Stamp Investment Tip: French Southern and Antarctic Territories 1968 Human Rights Year (Scott #32)

   Four countries claim territory in the Antarctic and issue stamps for their territories. They are: Australia (Australian Antarctic Territory), Great Britain (British Antarctic Territory), New Zealand (the Ross Dependency), and France (the French Southern and Antarctic Territories). Of these, the French territory, also known as French Antarctic and abbreviated as F.S.A.T. or T.A.A.F., is of most interest to philatelists, because most of the F.S.A.T. stamps were issued in modest quantities and many are beautifully engraved. Most stamps issued for the various Antarctic territories are sold to collectors, as only a few hundred scientists reside in research facilities in the Antarctic.

In 1968, the F.S.A.T. issued a stamp honoring Human Rights Year, which was instituted by the U.N. General Assembly (Scott #32).  39,000 were issued, and Scott '14 prices the unused stamp at $60.-  .

  Demand for stamps of the French Antarctic is strong in France and among collectors of French Colonies/Area as well as collectors of Polar Topicals, and the Human Rights Year stamp has additional appeal as a U.N. topical.

   I continue to like the U.N. as a topic, long-term. The market for U.N.-related topicals should grow over the very long haul as institutions of world government develop in order to take on serious (and possibly existential) problems which can only be coped with globally. Despite the present inadequacy, corruption, and ineffectiveness of the U.N., I view its reform and gradual strengthening as a gradual but irresistible trend.

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