Canada Post's Latest Hostage (Chinatown)

I have also cancelled standing orders long time ago/ Quarterly packs do the job for me. I want one stamp of each, nut no longer interested in getting same stamp in 3 or 4 diff. formats. CP is killing the hobby and the golden goose has decided to focus on improving its Classic collection instead.

Launch party for the chinatown gates as per Canada Post's Facebook page:

Millennium Gate – W Pender & Taylor St, Vancouver
Issue Date: May 1st, 2013

Launch Events—You're Invited
Meet the Artist: Janice Wu

May 2nd 11:30am
Vancouver Main Post Office, 349 Georgia St W, Vancouver

May 5th 1:30pm
Landsdowne Centre, 942-5300 #3 Rd, Richmond

Harmonious Interest – Fisgard & Government St, Victoria
Issue Date: May 1st, 2013

Launch Event—You're Invited
May 6th 1pm - 2pm
Victoria Main Post Office, 709 Yates St, Victoria
Meet the Artist: Mark Heine

Issue Date: May 1st, 2013
Zhong Hua Men Archway - Gerrard East & Hamilton St, Toronto

Launch Event—You're Invited!
May 1st 12:30pm - 1:30pm
Atrium on Bay Post Office, 595 Bay St., Toronto
Meet the Artist: Albert Ng (Mississauga stamp artist)

May 2nd 12:00pm - 1:30pm
Industrial Park Post Office, 3930 14th Ave, Markham

Issue Date: May 1st, 2013
Chinatown Gateway – Bronson Ave & Somerset St W, Ottawa

Launch Event—You're Invited!
May 1st 11am
Station B Post Office, 59 Sparks St, Ottawa
Meet the Artist: Normand Cousineau

Issue Date: May 1st, 2013
North Gate – Blvd Saint-Laurent & René-Lévesque E

Launch Events—You're Invited!

May 3rd 12pm – 3pm
Place D'Armes, 157 RUE Saint-Antoine O, Montréal
Meet the Artist: Charles Vinh

May 6th 12pm – 3pm
Station B Post Office, 800 René-Lévesque O, Montréal
Meet the Designer: Hélène L'Heureux

May 8th 12pm – 3pm
Station H Post Office, 1974 Ste Catherine O, Montréal
Meet the Artist: Charles Vinh

Issue Date: May 1st, 2013
888 Dundas St E, Mississauga

Launch Events—You're Invited!

May 2nd 12:00pm - 1:30pm
Station B Post Office, 966 DUNDAS St E, Mississauga
Meet the Artist: Albert Ng

Issue Date: May 1st, 2013
Chinese Gate – 102nd Ave & 97th St, Edmonton

Launch Event—You're Invited!
May 1st 10:30am
Edmonton Main Post Office, 11808 104 Ave NW, Edmonton
Meet the Artist: Gabe Wong

Issue Date: May 1st, 2013
King St & Rupert Ave, Winnipeg

Launch Event—You're Invited!
May 1st 10:00am
Winnipeg Main Post Office, 1000-266 Graham Ave, Winnipeg
Meet the Artist: Renyl Lantano

The Gates of Chinatown Collection arrived today. And here is the $88.88 imperforate s/s

Here we are - four and a half months since issuing - and this expensive imperforate s/s has stirred up... ZERO interest!
I have watched with intrigue the offers on ebay to sell this item. Although it is still available from CP (#341953) five different sellers have offered the $88.88 package continuously since May asking from a high of $210 (including shipping) to the latest low at $130. A sixth seller was offering just the s/s for $99. As far as I can tell, no one has bid on any of the items.
What do we make of this? Will it be listed in Unitrade? And then everybody will want one?
Or will it be treated like the Millennium stamps - not recognized because of the 'excessive surcharge', forcing CP to reissue them at regular postal rates?
I entitled this topic ' Canada Post's Latest Hostage' because they had done the same thing with the Vancouver Olympic overprinted s/s only to resell them later at face.
I am still holding onto the original packaging of my $88.88 investment in case CP suddenly releases the hostage and offers the imperforate s/s at face, too.
On the other hand, I am still holding onto the rather rare s/s. I suspect it'll be worth a lot in years to come if CP does nothing.

(edited for style & redundancy!)

Isn't it the stamps that are overlooked, ignored or missed by collectors that have the greatest chance of becoming more valuable especially after so many of the previous stamps have been bought up resulting in a buyer's burnout for later ones?

A lot of people thought the Elvis Presley stamps would be a good "investment".

Expect disappointment if you buy stamps as an investment. The secondary market is a fickle beast.

lorddenning: "Investment" was meant as a self-deprecating joke.
The point of complaint is the $88.88 needed to acquire a s/s worth only $5.04.
For those collectors bent upon completeness, it is a high price to pay.
And the only solace is that it might be worth something someday.

Even the price of 88.88 which has nothing to do with the face value of the stamps was specifically chosen since the number 8 in the Chinese culture is a very important good life number. CPC sure knows how to market things.

Just to clarify and to be fair to Canada Post, the $88.88 is not just for the imperforate sheet. The $88.88 included:

- a regular s/s
- the imperforate numbered s/s
- Qing Dynasty Coin
- Song Dynasty Coin

"Isn't it the stamps that are overlooked, ignored or missed by collectors that have the greatest chance of becoming more valuable especially after so many of the previous stamps have been bought up resulting in a buyer's burnout for later ones?"

True

This is the thread relevant to 210Frankie's query about the Chinatown imperforates.
I noticed that, since the last post, only one (1) sheet was sold on ebay for the asking price of $188.88 (a hundred dollar markup!) There are two available on ebay right now for that price.
Canada Post still offers it online: Product # 341953 - $88.88
Get 'em while they last!