reminder that stamp collecting is a hobby, and as such is intended to be for one's personal enjoyment. Investing is not a hobby, and is something that should be taken seriously and with the advice of a financial advisor. Investing in stamps, and other commodities, is a risky affair, and one person's results is not indicative that such would be another's experience.
Any comments regarding "investment potentials" should be taken as informational only, and not as definitive fact. Stamporama does not endorse or encourage people to invest in stamps. As such, sales area rules prohibit describing any stamp as having investment potential.
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Hi Michael
I’ll have to disagree with that; I mentioned that it is a hobby, and that some collectors would like to see some sort of investment arise from their hobby. I am not an investor though I would like to see my collection increase in value in the future and have investment potential, even though I’ll never sell.
I have mentioned in my post that there are many reasons why people collect stamps, for the thematic designs, selected countries, postmarks, FDCs, future investment either for you or your children, varieties etc., whatever the reason, stamp collecting is a great hobby, the hobby of Kings; so I believe I had covered all the bases in collecting stamps and that it is a hobby.
"Any comments regarding " Any comments regarding "investment potentials" should be taken as informational only, and not as definitive fact. Stamporama does not endorse or encourage people to invest in stamps. As such, sales area rules prohibit describing any stamp as having investment potential."
You are looking too far ahead as to the purpose of my post, I did not break any rules and it is not wrong to show what is an investment potential. The word “investment” has more than one meaning although both meanings have the potential of creating a better collection; as for sale area rules, I never sell my stamps and any spares I have I give away.
I am not saying invest in this or invest in that, I am merely explaining what to look for in a good stamp, and what I look for in a good collection. Members can look at my post and admire the collection or they can search for better stamps.
Much of what I had written is not much different to what is written in other sites, though I am more detailed in my story; and my entire comment is vital information to those who want to know how to create a better collection, and my information from the post you are referring to, and any other information I had posted and will intend to post will always be a definitive fact.
People buy from you, you have an on-line stamp shop and have sold thousands of stamps, aren’t you making some sort of profit from the stamps you purchased and now selling, isn’t that an investment, what is the difference in what you are doing and a collector wanting to sell the right stamp(s) later for a profit, providing they want to sell what they had purchased.
And what am I endorsing or encouraging? If collectors want to go a separate way in stamp collecting let them, it's a choice they made and the result will be rewarding at the end; isn't that part of philatelic fellowship - to help.
Not all collectors will be able to buy certain stamps but I can assure you that there are collectors who do.
Rob
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Hi Michael
I always take the comment from Rob as investing time and effort to build a fantastic collection, and the pleasure that one gets from the time and effort put into building such a superb collection
Only very rich persons have the money to use stamps as an investment.
Its and investment in time, and enjoyment
Regards
Horamakhet
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In my opinion stamps as a financial investment vehicle is an awful choice for the vast majority of people. Frankly, the majority of people would be better off investing in vintage Dennison hinges than in stamps (4000% increase in market value since the 1970s).
Stamps are a good investment in only one situation; the situation that Rob is in. Rob has invested thousands of man hours into learning philately over decades of time. Rob had also invested a significant amount of money into buying reference materials. I agree that if someone is willing to do this then yes, they can treat stamp collecting as a potential investment. But my opinion is that no one should ever get into this hobby as an investment. This is a sure way to lose significant amounts of money and a even surer way to become disillusioned with a great hobby. Yes even a blind squirrel can find a nut, but realistically the only way to find a nut is to study for decades and arm yourself with a large resource library.
Stamps are as common as rocks. Should we promote rock collecting because they might be able to find a diamond?
Let me be clear here, this is not about the dream of finding a diamond. Of course many collectors enjoy the hunt for a diamond; nothing wrong with that. But for me, consideration of how we promote our hobby is important.
Promoting our hobby to new collectors should center around things that most people can achieve. Things like learning about culture and history. Things like good comradery. Things like quality family time. These are the things that will bring a good return on investment for the majority of people.
Another important criteria for promoting our hobby is understanding that not everyone has the means to make it an investment level activity. Our hobby is great because it does not require a person to be wealthy, it is attainable by people who do not have large amounts of money. The levels of investment that Rob has made in our hobby are typically not attainable for the majority of new collectors.
In the context of promoting our hobby I feel it best to take a “bottom up” perspective and avoid the “top down” perspective. Rob has reached the pinnacle of philately and is looking down. I am sure the view from up there is great and it is natural to suggest that others enjoy the panorama. But I promote the hobby from the valleys where the vast majority of folks live and work. I feel that the greatest chance of successful promotion is to advocate the attributes which are attainable by anyone. The stamps that Rob is illustrating in this thread are beautiful and are no doubt a fine investment. But a person with an album full of common stamps should be just as proud of their involvement in our hobby. Their value will be gleaned from what they have learned, the friends they have made, the family time they have enjoyed, and experiences they have reaped.
Don
Edit: I fully agree with Rob that posting about investment potential is fine; after a person has invested a decade or two into the hobby this aspect of our hobby becomes realistic for those who can afford it. It just should be understood in context.
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Thanks for sharing, Rob. A beautiful presentation.
I really don't care why or how individual stamp collectors collect. There are probably as many reasons for collecting as there are collectors. In fact, some of us involved in philately no longer collect at all. There are many ways to collect and many ways to participate without collecting. For me, the educational aspects of philately became more important that collecting, and the opportunities to share images and information became more rewarding than collecting itself. We're a very diverse group and that's a very good thing!
Tom
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Hi Tom
I agree that there are many reasons for stamp collecting, and I know of a few people who are members of the ACCC (Australian Commonwealth Collectors Club) who are not collectors but are renowned experts in the field of Philately, and one other who is a world expert and expertiser.
I started collecting when I was 12 a long time ago, stopped collecting when I was 15 and then recommenced just before my 20th in 1976, and that’s when I got serious in the hobby; I researched and bought many books and journals over the years and became an expert in Australian stamps relating to KGVI and QEII.
I also collect certain foreign stamps; my favourite NZ stamps are the smiling boys in superb unhinged condition, no faults, all perforations intact and not the puffy perforations one would see on the stamps fraught with problems during the time of the printing.
I see the knowledge in what one collects and the collection itself very rewarding, watching your collection come together, as I’m very strict about how I put the stamps in order makes it rewarding when the gaps are eventually filled; I still have gaps in my collection and like some of the stamps I have, it will most likely take me years to fill, and other gaps maybe not in my lifetime (I hope will not be the case).
Rob
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'
New to stamp collecting?
Stamp collecting is a great way to invest your time.
Stamp collecting is a lousy way to invest your cash.
Maximize the time-to-cash ratio, and you've got it made.
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
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Hi Don
Thanks Don for that information, I have always respected your feedback and agree to most of what you posted, though there are a few little things I will need to clarify.
Before I start, saying I have a “top down” perspective is a unique way (to me anyway) to explain my viewpoint in philately; I have seen myself as having a “top down” perspective, but as a grounds up person who likes to put a unique interest in the other part of the unknown part of philately; discovering previously unknown and little known rarities in our hobby.
To show and explain if possible the rarities in philately, and if anyone who wants to “upgrade” their collection; the best way to achieve that, and it can be done on a budget. Instead of buying many stamps, save the money and buy one stamp or two instead, and the value potential will grow in the future.
The investment I speak of is not one that can only be achieved by very wealthy people such as the late banker Arthur Gray, who was an actual investor and not a philatelist, although he was knowledgeable on every stamp he acquired (his entire stamp collection was valued over $20 million).
The investment I speak of is making a collection a little more interesting that will place it into the market place when and if the owner wants to in the future depart with their collection; I will never sell my collection though my collection has a market place value.
I do not expect and it would be foolish to even suggest that a collector should give up the pride they have in their collection as meaningless and start buying expensive stamps, but to know what stamp to buy in the future if they choose to do so.
There are members on this forum who know very little of the stamps they possess, only to find out by me and others that they actually have something that has a market value of a few hundred dollars, that is an investment for the future.
I like to help collectors from the “valleys where the vast majority of folks live and work”, I live in that valley as well; the only difference I was determined to go further and I did, there were a lot of obstacles such as my health failing (heart failure and diabetes 2), and financial issues like many of us have, but I was determined and my determination paid off.
I never view collectors having “common” stamps, just stamp collectors with interesting stamps, and although I have a vast collection of books and journals, there is much I have learnt on forums relating to the issuance of stamps of Queen Victoria and George V; the two monarchs I am not too experienced with.
In my 43 years of stamp collecting I sold one stamp and that was a used Penny Black less than half of what I had originally paid for.
I am not asking people to enjoy the panorama; I am, like others, just like to display our stamps, I must admit my collection is far different to what is normally shown on stamp sites, but they do help collectors identify their own stamps and if necessary I will give a reply to any question posted.
"But a person with an album full of common stamps should be just as proud of their involvement in our hobby. Their value will be gleaned from what they have learned, the friends they have made, the family time they have enjoyed, and experiences they have reaped."
You said that succinctly, and I agree fully, I have visited this site and others many times enjoying what others have posted, common or not.
I have been promoting philately since 1976 and still do to this very day.
There are unscrupulous dealers around, I can name two, but I will not sully this forum with their names; I will always contribute in helping those wanting to add to their collection without falling for false spruiking and losing their money in the process.
I am disgusted to see some dealers take customers as fools and to make a quick sale of overpriced stamps, spruiking that it has a potential to increase double in value in the near future when it will not.
For instance, one “dealer”, and I say that loosely was spruiking that the 2016 Adelaide emergency 30 cent adhesive stamps were exceedingly rare and a golden nest egg at the time of their discovery, I made mention later on in his forum that it isn’t true, that this issue is not recognised by major dealers and Stanley Gibbons refused to include it in their catalogue as they have no interest in what they view as adhesive labels, I was attacked mercilessly by the owner of the forum and some of his friends, it didn’t work and some people listened (recently a member of the ACCC spoke to me about that little debate and he was one who listened).
People were paying up to $7,000 for a set of six (one person actually put a mortgage on his house – true) because of the false spruiking, it even went as far as being mentioned in the major newspapers; this guy was making a killing.
I was proven right at the end and many people lost thousands, their future golden egg turned out to be egg on their faces. Not many dealers want them and a complete set can be bought for $600, though I will not touch those emergency issues as $600 is still too much.
And I had people contact me thanking me for warning them as they were thinking about buying the issues.
I’m not a conventional stamp collector, but I am a stamp collector, I enjoy the hobby and I always keep my collection up to date with new issues, and I enjoy the discussions I have on Stamporama, Stamp Community and Stamp Bears and finding helping others, even if it causes a controversy, one of the best achievements in philately, a hobby with a unique moniker – the hobby of Kings.
I will be posting the 1953-1966 issues of QEII very soon.
Rob
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Hi ikeyPikey
It depends on what you pay for, are you cruising eBay looking for scarce or rare stamps cheaply, yes that is a lousy way to invest one’s money. Is buying from an auction house a good thing, only if you know what you are buying and are used to wheeling a wheelbarrow around filled with money.
Stamps are a better future investment than coins, I know, I have owned at one time 3,000 sovereigns, and eventually sold the majority of them and used the money to pay the bills and help buy rare stamps (I kept the rare sovereigns), as sovereigns are made of gold, one day gold is at a high and the next at a low point, and the value of the coins can remain stagnant for years.
Not so with stamps if you know what to buy; if you try to invest as in an investment portfolio, unless you are willing to outlay 100s of thousands to millions of dollars for such an investment, and have a vast knowledge as to what stamps you are willing to invest in, I would say “go for it”.
But the investment I refer to is to invest in a better stamp, instead of paying 100s of dollars for many stamps, just buy one or two stamps; it is that choice that gives a collection a lift in the open market if one chooses to do so.
I know many collectors cannot do that but there are some who can, and I have come across collectors that I have responded to who actually have marketable stamps without realising it and chose to keep them.
And to “maximize the time-to-cash ratio, and you've got it made” is another way of putting it.
Rob
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There clearly is a financial investment component inherent to stamp collecting. That's why archival safe materials are such big business and there are dozens of threads on SoR dedicated to the safe handling and storage of stamps. If someone pays $60, $600 or $6,000 for a collectible postage stamp, they expect that they will be able to recoup that cost at the time of liquidation.
I also think its sound policy that SoR takes special care not to promote stamps as an investment vehicle.
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Hi Ernie
I fully agree, and I take the rules of all forums very seriously, but who is promoting stamps on this forum as an investment vehicle?
Informing collectors that if the opportunity is there invest in an upgrade, collectors do it all the time, they're investing in a better stamp and then sell the stamp that was upgraded; apart from one stamp being sold I have always given away my spares.
I do not recommend investing in a stamp portfolio, unless you are very wealthy and know what you are doing, I do not recommend going out of your depth, but if the opportunity arises, look into the possibility of upgrading, it is a worthwhile project.
I have paid a few thousand dollars for single stamps, they are classified as investment stamps to those that invest in such things, but that is far from the reason why I purchased such stamps, it's because I wanted them in my collection, and being a specialised philatelist, which was the path I chose to follow in 1976, I concentrated on the KGVI and QEII eras and collected everything pertaining to those monarchs, whether it be a definitive, commemorative, variety or error.
There are still many gaps to fill in those regnal series, but the excitement of collecting is the hunt to purchase stamps that are at the best of times very elusive or by chance be in the right place at the right time when an unusual stamp appears and you have the opportunity of a lifetime to purchase it.
And there can be disappointment in collecting stamps, I waited 2 years to buy a particular stamp, finally saw it on the market, to only find out it was sold 20 minutes earlier, haven't seen another one since.
Some regular issued stamps are harder to find than their scarcer counterpart, for 4 years there has been a gap in my 1966 Navigator set because a regular stamp cannot be located in the condition I prefer, yet plenty of the scarcer type is always on the market.
Rob
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Rob, in some jurisdictions/countries, it is illegal to provide investment/financial advice unless one is a licensed financial advisor. My disclaimer was just that, to protect the site and the users thereof. Your follow-up comments clarify your position, but we are all protected none-the-less.
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Rob,
You weren't and apologies if my post sounded that way because I don't think you were. I think your posts are an important part of SoR memorializing Australian philately. I enjoy your posts. Keep it up!
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Hi
To put yet another collecting approach forward:
On retirement I resurrected my collection of mainly pre decimal Australian and decided to concentrate on the KGV heads. Got the detailed reference books and managed to purchase a number of lots here in NZ that were largely unchecked. This kept me busy for a year or so but gettng good bulk lots got harder and harder and many of the e bay sellers were only selling off material they had checked with maybe a couple of flaws as teasers.
Having quite a few Tasmanian Pictorials I purchased the book by Lancaster and tried to start plating, very frustrating with only written descripions to go by.
With my background as a technical writer, researcher and adult trainer I decided to look into the possibility of preparing plating guides.
I now have a collection of thousands of different varieties, when you take into account the basics of perforation, printing, shade and watermark there are many to collect as a basic collection. Then you can add the plating flaws, double, combination and mixed perforations, thin paper, and reversed watermarks and you can understand the potential size of my collection.
Apart from a few more expensive purchases of perforation varieties, thin paper and full sheets I have paid little more than 20c - 30c for the bulk.
The result is that there are now six free 'flaw finders' available from the Tasmanian Philatelic Society and I have my work cut out trying to organise the 28 plates of the 2d Litho prints.
An Investment? I have built a large collection, most of which is uncatalogued, so no idea of real value! Certainly there are one or two gems picked up in the bulk lots, the 1d volcano flaw and retouches is probably the highest catologued. The investment in time is great, who cares! I get great enjoyment and with limited mobility I have plenty of time. I do not do it for money!!
Rob, your collection is fantastic, and I agree with others who comment on the wide range of collecting possibilities. This is "just my thing!"
Tasnaki
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Hi to all
As an aside,Gibbions in London tried the buy for investment idea with rare stamps, and it was a financial disaster for them, it did not achieve what they had hoped for.
I was like Rob, I went away from collecting to travel. Then an
extraordinary thing happened thing happened,
I was given the family stamp collections of many thousands of world stamps, and this promoted me into returning to stamp collecting.I sorted the stamps into countries, and a great majority of the stamps are from the Victorian era to KGV. I have these stamps in stock books & glassines envelopes. Whilst sorting I came across the collection of Australian & New Zealand stamps.
I began sorting out these two countries and whilst doing so found I was more interested in Early Commonwealth of Australia. This promoted me to buy some collections of Australian stamps. I did this for the sheer pleasure of collecting. It was sound advice from this forum that inspired me to now concentrate on MNH Australian stamps of KGV, KGVI & QEII.
Stamp collecting is a fantastic obsession, where I find I can indulge in building up a collection which I will give to my children.
I appreciate all the advice and suggestions given to me on this forum.
The rest of the family collection is put aside for a time when perhaps one of the children wishes to catalogue & sort them
I am having too much fun with my Australian collection
Regards
Horamakhet
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Hi Ernie
It’s great to hear from you and there is no need for apologies; I have always valued the replies of members whether it is in agreement or constructive criticism. And I enjoy the friendly atmosphere that the members of SoR had created through their involvement.
This is not the first time I had my hide tanned by Don, and have always valued his involvement; but I’m sure my wording of an investment is now understood not to mean an “investment” used in a portfolio or having to depart one’s life’s savings, I will never recommend that.
It’s a great compliment when people like what you post.
Rob
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Hi Michael
That is true, the same applies in Australia, but considering I did not promote or give advice on any investment/finacial interests, I have nothing to fear or apologise for; though it is good to know that members are looking after other members interests.
Rob
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I fully understand Rob's perspective.
Through illness, I was forced into retirement a few years ago. I had a senior management career and an excellent salary. I went from that to nothing. I've been rebuilding since, and buying some quality items that both fit my collection and have the potential to be a nice nest-egg later on.
One of the few pieces of advice that has stuck with me is to buy the best you can afford at the time that you buy. For Rob, that's MUH. For me (King George V 1910-1935 Empire), that's not feasible due to scarcity and cost, so I get the best MLH or VFU I can find. The Falklands below is MUH and is definitely investment material.
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Hi Dave
I know the feeling, I was forced into retirement through my illness, I had to re-arrange all my finances so it will not affect me buying the stamps I want, and at the same time not to put us into the poor house.
With the help of my partner everything worked out. I have always been fascinated with the Falklands, and every so often I’ll shift away from Australian stamps and buy a NZ set (such as the 1931 smiling boys); New Guinea or Great Britain.
The pre-decimal Falklands have always been of great interest to me and to see that well centred MUH 1933 £1 image of KGV is a stunner.
It is also a very rare stamp and the rarest in the set. Below is the complete set taken from Stampworld.
Rob
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It's a lovely set, which I'm privileged to own.
It's a fine line between collecting and penury 
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Funny, I had the complete opposite reaction to facing a grim medical prognosis; I stopped my buying activities as not to burden my wife with more disposition than the room full of stuff that I already had. Additionally, with the medical bills for the last 5 years now north of $3 million, I did not feel good about impacting my family finances. So for me my the medical situation had the opposite effect; I began thinking about less financial investment.
That said, I did ramp up my non-financial involvement in philately. I found ways to remain involved in our hobby and discovered the rewards to be significant. Not only did I feel better about myself for giving back to the hobby, but I also formed new friendships. It also gave me purpose and a reason to live. So I guess my perspective has moved away from financial investment and more towards the intrinsic reward this hobby brings to the table.
Lastly, I admit to trepidation towards the financial investment aspects of our hobby due to dealing with the endless stream of inquiries from non-hobbyists over in the SCF forum. I invest large blocks of time trying to get folks to see our hobby as more then ‘I inherited some stamps and want to quit my job and retire’. Often these folks have a financial prejudice which prevents them from understanding that our hobby has much more to offer.
We can never be assured that our financial investment will be returned. But we can be assured that this hobby will return riches in the form of enjoyment, knowledge, and friendships.
Don
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Hi Don
That is quite a lot of money Don, but then your illness cannot be taken lightly by any-one. Most of the medical costs for an illness such as yours in Australia are mostly covered by the Federal Government.
For once I don’t know what to say, you created one of the best data bases I have ever seen (stampsmarter), to which I have and still am uploading my collection. And your contribution to this forum is greatly respected (by me anyway).
I have come across people emailing me from all over Australia asking whether they have the “golden snitch” (I got that from Harry Potter), and trying to explain to them it isn’t the rare type, only to be accused of undervaluing the stamps so I can take it from them cheaply, even though I have constantly explained to them that I do not buy stamps from the public.
I have seen a 40+ year old woman enter our local stamp dealer, wanting to sell her “inherited” album from her grandfather which he had been collecting since his childhood, it looked like an album that would have been given to a child to start a beginners collection and the stamps inside had no commercial value and none were over 40 years old, every-one in the shop were in shock when she started swearing at the dealer accusing him of trying to steal her “valuable stamps” and that she was told by “experts” that the album was worth thousands.
A stamp dealer visiting the shop intervened trying to explain that the stamps were in fact worthless and if she would allow him, he would look at the album himself, she told him to @##@@ off, she then glanced at my partner with eyes that could haunt the dead, Victoria awkwardly tried to smile back at her and then the woman stormed out of the store.
Rob
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Hi Dave
You actually own that set, that is a very valuable set of stamps.
"It's a fine line between collecting and penury "
I seem to have that feeling very often.
Rob
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Hi Rob and Dave
I collect because I love building a collection that my children will one day inherit but that in the meantime gives me immense pleasure just enjoying the sheer beauty of some of the earlier stamps from Australia and the states before federation.
I enjoy the chase, and sometimes I find something that I like for my collection.
Somewhere in tin, in glassines, I have a few MNH early Falkland Islands, one day I will look for them and post them on the appropriate site. Mind you, nothing as impressive as what Dave has, that is a set to Kill for. (when I do, I will let you know Dave.)
Between building my Australian collection, I am trying to get time to put all the other stamps that are in glassines into stock books, to give me more space, as my library is getting to look like a badly organised opp shop.
Dave is your ebay shop the same name as the one under you stamporama name, would not mind having a look
Regards
Horamakhet
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I noticed that Dave's website on his post may not work, but if you copy the link and add it to the URL it will work.
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This is my Ebay address https://www.ebay.com.au/str/globalphilately
Rob, thanks for the heads-up about my site link. I'll get that fixed
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Thanks Dave
I will check it out
Horamakhet
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Member ACCC (Australian Commonwealth Collectors Club of NSW)
04 May 2019
07:45:49pm
Like all types of collectables, philately has been subject to market fluctuations, notably in the late seventies, when a heavily inflated market bubble bursts thus leaving many investors burnt. But some believe this may have been caused by unscrupulous dealers flooding the market with heavily promoted, second-rate material. Since then many dealers have worked together to police the industry and make stamps a safer investment.
Stamps have been around for a very long time, 179 years to be exact, and since the first issue of the British Penny Black, literally billions of stamps have been printed from nearly every country in the world since.
Post offices now issue stamps especially for collectors, these stamps of course will never increase much in value as too many have been issued, and in many cases, such as Australia, many modern issues have been reprinted many times.
There are many reasons why people collect stamps, for the thematic designs, selected countries, postmarks, FDCs, future investment either for you or your children, varieties etc., whatever the reason, stamp collecting is a great hobby, the hobby of Kings.
If a collector decides on creating an investment collection that will increase in value in the future, then the collector will need to decide how much they are willing to invest financially towards that future return, or not wanting to sell but to have a collection that will become more valuable over time.
Very scarce, rare, very rare and extremely rare stamps are necessary for such an investment and such stamps will be very expensive; if you pay $1,000 for 1,000 unused $1 stamps, 10 years down the track it will still be worth $1,000; if you pay $1,000 for one stamp, the increase of value in 10 years is a certainty.
Many people who have inherited a stamp collection believe that the old stamps within the album or albums are worth a small fortune, if your ancestors did not pay a lot of money for the stamps and have collected them off envelopes, it is likely the stamps are common issues and many are, and cancelled, very heavily.
But that doesn’t mean that every old album will have common stamps, who knows, it is worth having the albums professionally looked at by a dealer. If the album smells of dampness and mildew, it is a guarantee that every stamp is ruined, and many stamps will show various forms of rust.
I was shown by a dealer a rare superbly centred mint unhinged McCracken £1 specimen coronation stamp that smelled of mildew, had patches of rust on the front and the gum was covered in rust, the stamp was taken out of a mildew affected album only moments before; it was totally ruined, otherwise it would have been worth over $2,000 (less than 200 were printed); every stamp in the album was ruined, the album was kept in a garage on top of a cupboard for many years, in all, the album if properly cared for had a market value of $7,000.
The McCracken £1 specimen I do not have. The tinted 5/- coronation stamp was printed on thin paper.
The stamps below is a regnal collection of KGVI, it will be impossible to show all the QEII stamps as there are far too many stamps for the displaying of the QEII regnal series, to date there are over 5,000 in my collection from 1953-2019; what will be shown though will be the stamps that have investment value.
Of course one can be lucky enough to buy an extremely rare stamp for only a few dollars, this can happen and it has happened to one collector – twice (one was exceedingly rare, and he paid about $20 for both of them), it’s an extremely isolated case, but it can happen.
There are many varieties in the reign of KGVI and QEII, but it is seldom that varieties during the reign of these two monarchs are considered rare or extremely rare. I was asked recently would all the stamps of QEII increase once the Queen dies; no they will not, the death of a monarch does not increase the value of any stamp; low printing, paper type, die type, errors, varieties, condition and demand are the prime factors of a stamp increasing in value.
The stamps shown are in the 2015 ACSC order (the collection is still a project in progress).
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09:23:57pm
re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
Thankyou Rob as this for me has been a very big help, also very interesting
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09:47:54pm
re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
Beautiful collection....thanks for sharing.
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Member ACCC (Australian Commonwealth Collectors Club of NSW)
04 May 2019
09:55:10pm
re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
Hi Pooh
I'm glad this post has been of help to you, very soon I'll be posting a selection of very scarce to extremely rare stamps of QEII pre-decimal and decimal stamps. As mentioned it would take many posts to upload all the stamps; actually what I will post is the entirety of my QEII pre-decimals.
Rob
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Member ACCC (Australian Commonwealth Collectors Club of NSW)
04 May 2019
10:17:00pm
re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
Hi Paul
It is a beautiful collection when all the stamps fall into order; there is still stamps to acquire though I am certain that it will most likely take many more years to complete because of the difficulty of obtaining other rarities, as two stamps I had seen, the McCracken £1 specimen coronation stamp which was in superb condition and the £2 specimen Coat-of-Arms with roller flaw (a very rare stamp) were both hinged, so I couldn't buy them.
The very early cracked plate is the only one known and to have a combination of three is unique and very valuable.
I will be posting all my pre-decimal QEII stamps very soon, the QEII stamps are very difficult to ascertain as a potential increase in market value as the majority do not have investment potential, even if they are in perfect condition, the collection relies on certain varieties and errors to give the collection a boost into the future as having an investment potential.
Rob
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re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
Hi Rob,
Anything that you comment on & building collections is very important
I keep all you comments in a special file
The number of times that I have listened to your advice has enabled me to pursue a entirely exciting world of MNH Australian stamps
Horamakhet
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Member ACCC (Australian Commonwealth Collectors Club of NSW)
05 May 2019
12:22:47am
re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
Hi Horamakhet
Helping fellow collectors with their collections is very important to me, and I feel humbled that you keep a special file on my contributions to this website, and I am also impressed with the MNH stamps you have displayed on Stamporama since your move into collecting the finest condition in pre-decimal issues.
Rob
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re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
My wife says
Not another stamp, then promptly tells me to increase a bid so I don't get outbid
I love the way you organise your collections
Are there any plans a foot by ACSC to redo the QEII specialist catalogue in colour
Horamakhet
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Member ACCC (Australian Commonwealth Collectors Club of NSW)
05 May 2019
01:40:01am
re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
Hi Horamakhet
In a way Victoria is similar to your wife, she gives an appearance that she has no interest in stamps, yet Victoria always lets me know when new stamps are issued and has since joined the ACCC as she finds the members very interesting to speak to, and also finds speaking to Michael Drury and Geoff Kellow a highlight of the meetings.
The way the stamps are organised in the display is exactly how the stamps are organised in my album, and to know which stamp is which, I have a very detailed excel formulated catalogue to every stamp I have, and each page is titled under the monarch of that era; and each stamp is in the 2015 ACSC order which corresponds to the way the stamps in the album is set out.
I doubt if the QEII and even the KGVI for that matter will have a footnote or even some sort of addendum in the ACCC bulletin any time soon, but I will bring the subject up in the next meeting of the ACCC on May 20.
Rob
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re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
A reminder that stamp collecting is a hobby, and as such is intended to be for one's personal enjoyment. Investing is not a hobby, and is something that should be taken seriously and with the advice of a financial advisor. Investing in stamps, and other commodities, is a risky affair, and one person's results is not indicative that such would be another's experience.
Any comments regarding "investment potentials" should be taken as informational only, and not as definitive fact. Stamporama does not endorse or encourage people to invest in stamps. As such, sales area rules prohibit describing any stamp as having investment potential.
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Member ACCC (Australian Commonwealth Collectors Club of NSW)
05 May 2019
03:14:25am
re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
Hi Michael
I’ll have to disagree with that; I mentioned that it is a hobby, and that some collectors would like to see some sort of investment arise from their hobby. I am not an investor though I would like to see my collection increase in value in the future and have investment potential, even though I’ll never sell.
I have mentioned in my post that there are many reasons why people collect stamps, for the thematic designs, selected countries, postmarks, FDCs, future investment either for you or your children, varieties etc., whatever the reason, stamp collecting is a great hobby, the hobby of Kings; so I believe I had covered all the bases in collecting stamps and that it is a hobby.
"Any comments regarding " Any comments regarding "investment potentials" should be taken as informational only, and not as definitive fact. Stamporama does not endorse or encourage people to invest in stamps. As such, sales area rules prohibit describing any stamp as having investment potential."
You are looking too far ahead as to the purpose of my post, I did not break any rules and it is not wrong to show what is an investment potential. The word “investment” has more than one meaning although both meanings have the potential of creating a better collection; as for sale area rules, I never sell my stamps and any spares I have I give away.
I am not saying invest in this or invest in that, I am merely explaining what to look for in a good stamp, and what I look for in a good collection. Members can look at my post and admire the collection or they can search for better stamps.
Much of what I had written is not much different to what is written in other sites, though I am more detailed in my story; and my entire comment is vital information to those who want to know how to create a better collection, and my information from the post you are referring to, and any other information I had posted and will intend to post will always be a definitive fact.
People buy from you, you have an on-line stamp shop and have sold thousands of stamps, aren’t you making some sort of profit from the stamps you purchased and now selling, isn’t that an investment, what is the difference in what you are doing and a collector wanting to sell the right stamp(s) later for a profit, providing they want to sell what they had purchased.
And what am I endorsing or encouraging? If collectors want to go a separate way in stamp collecting let them, it's a choice they made and the result will be rewarding at the end; isn't that part of philatelic fellowship - to help.
Not all collectors will be able to buy certain stamps but I can assure you that there are collectors who do.
Rob
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re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
Hi Michael
I always take the comment from Rob as investing time and effort to build a fantastic collection, and the pleasure that one gets from the time and effort put into building such a superb collection
Only very rich persons have the money to use stamps as an investment.
Its and investment in time, and enjoyment
Regards
Horamakhet
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re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
In my opinion stamps as a financial investment vehicle is an awful choice for the vast majority of people. Frankly, the majority of people would be better off investing in vintage Dennison hinges than in stamps (4000% increase in market value since the 1970s).
Stamps are a good investment in only one situation; the situation that Rob is in. Rob has invested thousands of man hours into learning philately over decades of time. Rob had also invested a significant amount of money into buying reference materials. I agree that if someone is willing to do this then yes, they can treat stamp collecting as a potential investment. But my opinion is that no one should ever get into this hobby as an investment. This is a sure way to lose significant amounts of money and a even surer way to become disillusioned with a great hobby. Yes even a blind squirrel can find a nut, but realistically the only way to find a nut is to study for decades and arm yourself with a large resource library.
Stamps are as common as rocks. Should we promote rock collecting because they might be able to find a diamond?
Let me be clear here, this is not about the dream of finding a diamond. Of course many collectors enjoy the hunt for a diamond; nothing wrong with that. But for me, consideration of how we promote our hobby is important.
Promoting our hobby to new collectors should center around things that most people can achieve. Things like learning about culture and history. Things like good comradery. Things like quality family time. These are the things that will bring a good return on investment for the majority of people.
Another important criteria for promoting our hobby is understanding that not everyone has the means to make it an investment level activity. Our hobby is great because it does not require a person to be wealthy, it is attainable by people who do not have large amounts of money. The levels of investment that Rob has made in our hobby are typically not attainable for the majority of new collectors.
In the context of promoting our hobby I feel it best to take a “bottom up” perspective and avoid the “top down” perspective. Rob has reached the pinnacle of philately and is looking down. I am sure the view from up there is great and it is natural to suggest that others enjoy the panorama. But I promote the hobby from the valleys where the vast majority of folks live and work. I feel that the greatest chance of successful promotion is to advocate the attributes which are attainable by anyone. The stamps that Rob is illustrating in this thread are beautiful and are no doubt a fine investment. But a person with an album full of common stamps should be just as proud of their involvement in our hobby. Their value will be gleaned from what they have learned, the friends they have made, the family time they have enjoyed, and experiences they have reaped.
Don
Edit: I fully agree with Rob that posting about investment potential is fine; after a person has invested a decade or two into the hobby this aspect of our hobby becomes realistic for those who can afford it. It just should be understood in context.
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Thanks for sharing, Rob. A beautiful presentation.
I really don't care why or how individual stamp collectors collect. There are probably as many reasons for collecting as there are collectors. In fact, some of us involved in philately no longer collect at all. There are many ways to collect and many ways to participate without collecting. For me, the educational aspects of philately became more important that collecting, and the opportunities to share images and information became more rewarding than collecting itself. We're a very diverse group and that's a very good thing!
Tom
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Member ACCC (Australian Commonwealth Collectors Club of NSW)
05 May 2019
05:06:29pm
re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
Hi Tom
I agree that there are many reasons for stamp collecting, and I know of a few people who are members of the ACCC (Australian Commonwealth Collectors Club) who are not collectors but are renowned experts in the field of Philately, and one other who is a world expert and expertiser.
I started collecting when I was 12 a long time ago, stopped collecting when I was 15 and then recommenced just before my 20th in 1976, and that’s when I got serious in the hobby; I researched and bought many books and journals over the years and became an expert in Australian stamps relating to KGVI and QEII.
I also collect certain foreign stamps; my favourite NZ stamps are the smiling boys in superb unhinged condition, no faults, all perforations intact and not the puffy perforations one would see on the stamps fraught with problems during the time of the printing.
I see the knowledge in what one collects and the collection itself very rewarding, watching your collection come together, as I’m very strict about how I put the stamps in order makes it rewarding when the gaps are eventually filled; I still have gaps in my collection and like some of the stamps I have, it will most likely take me years to fill, and other gaps maybe not in my lifetime (I hope will not be the case).
Rob
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re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
'
New to stamp collecting?
Stamp collecting is a great way to invest your time.
Stamp collecting is a lousy way to invest your cash.
Maximize the time-to-cash ratio, and you've got it made.
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
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Member ACCC (Australian Commonwealth Collectors Club of NSW)
05 May 2019
06:15:14pm
re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
Hi Don
Thanks Don for that information, I have always respected your feedback and agree to most of what you posted, though there are a few little things I will need to clarify.
Before I start, saying I have a “top down” perspective is a unique way (to me anyway) to explain my viewpoint in philately; I have seen myself as having a “top down” perspective, but as a grounds up person who likes to put a unique interest in the other part of the unknown part of philately; discovering previously unknown and little known rarities in our hobby.
To show and explain if possible the rarities in philately, and if anyone who wants to “upgrade” their collection; the best way to achieve that, and it can be done on a budget. Instead of buying many stamps, save the money and buy one stamp or two instead, and the value potential will grow in the future.
The investment I speak of is not one that can only be achieved by very wealthy people such as the late banker Arthur Gray, who was an actual investor and not a philatelist, although he was knowledgeable on every stamp he acquired (his entire stamp collection was valued over $20 million).
The investment I speak of is making a collection a little more interesting that will place it into the market place when and if the owner wants to in the future depart with their collection; I will never sell my collection though my collection has a market place value.
I do not expect and it would be foolish to even suggest that a collector should give up the pride they have in their collection as meaningless and start buying expensive stamps, but to know what stamp to buy in the future if they choose to do so.
There are members on this forum who know very little of the stamps they possess, only to find out by me and others that they actually have something that has a market value of a few hundred dollars, that is an investment for the future.
I like to help collectors from the “valleys where the vast majority of folks live and work”, I live in that valley as well; the only difference I was determined to go further and I did, there were a lot of obstacles such as my health failing (heart failure and diabetes 2), and financial issues like many of us have, but I was determined and my determination paid off.
I never view collectors having “common” stamps, just stamp collectors with interesting stamps, and although I have a vast collection of books and journals, there is much I have learnt on forums relating to the issuance of stamps of Queen Victoria and George V; the two monarchs I am not too experienced with.
In my 43 years of stamp collecting I sold one stamp and that was a used Penny Black less than half of what I had originally paid for.
I am not asking people to enjoy the panorama; I am, like others, just like to display our stamps, I must admit my collection is far different to what is normally shown on stamp sites, but they do help collectors identify their own stamps and if necessary I will give a reply to any question posted.
"But a person with an album full of common stamps should be just as proud of their involvement in our hobby. Their value will be gleaned from what they have learned, the friends they have made, the family time they have enjoyed, and experiences they have reaped."
You said that succinctly, and I agree fully, I have visited this site and others many times enjoying what others have posted, common or not.
I have been promoting philately since 1976 and still do to this very day.
There are unscrupulous dealers around, I can name two, but I will not sully this forum with their names; I will always contribute in helping those wanting to add to their collection without falling for false spruiking and losing their money in the process.
I am disgusted to see some dealers take customers as fools and to make a quick sale of overpriced stamps, spruiking that it has a potential to increase double in value in the near future when it will not.
For instance, one “dealer”, and I say that loosely was spruiking that the 2016 Adelaide emergency 30 cent adhesive stamps were exceedingly rare and a golden nest egg at the time of their discovery, I made mention later on in his forum that it isn’t true, that this issue is not recognised by major dealers and Stanley Gibbons refused to include it in their catalogue as they have no interest in what they view as adhesive labels, I was attacked mercilessly by the owner of the forum and some of his friends, it didn’t work and some people listened (recently a member of the ACCC spoke to me about that little debate and he was one who listened).
People were paying up to $7,000 for a set of six (one person actually put a mortgage on his house – true) because of the false spruiking, it even went as far as being mentioned in the major newspapers; this guy was making a killing.
I was proven right at the end and many people lost thousands, their future golden egg turned out to be egg on their faces. Not many dealers want them and a complete set can be bought for $600, though I will not touch those emergency issues as $600 is still too much.
And I had people contact me thanking me for warning them as they were thinking about buying the issues.
I’m not a conventional stamp collector, but I am a stamp collector, I enjoy the hobby and I always keep my collection up to date with new issues, and I enjoy the discussions I have on Stamporama, Stamp Community and Stamp Bears and finding helping others, even if it causes a controversy, one of the best achievements in philately, a hobby with a unique moniker – the hobby of Kings.
I will be posting the 1953-1966 issues of QEII very soon.
Rob
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Member ACCC (Australian Commonwealth Collectors Club of NSW)
05 May 2019
06:37:40pm
re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
Hi ikeyPikey
It depends on what you pay for, are you cruising eBay looking for scarce or rare stamps cheaply, yes that is a lousy way to invest one’s money. Is buying from an auction house a good thing, only if you know what you are buying and are used to wheeling a wheelbarrow around filled with money.
Stamps are a better future investment than coins, I know, I have owned at one time 3,000 sovereigns, and eventually sold the majority of them and used the money to pay the bills and help buy rare stamps (I kept the rare sovereigns), as sovereigns are made of gold, one day gold is at a high and the next at a low point, and the value of the coins can remain stagnant for years.
Not so with stamps if you know what to buy; if you try to invest as in an investment portfolio, unless you are willing to outlay 100s of thousands to millions of dollars for such an investment, and have a vast knowledge as to what stamps you are willing to invest in, I would say “go for it”.
But the investment I refer to is to invest in a better stamp, instead of paying 100s of dollars for many stamps, just buy one or two stamps; it is that choice that gives a collection a lift in the open market if one chooses to do so.
I know many collectors cannot do that but there are some who can, and I have come across collectors that I have responded to who actually have marketable stamps without realising it and chose to keep them.
And to “maximize the time-to-cash ratio, and you've got it made” is another way of putting it.
Rob
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re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
There clearly is a financial investment component inherent to stamp collecting. That's why archival safe materials are such big business and there are dozens of threads on SoR dedicated to the safe handling and storage of stamps. If someone pays $60, $600 or $6,000 for a collectible postage stamp, they expect that they will be able to recoup that cost at the time of liquidation.
I also think its sound policy that SoR takes special care not to promote stamps as an investment vehicle.
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05 May 2019
07:56:48pm
re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
Hi Ernie
I fully agree, and I take the rules of all forums very seriously, but who is promoting stamps on this forum as an investment vehicle?
Informing collectors that if the opportunity is there invest in an upgrade, collectors do it all the time, they're investing in a better stamp and then sell the stamp that was upgraded; apart from one stamp being sold I have always given away my spares.
I do not recommend investing in a stamp portfolio, unless you are very wealthy and know what you are doing, I do not recommend going out of your depth, but if the opportunity arises, look into the possibility of upgrading, it is a worthwhile project.
I have paid a few thousand dollars for single stamps, they are classified as investment stamps to those that invest in such things, but that is far from the reason why I purchased such stamps, it's because I wanted them in my collection, and being a specialised philatelist, which was the path I chose to follow in 1976, I concentrated on the KGVI and QEII eras and collected everything pertaining to those monarchs, whether it be a definitive, commemorative, variety or error.
There are still many gaps to fill in those regnal series, but the excitement of collecting is the hunt to purchase stamps that are at the best of times very elusive or by chance be in the right place at the right time when an unusual stamp appears and you have the opportunity of a lifetime to purchase it.
And there can be disappointment in collecting stamps, I waited 2 years to buy a particular stamp, finally saw it on the market, to only find out it was sold 20 minutes earlier, haven't seen another one since.
Some regular issued stamps are harder to find than their scarcer counterpart, for 4 years there has been a gap in my 1966 Navigator set because a regular stamp cannot be located in the condition I prefer, yet plenty of the scarcer type is always on the market.
Rob
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re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
Rob, in some jurisdictions/countries, it is illegal to provide investment/financial advice unless one is a licensed financial advisor. My disclaimer was just that, to protect the site and the users thereof. Your follow-up comments clarify your position, but we are all protected none-the-less.
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Rob,
You weren't and apologies if my post sounded that way because I don't think you were. I think your posts are an important part of SoR memorializing Australian philately. I enjoy your posts. Keep it up!
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re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
Hi
To put yet another collecting approach forward:
On retirement I resurrected my collection of mainly pre decimal Australian and decided to concentrate on the KGV heads. Got the detailed reference books and managed to purchase a number of lots here in NZ that were largely unchecked. This kept me busy for a year or so but gettng good bulk lots got harder and harder and many of the e bay sellers were only selling off material they had checked with maybe a couple of flaws as teasers.
Having quite a few Tasmanian Pictorials I purchased the book by Lancaster and tried to start plating, very frustrating with only written descripions to go by.
With my background as a technical writer, researcher and adult trainer I decided to look into the possibility of preparing plating guides.
I now have a collection of thousands of different varieties, when you take into account the basics of perforation, printing, shade and watermark there are many to collect as a basic collection. Then you can add the plating flaws, double, combination and mixed perforations, thin paper, and reversed watermarks and you can understand the potential size of my collection.
Apart from a few more expensive purchases of perforation varieties, thin paper and full sheets I have paid little more than 20c - 30c for the bulk.
The result is that there are now six free 'flaw finders' available from the Tasmanian Philatelic Society and I have my work cut out trying to organise the 28 plates of the 2d Litho prints.
An Investment? I have built a large collection, most of which is uncatalogued, so no idea of real value! Certainly there are one or two gems picked up in the bulk lots, the 1d volcano flaw and retouches is probably the highest catologued. The investment in time is great, who cares! I get great enjoyment and with limited mobility I have plenty of time. I do not do it for money!!
Rob, your collection is fantastic, and I agree with others who comment on the wide range of collecting possibilities. This is "just my thing!"
Tasnaki
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Hi to all
As an aside,Gibbions in London tried the buy for investment idea with rare stamps, and it was a financial disaster for them, it did not achieve what they had hoped for.
I was like Rob, I went away from collecting to travel. Then an
extraordinary thing happened thing happened,
I was given the family stamp collections of many thousands of world stamps, and this promoted me into returning to stamp collecting.I sorted the stamps into countries, and a great majority of the stamps are from the Victorian era to KGV. I have these stamps in stock books & glassines envelopes. Whilst sorting I came across the collection of Australian & New Zealand stamps.
I began sorting out these two countries and whilst doing so found I was more interested in Early Commonwealth of Australia. This promoted me to buy some collections of Australian stamps. I did this for the sheer pleasure of collecting. It was sound advice from this forum that inspired me to now concentrate on MNH Australian stamps of KGV, KGVI & QEII.
Stamp collecting is a fantastic obsession, where I find I can indulge in building up a collection which I will give to my children.
I appreciate all the advice and suggestions given to me on this forum.
The rest of the family collection is put aside for a time when perhaps one of the children wishes to catalogue & sort them
I am having too much fun with my Australian collection
Regards
Horamakhet
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05 May 2019
10:12:03pm
re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
Hi Ernie
It’s great to hear from you and there is no need for apologies; I have always valued the replies of members whether it is in agreement or constructive criticism. And I enjoy the friendly atmosphere that the members of SoR had created through their involvement.
This is not the first time I had my hide tanned by Don, and have always valued his involvement; but I’m sure my wording of an investment is now understood not to mean an “investment” used in a portfolio or having to depart one’s life’s savings, I will never recommend that.
It’s a great compliment when people like what you post.
Rob
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05 May 2019
10:26:17pm
re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
Hi Michael
That is true, the same applies in Australia, but considering I did not promote or give advice on any investment/finacial interests, I have nothing to fear or apologise for; though it is good to know that members are looking after other members interests.
Rob
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re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
I fully understand Rob's perspective.
Through illness, I was forced into retirement a few years ago. I had a senior management career and an excellent salary. I went from that to nothing. I've been rebuilding since, and buying some quality items that both fit my collection and have the potential to be a nice nest-egg later on.
One of the few pieces of advice that has stuck with me is to buy the best you can afford at the time that you buy. For Rob, that's MUH. For me (King George V 1910-1935 Empire), that's not feasible due to scarcity and cost, so I get the best MLH or VFU I can find. The Falklands below is MUH and is definitely investment material.
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Member ACCC (Australian Commonwealth Collectors Club of NSW)
06 May 2019
07:39:29am
re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
Hi Dave
I know the feeling, I was forced into retirement through my illness, I had to re-arrange all my finances so it will not affect me buying the stamps I want, and at the same time not to put us into the poor house.
With the help of my partner everything worked out. I have always been fascinated with the Falklands, and every so often I’ll shift away from Australian stamps and buy a NZ set (such as the 1931 smiling boys); New Guinea or Great Britain.
The pre-decimal Falklands have always been of great interest to me and to see that well centred MUH 1933 £1 image of KGV is a stunner.
It is also a very rare stamp and the rarest in the set. Below is the complete set taken from Stampworld.
Rob
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re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
It's a lovely set, which I'm privileged to own.
It's a fine line between collecting and penury
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re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
Funny, I had the complete opposite reaction to facing a grim medical prognosis; I stopped my buying activities as not to burden my wife with more disposition than the room full of stuff that I already had. Additionally, with the medical bills for the last 5 years now north of $3 million, I did not feel good about impacting my family finances. So for me my the medical situation had the opposite effect; I began thinking about less financial investment.
That said, I did ramp up my non-financial involvement in philately. I found ways to remain involved in our hobby and discovered the rewards to be significant. Not only did I feel better about myself for giving back to the hobby, but I also formed new friendships. It also gave me purpose and a reason to live. So I guess my perspective has moved away from financial investment and more towards the intrinsic reward this hobby brings to the table.
Lastly, I admit to trepidation towards the financial investment aspects of our hobby due to dealing with the endless stream of inquiries from non-hobbyists over in the SCF forum. I invest large blocks of time trying to get folks to see our hobby as more then ‘I inherited some stamps and want to quit my job and retire’. Often these folks have a financial prejudice which prevents them from understanding that our hobby has much more to offer.
We can never be assured that our financial investment will be returned. But we can be assured that this hobby will return riches in the form of enjoyment, knowledge, and friendships.
Don
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Member ACCC (Australian Commonwealth Collectors Club of NSW)
06 May 2019
09:38:24am
re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
Hi Don
That is quite a lot of money Don, but then your illness cannot be taken lightly by any-one. Most of the medical costs for an illness such as yours in Australia are mostly covered by the Federal Government.
For once I don’t know what to say, you created one of the best data bases I have ever seen (stampsmarter), to which I have and still am uploading my collection. And your contribution to this forum is greatly respected (by me anyway).
I have come across people emailing me from all over Australia asking whether they have the “golden snitch” (I got that from Harry Potter), and trying to explain to them it isn’t the rare type, only to be accused of undervaluing the stamps so I can take it from them cheaply, even though I have constantly explained to them that I do not buy stamps from the public.
I have seen a 40+ year old woman enter our local stamp dealer, wanting to sell her “inherited” album from her grandfather which he had been collecting since his childhood, it looked like an album that would have been given to a child to start a beginners collection and the stamps inside had no commercial value and none were over 40 years old, every-one in the shop were in shock when she started swearing at the dealer accusing him of trying to steal her “valuable stamps” and that she was told by “experts” that the album was worth thousands.
A stamp dealer visiting the shop intervened trying to explain that the stamps were in fact worthless and if she would allow him, he would look at the album himself, she told him to @##@@ off, she then glanced at my partner with eyes that could haunt the dead, Victoria awkwardly tried to smile back at her and then the woman stormed out of the store.
Rob
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Member ACCC (Australian Commonwealth Collectors Club of NSW)
06 May 2019
09:46:51am
re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
Hi Dave
You actually own that set, that is a very valuable set of stamps.
"It's a fine line between collecting and penury "
I seem to have that feeling very often.
Rob
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re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
Hi Rob and Dave
I collect because I love building a collection that my children will one day inherit but that in the meantime gives me immense pleasure just enjoying the sheer beauty of some of the earlier stamps from Australia and the states before federation.
I enjoy the chase, and sometimes I find something that I like for my collection.
Somewhere in tin, in glassines, I have a few MNH early Falkland Islands, one day I will look for them and post them on the appropriate site. Mind you, nothing as impressive as what Dave has, that is a set to Kill for. (when I do, I will let you know Dave.)
Between building my Australian collection, I am trying to get time to put all the other stamps that are in glassines into stock books, to give me more space, as my library is getting to look like a badly organised opp shop.
Dave is your ebay shop the same name as the one under you stamporama name, would not mind having a look
Regards
Horamakhet
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Member ACCC (Australian Commonwealth Collectors Club of NSW)
06 May 2019
08:02:17pm
re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
I noticed that Dave's website on his post may not work, but if you copy the link and add it to the URL it will work.
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re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
This is my Ebay address https://www.ebay.com.au/str/globalphilately
Rob, thanks for the heads-up about my site link. I'll get that fixed
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re: Collection Appreciation Potential For The Future
Thanks Dave
I will check it out
Horamakhet
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