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.     

Stamp Investment Tip: Australia 1932-33 Officials (Scott #06-11)

From 1932-'33, Australia overprinted six stamps "OS" (for Official Service), creating a set of Officials (Scott #06-11). 48,000 sets were issued, and Scott '14 prices the unused set at $148.75 ($275.- for NH) . In all likelihood, many were used as postage by various government offices and discarded.

While I sometimes advise obtaining expertization for overprinted issues, it's not necessary in this case because the Officials are not worth considerably more than the basic stamps.

I favor all better stamps of Australia. As a a prosperous nation of 22 million people, it has a diverse economy, with thriving service, agricultural, and mining sectors. Annual GDP growth has averaged 2.6% 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. Furthermore, 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.

Those interested in learning about investing in stamps should read the Guide to Philatelic Investing ($5), available on Kindle and easily accessible from any computer. 

Stamp Investment Tip: North West Pacific Islands

From 1915 through '23, Australia issued 49 stamps for a group of islands in the Pacific called the North West Pacific Islands by overprinting Australian stamps.
These range in value from inexpensive (under $10) to $ for the key stamp, the 1916 2 1/2p Dark Blue with wide crown and narrow "A" watermark (Scott #14).

While quantities issued information is unavailable for most N.W.P.I. stamps, I estimate that those which catalog over $100 had printings in the low thousands or fewer. Since these are all overprints, I advise purchasing them conditional on obtaining expertization if there's any question as to whether the stamps under consideration are authentic. I recommend purchase of the better N.W.P.I. stamps (those which catalog $200 or more).

While the stamps appeal to British Commonwealth collectors generally, the main catalyst for their growth will come from the Australian market. In Australia, the Pacific island nations or territories which the Australians administered or for which they issued stamps are viewed, from a philatelic perspective, in the same way that European collectors view their former colonies.

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

Stamp Investment Tip: New South Wales 1897 Diamond Jubilee Semi-postals (Scott #B1-2)

In the late 19th Century, before the advent of antibiotics, those infected with tuberculosis were isolated and treated in sanatoria, also called "consumptives' homes." The infected poor were pressured to enter sanatoria that resembled prisons, while consumptives of the middle and upper classes were placed in more comfortable homes which provided excellent care and constant medical attention. Whatever the purported benefits of the fresh air and labor in the sanatoria, even under the best conditions, 50% of those admitted were dead within five years.


In 1897, the Australian State of New South Wales issued a pair of semi-postals in celebration of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee (Scott #B1-2). These attractive, Art Nouveau-style stamps cost 1sh and 2sh6p and had a postal value of 1p and 2 1/2p, and the difference between the cost and postal value was donated to a fund for a home for consumptives. 40,000 of the 1p(1sh) and 10,000 of the 2 1/2p (2sh6p) stamps were issued, and Scott' 10 values the set at $ 362.50 for unused.


These semi-postals are often either poorly centered or have condition problems, so endeavor to purchase the set in sound, Fine or better condition if you run into it. I will continue to focus on better, undervalued stamps of Australia and it states, as their values have nowhere to go but upward. Both the country's economy and its stamp collecting population are set for a multi-decade rise. Furthermore, this set qualifies as a Medicine Topical, and its value should be given an additional boost due to another long-term trend - the increasing demand for doctors and health care professionals.


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. Many will find playing with their stamps a pleasant diversion while "camped by a billabong, under the shade of a coolibah tree."

Stamp Investment Tip: Queensland 1900 Boer War Semi-postals (Scott B1-B2)

Before Australia issued its first stamps as a self-governing dominion in 1913, it was divided into six British colonies, each of which issued their own stamps. In 1900, Queensland issued a set of two semi-postals (Scott #B1-2) to aid disabled Queensland volunteers and dependants of those volunteers who lost their lives fighting in the Boer War. Only 6,500 of #B1 and 4,020 of #B2 were issued, and Scott '10 prices them unused at $ 200.-and $ 525.-, respectively.

I favor all better stamps of Australia and Australian States, and believe that those issues which are the most undervalued, based upon their scarcity, will tend to increase the most over time.

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

When purchasing these stamps, note that the centering of this issue is often mediocre. Try to select examples which are centered Fine or better.

Stamp Investment Tips- Australia 1946-47 Military Stamps (Scott #M1-7)

In 1946-47, Australia issued a set of stamps for its military forces occupying Japan (Scott #M1-7), by overprinting seven values of its 1937-46 Issue for use by the British Commonwealth Occupation Force. Only 32,508 sets were issued, and Scott '10 prices the unused set at $ 185.- .

This set is interesting from an investment perspective, because it appeals to collectors of Australia, British Commonwealth, and also possibly Japan. Unfortunately, forged "B.C.O.F." overprints of the two high values exist, presenting an expertization cost problem, which may be coped with in one of four ways.


1 - Buy blocks of 4 or more of either the complete set or the 5sh high value (Sc. #M7), and get the block of M7 expertized.


2- Buy a block of the 1p Brown Violet with blue overprint (Scott #M2a- Scott '10 CV = $100.- , and $ 125.- for NH) and get it expertized. The quantity issued for this variety is unknown,but was probably in the low ten thousands.


3- Buy the 3p Dark Violet Brown with double overprint (Scott M3a- Scott '10 CV = $ 750.-) and get it expertized. The quantity issued for this overprint error is unknown, but was probably in the low thousands.


4- As covers which contain complete used sets exist, purchase one of these if you can find one in nice condition, and get it expertized.


I favor better stamps of Australia, as it is a prosperous nation of 22 million people and a diverse economy, with thriving service, agricultural, and mining sectors. Annual GDP growth has average 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.

Stamp Investment Tip: Australia 1932 Sydney Harbor Bridge Issue (Scott #130-32)

In 1932, Australia issued a set of three stamps celebrating the opening of the Sydney Harbor Bridge (Scott #130-32). 72,800 of the high-value, the 5sh Gray Green, were printed, and the Scott '10 values the set at $507.00 unused ($1,211.00 for NH) and $ 307 .00 used. The 5sh Bridge stamp is the key commemorative of Australia, and is frequently sold alone.


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

I strongly recommend purchase of either the set, or the 5 shilling Sydney Bridge stamp alone, in VF NH, LH, or used condition. It represents a blue-chip investment which will reflect the growth of Australia's economy and stamp market.