Stamp Investment Tip: Tripolitania 1934 Air Semi-postals (Scott #CB1-10)

In 1934, the Italians issued an airmail semi-postal set celebrating the 65th birthday of King Victor Emmanuel and commemorating the first non-stop flight from Rome to Mogadishu (Scott #CB1-10). 10,000 sets were issued, and Scott '11 prices the unused set at $129.00 ($320.- for NH) .

The set has potential dual market appeal to collectors of Italian Colonies/Possessions and collectors of Libya, and should do well based on growth in Italy and Area collecting alone.

Libya has been in the news quite a bit lately, and it is unclear how and when the current crisis will be resolved. A nation of about 6.4 million people, it depends mostly upon oil exports, and has reserves in excess of 44 billion barrels of oil and 54 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. However, the country's not so lovably eccentric authoritarian dictator has siphoned off much of the wealth and distributed it to family members and allies, while keeping his subjects in line by giving free expression to a minimalist conception of human rights. Annual GDP growth has averaged 5% over the last 5 years, and with a little luck, more of that prosperity will be spread among the Libyan people in the future.

Stamp Investment Tip: Great Britain -Offices in Africa - Tripolitania 1950 Surcharged Dues (Scott #J6-10)

From 1943 through 1951, Tripolitania, a province of Libya, was under British administration. In 1950, the British overprinted their own postage dues, creating a set of surcharged dues for use in Tripolitania (Scott #J6-10). Only 10,682 sets were issued, and Scott '11 values the set at $100.25 for unused.

In my opinion, the set has been neglected because it is doubly obscure, as a weird little back-of-book item from a former colonial power's offices in Africa. Given the potential for multiple market appeal among collectors of Great Britain, British Commonwealth, and Libya, I believe the set to be grossly undervalued. Even without the development of a stamp market in Libya,the set should do well.

Libya has been in the news quite a bit lately, and it is unclear how and when the current conflict will be resolved. A nation of about 6.4 million people, it depends mostly upon oil exports, and has reserves in excess of 44 billion barrels of oil and 54 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. However, the country's not so lovably eccentric authoritarian dictator has siphoned off much of the wealth and distributed it to family members and allies, while keeping his subjects in line by giving free expression to a minimalist conception of human rights. Annual GDP growth has averaged 5% over the last 5 years, and with a little luck, more of that prosperity will be spread among the Libyan people in the future.

Stamp Investment Tip: Tripolitania 1933 Graf Zeppelin Issue (Scott #C21-26)

In 1933, the Italians issued a set of airmail stamps for their colony of Tripolitania, which later became part of Libya. The set (Scott #C21-26)was intended for use on flight of the Graf Zeppelin. 20,000 sets were issued, and Scott '11 prices the unused set at $48.- ($120.- for NH).

Zeppelin stamps and covers are extremely popular among collectors in Europe and the U.S., and I expect that demand will continue to be strong. The set also has potential dual market appeal to collectors of Italian Colonies/Possessions and collectors of Libya.

Libya has been in the news quite a bit lately, and it is unclear how and when the current crisis will be resolved. A nation of about 6.4 million people, it depends mostly upon oil exports, and has reserves in excess of 44 billion barrels of oil and 54 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. However, the country's not so lovably eccentric authoritarian dictator has siphoned off much of the wealth and distributed it to family members and allies, while keeping his subjects in line by giving free expression to a minimalist conception of human rights. Annual GDP growth has averaged 5% over the last 5 years, and with a little luck, more of that prosperity will be spread among the Libyan people in the future.