12
STAMP CONDITIONS
Un-mounted mint: perfect, as it
left the printer, gum is impeccable, no
stains or creases, perforations intact
Mounted mint: as above,
but with minute traces of earlier
hinging or stamp mount
Fine, used: intact stamp with
the lightest possible postmark
Unused, part original gum: has
been previously mounted, still
retains some of the original gum
Unused, without gum: un-postmarked
copy, none of original gum left
According to Robin Duthy
2
collectors
are only really interested in the
first three categories. But in reality
different collectors will target different
collections and may specialise in a
specific stamp condition. The condition
has a massive influence on price.
1993
Source: The Telegraph, Wikipedia
$0
$10m
$8m
$6m
$4m
$2m
1998
2010
2011
2014
TOP FIVE MOST VALUABLE STAMPS
1856
British
Guiana
Magenta
Mauritius
1-Penny
Post Office
Blue 1847
Mauritius
1-Penny
Post Office
Orange-Red
1847
Treskilling
Yellow
1855
Benjamin
Franklin
Z - Grill
1868
AUGUST 2014
COLLECTING
Purchasing stamps
only
because they
are rare, to fill a gap in a collection or
simply for enjoyment and the pleasure
of owning them, would be considered
collecting. Stamp collectors rarely earn
high returns on their collections – their
collections are a labour of love and
financial gain is not a consideration.
Many collectors build their collections based
upon a theme, perhaps focusing on one
country or region, one particular period
of history or a particular image, such as
birds. Identifying rare items within popular
themes is one strategy for earning returns
as these will be highly sought after by
collectors. However, it is important to note
that a collection will rarely sell for more
than the sum of its parts, simply because
there are usually many virtually identical
stamps available of similar quality
3
.
The implication of this is that amateur
investors who buy rare or special issue
stamps can struggle. Making a return on
investment requires specific technical
skills, knowledge and experience to ensure
that the right stamps are purchased,
for the right price, at the right time.
Expert broker dealers such as Stanley
Gibbons can provide these kinds of skills,
enabling amateurs to invest safely.
CONDITION
The overall condition of a stamp is vital and
can have a huge impact on value. There are
a number of features on the stamp that
need to be considered: the state of the gum
on the back; conditions of the margins;
whether the edges have been perforated;
whether it has faded or sustained any
other type of damage. Prices included in
dealer’s catalogues will be for examples in
“fine” conditions, without any creases or
tears. Earlier stamp collectors used hinges
or mounts to keep stamps in albums, which
could reduce the quality of the stamp
when moved. The smallest imperfection
could result in a huge variance in value,
rendering the stamp worth much
less than the catalogue example.
RECORD STAMP SALES
On June the 17th 2014, a new record was set
for a public stamp sale - £5.6m at auction
for an 1856 British Guiana 1-cent Magenta,
described as the Mona Lisa of the stamp
world. At one-inch by one-and-a-quarter-
inch (2.5cm by 3.2cm) it is also currently
the most valuable object in the world by
weight and size. It is the only one known
to be in existence and was printed on the
orders of the British Guiana postmaster
after a shipment of his stamps from London
was delayed – hence there were only a
few ever produced. The same stamp has
set the record for stamp sales three times
before as it has changed hands between
dedicated collectors. It was first sold at
auction in 1922 for £7,900; in 1970 it was
sold again setting the record price for the
second time of £116,667. Then in 1980 it
set the record auction price for a stamp
for the third time, selling or £551,000.
FIVE MOST VALUABLE STAMPS
1) 1856 British Guiana Magenta
($9.5m – 2014)
2) Treskilling Yellow 1855 ($2.66m – 2010)
3) Mauritius 2-penny Post Office blue 1847
($1.6m – 2011)
4) Mauritius 1-penny Post Office orange-red
1847 ($1.07m – 1993)
5) Benjamin Franklin Z-grill-1868
($935,000 – 1998)
