In 1943, Venezuela surcharged four stamps from earlier issues, creating a set which was sold primarily to stamp collectors (Scott #384-87). 6,000 sets were issued, and Scott '12 prices the unused set at $137.50 .It is highly probable that most, if not all, of the sets still exist. Nevertheless, its low issuance quantity makes it a good bet on the growth of interest in stamps of Venezuela as well as those of Latin America in general.
With a population of about 26 million, Venezuela is resource-rich, and consistently ranks among the top ten oil producers in the world. Annual GDP growth has averaged almost 10% over the last 5 years, although it has been decelerating recently due to lower oil prices. Under Chavez-style quasi-socialism, the percentage of Venezuelans living below the poverty line has decreased from 48% in 2002 to 30% in 2006. The country has begun diversifying its economy away from its current near-total dependence on petroleum exports, and has spawned a rapidly growing manufacturing sector.
I have begun a new blog, "The Stamp Specialist", featuring my buy lists for stamps which I wish to purchase, including the set recommended in this article.Periodically viewing dealers' buy lists
is an excellent way to remained informed about the state of the stamp market.
I encourage those interested in learning more about investing in stamps to view my book, A Guide to Philatelic Investing ($5 on Kindle).
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