I'm initiating coverage of Jamaica with a set of high values which the British issued for their colony to celebrate Queen Victoria's Jubilee in 1897 (Scott #28-30). Only 9,120 sets were issued, and Scott '12 prices the unused set at $104.50 .These three stamps (1sh, 2sh, and 5sh) were pricey for the time, and while it is possible that some may have been purchased by well-heeled collectors, it is likely that many were used as postage to send heavy packages and then discarded. The set represents a conservative investment based solely upon the growth in interest in stamps of the British Commonwealth. Should a significant collecting population develop among Jamaicans, it's value will be given an added boost.
An island nation with just under 3 million people, Jamaica is a mixed economy with both state enterprises and private sector businesses. Major sectors of the Jamaican economy include agriculture, mining, manufacturing, tourism, and financial and insurance services. Economic growth has been flat over the past 5 years, in part due to the recent global economic downturn.
Information concerning printing quantities of stamps is often useful in determining which may turn out to be good investments. The StampSelector Scarce Stamp Quantities Issued List (SSSSQIL) currently includes over 9,700 listings of stamps and souvenir sheets with issuance quantities of 100,000 or less.
