In 1959, Iran issued a stamp celebrating the visit of the Pakistani President Ayub Khan (Scott #1135). 100,000 were issued, and Scott '14 prices the unused stamp at $10.00 .
This inexpensive stamp has a potential dual market among collectors in both Iran and Pakistan, since it portrays the dictators of the time from both countries. It is likely that most were used as postage and discarded.
I believe that the stamp is undervalued due to the unpopularity of
Iran's stamps, a consequence of its current pariah status. Currently, Iranian
stamps of the pre-revolutionary period are primarily of interest to
collectors among the Iranians living abroad, a relatively affluent group, of whom there are about 1.3 million.
Note that a common defect found on many Iranian stamps of the '50s is
badly toned, "gloppy" gum. When purchasing #1135, endeavor to select
examples with clean gum.
Stamps of Iran are not widely
collected at present, partly for political reasons and partly because of
the ubiquity of fakes among the early overprinted issues. Nevertheless,
it is an oil-rich nation (ranked second in both oil and natural gas
reserves) of 76 million people, and there are signs that many of them
are becoming fed up with the corrupt and reactionary theocracy that is
isolating Iran from the rest of the world. Furthermore, it is beginning
to diversify away from its dependence on oil into other industries, such
as biotech, nanotech, and pharmaceuticals, and it has the potential to
develop a thriving tourism sector, should it institute reforms and begin
to improve its image.
Those interested in becoming part of an international community of stamp
collectors, dealers, and investors are encouraged to join the "Stampselectors" group at Facebook. The
group hosts lively discussions concerning stamp investment and practical
aspects of collecting, and provides a useful venue for those who wish to
buy, sell, or trade stamps.
Thursday, June 19, 2014
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