Before Australia issued its first stamps as a self-governing dominion in 1913, it was divided into six British colonies, each of which issued their own stamps. In 1900, Queensland issued a set of two semi-postals (Scott #B1-2) to aid disabled Queensland volunteers and dependants of those volunteers who lost their lives fighting in the Boer War. Only 6,500 of #B1 and 4,020 of #B2 were issued, and Scott '10 prices them unused at $ 200.-and $ 525.-, respectively.I favor all better stamps of Australia and Australian States, and believe that those issues which are the most undervalued, based upon their scarcity, will tend to increase the most over time.
Australia is a prosperous nation of 22 million people and a diverse economy, with thriving service, agricultural, and mining sectors. Annual GDP growth has average 3.6% over the past 15 years. Recently, there has been considerable growth in mining and petroleum extraction, in part due to increased exports to the resource-hungry Chinese market. It is likely that Australia's stamp collecting population will grow significantly as the nation ages. The percentage of Australians over 60 is projected to rise from 16% in 2000 to 24.8% in 2025, and 28.2% in 2050.
When purchasing these stamps, note that the centering of this issue is often mediocre. Try to select examples which are centered Fine or better.
The problem wth this issue is the 5 shilling B.C.O.F. overprint. It is being forged willy nilly by a forger based in Sydney and sold on eBay. He has almost single handedly ruined the market forr these. (His new eBay name suggests he is in Qld)
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ReplyDeleteI assume that this comment is intended for the SS article on the Australia B.C.O.F. issue. Your caution about the overprints is correct, which is why I suggest purchasing it, or elements of it, in a form that's worth getting expertized.
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