Stamp Investment Tip: New South Wales 1850-51 Colony Seal Issues (Scott #1-9)

   The first stamps of Australia were issued by the various British colonies within, also known as the Australian States. The designs of the earliest stamps of these colonies were very crude. Nevertheless, the stamps are very popular among collectors in Australia.

  New South Wales issued its first stamps from 1850 to '51 (Scott #1-9). These bore a rather juvenile drawing of the Colony's Seal, and were printed using five different plates and on different types of paper. Consequently, they are of interest to specialists.

     Quantities issued for the basic stamps range from 28,000 to 90,000, and while unused examples are extremely scarce and catalog in the thousands of dollars, used copies are far more affordable, mostly cataloging in the hundreds.

   I recommend purchase of these stamps in F-VF or better, used condition. They represent a conservative investment in the economic growth of Australia.

   Australia is a prosperous nation of 22 million people and a diverse economy, with thriving service, agricultural, and mining sectors. Annual GDP growth has averaged 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.

  The Stamp Auction Bidders and Consignors Union (SABACU) is a forum for discussing stamp auctions, and it also offers advice to stamp auction bidders and consignors to assist them in their dealings with stamp auctioneers. All stamp collectors and dealers are welcome to join.