Stamp Investment Tip: Philippines 1932 Von Gronau Flight Overprint (Scott #C36-45)

 In 1932, the Philippines, then under U.S. administration, overprinted stamps from its Scenes issue of that year for use on the round-the-world flight of Captain Wolfgang von Gronau (Scott #C36-45). 25,305 sets were issued, and Scott '14 prices the unused set at $29.- ($44.25 for NH).

   The set has potential multiple market appeal among collectors of Philippines, U.S. Possessions, Aerophilately, and in Germany, due to interest in  von Gronau. While I sometimes recommend obtaining expertization when buying overprinted stamps, this set is an exception because it's too inexpensive to fake.

As a newly democratic country of 92 million which is moving away from from its centuries-old complete dependence on agriculture, the Philippines could turn out to be one of the most successful emerging markets in the Pacific Region. The government tends toward fiscal conservatism coupled with long-term economic planning, and annual GDP growth has been around 6%-7%. Barring extreme political instability, it is likely that the Philippines will be one of the fastest growing economies over the next decades.

The Stamp Auction Bidders and Consignors Union (SABACU) is a forum for discussing stamp auctions, and represents the interests of stamp auction bidders and consignors in their dealings with stamp auctioneers. All stamp collectors and dealers are welcome to join.   
 

Stamp Investment Tip: Newfoundland 1933 Balbo Flight Surcharge (Scott #C18)

Newfoundland issued several overprinted airmail stamps that served as postage on pioneer flights, which are of great interest to Aviation topicalists,  and include some of the great rarities of Aviation Philately. The rarities are unaffordable for the vast majority of collectors, but the lesser flight overprints are also quite scarce and worthy of consideration as investments.

In July of 1933, Newfoundland surcharged 8,000 of its 75c "Labrador, Land of Gold" airmails issued the month before for use on the Chicago to Rome Flight of General Italo Balbo.  Scott '13 prices the stamp unused at $325.00 ($500.-   for NH).

   I recommend purchase of the stamp in VF NH or LH condition, or used on a flight cover. The stamp is of interest to Aviation topicalists, and possibly also to collectors in Italy, as Balbo was a prominent Fascist and Mussolini's heir apparent. I'm unaware of any fake surcharges for this issue, but as with all valuable overprinted stamps, it might be prudent to obtain expertization as a condition of purchase.

Many of the better stamps of Newfoundland were issued in modest quantities. I intend to revisit them in the future, as I am "doggedly bullish" (to badly mix metaphors) about better British North America in general. This area is very popular among collectors of both Canada and British Commonwealth, and the better items represent solid investments, as interest in stamp collecting in Canada is much stronger than it is in the U.S. .

With a population of about 31 million, Canada is one of the world's wealthiest countries, and is one of the world's top ten trading nations. GDP growth has averaged 2.2% over the past five years, which takes into account the 0% growth of 2009 due to the global financial crisis. Canada's population is expected to age significantly over the next decades. Canadians over 60 are projected to increase from 16.7% of the population in 2000 to 27.9% in 2025, and 30.5% in 2050. Consequently, in the future, many more Canadians will be spending time working on their stamp collections on cold winter days.

Those interested in learning more about investing in stamps are encouraged to read the Philatelic Investment Guide ($5), available on Kindle, and accessible from any computer.

Stamp Investment Tip: Newfoundland 1919 Trans-Atlantic Air Post Surcharge (Scott #C2)

Newfoundland issued several overprinted airmail stamps that served as postage on pioneer flights, which are of great interest to Aviation topicalists and include some of the great rarities of Aviation Philately. The rarities are unaffordable for the vast majority of collectors, but the lesser flight overprints are also quite scarce and worthy of consideration as investments.

In 1919, Newfoundland surcharged 6,786 15c Seal stamps (Scott #70) from its 1897 Pictorial series, increasing the stamp's value to $1. The stamp (Scott #C2) was used on covers which were carried on the first successful non-stop trans-Atlantic flight. Scott ' 13 prices the unused stamp at $225.00  ($375.-  for NH).

    As with many overprinted stamps, varieties were produced, including one without comma after "Post" (pictured; Scott C2a- CV = $240.- , 2,796 issued), and a much scarcer stamp without the period after "Dollar" (Scott C2b- CV= $ 450.- , 398 issued). I recommend purchase of any of these stamps in VF NH or LH condition, or on a Flight cover. C2b probably offers the most bang for the buck as an investment, given its current scarcity and market value. As with all valuable overprinted stamps, expertization is strongly recommended.

Many of the better stamps of Newfoundland were issued in modest quantities. I intend to revisit them in the future, as I am "doggedly bullish" (to badly mix metaphors) about better British North America in general. This area is very popular among collectors of both Canada and British Commonwealth, and the better items represent solid investments, as interest in stamp collecting in Canada is much stronger than it is in the U.S. .

With a population of about 31 million, Canada is one of the world's wealthiest countries, and is one of the world's top ten trading nations. GDP growth has averaged 2.2% over the past five years, which takes into account the 0% growth of 2009 due to the global financial crisis. Canada's population is expected to age significantly over the next decades. Canadians over 60 are projected to increase from 16.7% of the population in 2000 to 27.9% in 2025, and 30.5% in 2050. Consequently, in the future, many more Canadians will be spending time working on their stamp collections on cold winter days.

Those interested in becoming part of an international community of stamp collectors, dealers, and investors are welcome to join the "Stampselectors" group at Facebook. The group hosts lively discussions concerning stamp investment and practical aspects of collecting, as is also an excellent venue for those who wish to buy, sell, or trade stamps.

Stamp Investment Tip: Newfoundland 1932 Dornier Flight Surcharge (Scott #C12)

  Newfoundland issued several overprinted airmail stamps that served as postage on pioneer flights, which are of great interest to Aviation topicalists  and include some of the great rarities of Aviation Philately. The rarities are unaffordable for the vast majority of collectors, but the lesser flight overprints are also quite scarce and worthy of consideration as investments.

In 1932, Newfoundland issued a $1.50 airmail stamp for use on the Trans-Atlantic Dornier Flight (Scott #C12) by surcharging 7,980 of its 1931 $1 Airmail Stamp (C11). Scott '13 prices the unused stamp at $ 275.00  ($425.-  for NH). I recommend purchase of the stamp in VF NH or LH condition, or on a Flight cover.

Many of the better stamps of Newfoundland were issued in modest quantities. I intend to revisit them in the future, as I am "doggedly bullish" (to badly mix metaphors) about better British North America in general. This area is very popular among collectors of both Canada and British Commonwealth, and the better items represent solid investments, as interest in stamp collecting in Canada is much stronger than it is in the U.S. .

With a population of about 31 million, Canada is one of the world's wealthiest countries, and is one of the world's top ten trading nations. GDP growth has averaged 2.2% over the past five years, which takes into account the 0% growth of 2009 due to the global financial crisis. Canada's population is expected to age significantly over the next decades. Canadians over 60 are projected to increase from 16.7% of the population in 2000 to 27.9% in 2025, and 30.5% in 2050. Consequently, in the future, many more Canadians will be spending time working on their stamp collections on cold winter days.

Those interested in viewing a list of scarce stamps with printing quantities of 100,000 or fewer should take a look at the StampSelector Scarce Stamp Quantities Issued List, which currently contains over 9,700 entries. 

Stamp Investment Tip: Venezuela 1930-39 Plane and Map Issues

Between 1930 and 1939, Venezuela issued four airmail sets picturing a biplane and a map of the country. All four sets are undervalued, and have multiple market appeal to collectors of Venezuela, Aviation, and the small but growing number of Map-on-Stamp topicalists.

Winchester Security Paper

The four sets are Venezuela's first airmail set of 1930 (Scott #C1-16), the 1932 set of similar design issued on bluish Winchester Security Paper (Scott #C17-40- example pictured at right), the 1937 Surcharged set (Scott #C41-46), and the 1938-39 set issued on white paper without the imprint at bottom, which is pictured above (Scott #C119-26). 30,000, 15,300, 5,000, and 50,000 of these sets were issued, respectively, and Scott '12 prices them unused at $ 24.50, $167.05, $66.00, and $34.45 . Many of these Depression-era sets were probably used as postage and discarded. Few Venezuelans of the time could afford to purchase and save the stamps in unused condition.

With a population of about 26 million, Venezuela is resource-rich, and consistently ranks among the top ten oil producers in the world. Annual GDP growth has averaged almost 10% over the last 5 years, although it has been decelerating recently due to lower oil prices. Under Chavez-style quasi-socialism, the percentage of Venezuelans living below the poverty line has decreased from 48% in 2002 to 30% in 2006. The country has begun diversifying its economy away from its current near-total dependence on petroleum exports, and has spawned a rapidly growing manufacturing sector.

I have begun a new blog, "The Stamp Specialist", featuring my buy lists for stamps which I wish to purchase, including many items from Venezuela .Periodically viewing dealers' buy lists
is an excellent way to remained informed about the state of the stamp market.

Stamp Investment Tip: Mexico 1935 Amelia Earhart Goodwill Flight Overprint (Scott #C74)

In 1935, famed aviatrix Amelia Earhart paid a goodwill visit to Mexico City, carrying mail bound for New York City on her return flight to Newark, New Jersey. In honor of her visit, Mexico issued an airmail stamp for mail carried on the return flight (Scott #C74) , by overprinting its 1934-35 20c Lake "Eagle Man" airmail (Scott #C68a). 780 stamps were overprinted, of which 480 were additionally overprinted "Muestra" ("Specimen") and sent to the Universal Postal Union for distribution to postal administrations worldwide. Scott prices the unused stamp at $ 3,250.- ($5,000.- for NH) .

About one hundred of the remaining three hundred stamps were used on the mail carried by Earhart to New York City. Some of these covers were autographed by her, and occasionally show up at auction. The sale of Earhart's flown philatelic souvenirs helped offset the expenses of her aeronautic adventures and further ensured her legacy in aerophilately.

The stamp may seem pricey, but I expect that it will become considerably more so, as it has dual market appeal for both collectors of Mexico and Aerophilatelists. The autographed flight covers are important relics of aviation history, and are coveted by those who collect autographs, stamps, and aviation memorabilia.

While I am not aware of any fakes of this stamps, as it is an overprint, I recommend purchasing it conditional on expertization, preferably by the Mexico-Elmhurst Philatelic Society ( M.E.P.S.I.). Those interested in learning more about Mexican stamps should consider joining, as it is the pre-eminent organization for Mexico philatelists.

With a population of about 109 million, Mexico has experienced consistent annual GDP growth of between 3 and 5%. It has a diverse and developing economy, but modernization remains a slow and uneven process, and current challenges include addressing income inequality, crime, and corruption, upgrading the infrastructure, and reforming tax and labor laws. Stamps of Mexico are popular among collectors in the U.S. .

I have begun a new blog, "The Stamp Specialist", which will feature wholesale buy prices for stamps which I am interested in purchasing. The first such buy list is for Mexico, and includes the stamp recommended in this article. Viewing dealers' buy lists every now and then is an excellent way to keep current on the vagaries of the stamp market.

Stamp Investment Tip: Egypt 1933 Aviation Congress (Scott #172-76)

In 1933, Egypt issued a set of stamps honoring the International Aviation Congress, which was held in Cairo (Scott #172-76). 52,000 sets were issued, and Scott '10 prices the set at $ 76.50 unused. The set has appeal to Aviation and Zeppelin Topicalists as well as collectors of Egypt.

With an estimated 76 million people, Egypt possesses one of the most developed economies in the Mid-East, with a GDP growth rate of 5% -7%. The government is undertaking major economic reforms to further spur development, including massive investments in infrastructure and liberalizing economic and tax policies to encourage foreign investment. Egypt's main challenge in the years to come will be one of social and political democratization - how to assure that enough of the new wealth trickles down to the majority of the population to lessen the problems of poverty and political instability.

Stamp Investment Tip: Mexico 1939 Sarabia Airmail (Scott #C93A)

On May 23, 1939, Mexico issued an overprinted airmail stamp (Scott #C93A) for the May 25th flight of Francisco "Pancho" Sarabia from Mexico City to New York City, which he completed in record time, beating Amelia Earhart's previous record by almost 4 hours. On his return trip of June 7, the celebrated pilot crashed his plane, "El Conquistador de Cielo," into the Potomac River and was killed. An investigation found that the plane had crashed due to the negligence of a mechanic. Sarabia is now recognized as a national hero. Only 2,100 of the stamps were issued and Scott '10 prices it at $425.00 for both used and unused.

In my opinion, there are many scarce and undervalued issues of Latin America which should be aggressively targeted. I like the Sarabia stamp in particular because it appeals to Airmail collectors as well, especially given the tragedy associated with the flight. Flight covers bearing the stamp turn up at auction every once in a while, offering the opportunity to own a gem of Mexican aviation history.

With a population of about 109 million, Mexico has experienced consistent annual GDP growth of between 3 and 5%. It has a diverse and developing economy, but modernization remains a slow and uneven process, and current challenges include addressing income inequality and corruption, upgrading the infrastructure, and reforming tax and labor laws. Stamps of Mexico are popular among collectors in the U.S. as well as in Mexico, and those who wish to learn more about Mexican stamps should consider joining the Mexico Elmhurst Philatelic Society International (M.E.P.S.I.). MEPSI provides many useful services for collectors of Mexico, including expertizing Mexican stamps.