Stamp Investment Tip: Italy- Aegean Islands 1933 Graf Zeppelin (Scott #C20-25)

The Aegean Islands, a group of islands in the Aegean Sea, were occupied by Italy during the Tripoli War and ceded to Italy by Turkey in 1924 per the terms of the Treaty of Lausanne. They were ceded to Greece after World War II.

In 1933, Italy issued a set of six airmail stamps for the Aegean Islands, intended for use on the Italian Flight of that year (Scott #C20-25). 10,000 sets were issued, and Scott '12 prices the unused set at $360.00.

I recommend purchase of the set- NH, LH, or on covers carried on the flight. It has multiple market appeal among collectors of Italy/Area, Zeppelin stamps, and possibly also Greece.

Zeppelin stamp and cover collecting is extremely popular worldwide. Many countries issued stamps for use on the various Zeppelin flights, and those interested in learning more about the Zeppelin issues and their usages should consider purchasing a Michel Zeppelin Specialized Catalog or a Sieger Zeppelin Post Catalog.

A nation of about 61 million people, Italy is the fifth most populous country in Europe, with the eighth-largest economy in the world and the fourth-largest in Europe in terms of nominal GDP. Italy was rapidly transformed from an agriculture based economy into one of the world's most industrialized nations and a leading country in world trade and exports. It is a developed country, with the world's 8th highest quality of life and the 23rd Human Development Index. In spite of the recent global economic crisis, Italian per capita GDP at purchasing power parity remains approximately equal to the EU average,] while the unemployment rate (8.5%) stands as one of the EU's lowest. The country is well known for its influential and innovative business economic sector, an industrious and competitive agricultural sector (Italy is the world's largest wine producer), and for its creative and high-quality automobile, industrial, appliance and fashion design. The country's GDP has contracted by a little under 1% per year over the past 5 years, due to the European Sovereign Debt Crisis.