Classic Newfoundland - Are Prices On The Rise?

I've put together a respectable mint Newfoundland collection over the past two or three years and am trying to fill in the gaps, mostly the higher priced items. My catalogue is Unitrade 2012 edition.

Am I imagining things or are prices moving upwards? As an example, one of the stamps I'm seeking is Un 101, the 10 cent Cornerbrook paper mill engraved stamp from the 1911 John Guy issue. 2012 cat price is $60-$100 depending on condition (I'm not trying to buy a MNH copy which would be far more). This would suggest I might have to pay something around $30-$50 maybe or perhaps a little more. BIN copies I've seen on ebay (one exception) are around $100.

I've noticed the asking prices of several other rarer items also seem higher, e.g. the Balbo, which I probably could have acquired for around $200-$250 a while back. Never see it at that price now!

Has anyone else noticed this?

Yes! I started a collection of Newfoundland about 7 years ago and am now complete less the 5 rarities up front. My collection is postally used copies which are more scarce than mint OG in many cases. The stamps are beautiful and many were done by the master engravers of the American Bank Note Company.

My Guy issue was tough used and in some cases I paid above catalog value. Some dealers also quote Stanley Gibbons prices which are way higher than Scott, and Unitrade. We may be fortunate to have a good Newfoundland collection that will appreciate. The stamps are less plentiful than catalog suggests and very aesthetically pleasing.

Good hunting!

I've been grabbing up Newfoundland issues when I find them for the last couple years now and I've noticed they are certainly a little more expensive. I often search through the sales circuit books at my club or wait for stamps to arrive in our club auctions to try to obtain them at a lower-than-catalogue price. But Newfoundland stamps certainly don't show up as often at our meetings, and when they do they are priced much closer to the listed catalogue price. For example classic Canadian stamps can often be got for 25% of catalgue price or less, but Newfoundland issues are usually somewhere between 50% and the full catalogue price.

I have been selling some Canada duplicates that I got in a collection and trying to track any kind of market consistencies has been tough. Prices for classic Canada have been all over the board with some nice items fetching less than 10% and some fetching 40%.

Newfie prices are stronger than Canada prices

I was recently speaking with another member from my stamp club about this very topic. He only buys graded stamps in XF+ condition from the big auction houses, and stated that the market for high-end BNA stamps has been strong for a few years, but has exploded in the past year.

As a casual dealer in BNA stamps, I'm starting to see that trend trickle down to the non-graded material in VF or better. However, lower grade material (F/VF or lower) is still weak.

Certain issues from Newfoundland are hard to find in VF or better so people are settling for F/VF and paying a higher percentage of catalogue value for them.

Brian

Newfoundland has been hot for a few years now. Moreso than usual and if you look at the CSN (Canadian Stamp News) stamps are offered at 65 - 70% 0f CV.

Newfoundland has always been popular anyway but more now.

Chimo

Bujutsu

Good to know Buju

Replies on this thread so far suggest I'm not imagining things; probably time to pick up the remaining missing affordable items while they're still affordable. Some of the 1857 and 1860 pence issues are already out of reach but there are still a few items to be acquired. Saw a nice block of the 1861 5 pence at my local dealer last week. Someone had already spoken for it but, if he doesn't pick it up in the next few days, it's mine (and at a decent price).

Thanks to all who responded and look forward to further posts.

I've purchased several Canada and Provinces collections recently. The auctions by sellers in North America (Canada in particular) seemed overpriced relative to what I'm used to paying (in general) so I ended up getting good deals from a European seller. I don't know what to make of this, except maybe Europeans are not trusted with Canadian stamp auctions or Canadian sellers put up higher starting bids. Don't know.

I haven't purchased single stamps in this area yet and only just started collecting Canada so can't comment on trends.

Most countries tend to price their own stamps higher than others. Canada as a whole is somewhat higher in the Unitrade Catalogue but even higher with some examples in the SG catalogue. Go figure.

I have noticed that Germany is higher in Michel more so than in Scott's etc.

I really don't have an answer for this.

Chimo

Bujutsu

"I have noticed that Germany is higher in Michel more so than in Scott's etc"

Michel is just generally higher than Scott for all countries

Well; after waiting a while, I managed to buy a mint Mewfoundland Un 101 for just under $50 - at the upper end of my original expected price range. Looks like a good copy although not perfectly centred. This completes my "John Guy" sets.

Glad you got it NBStamper

If it completes your set, then I guess it is well worth it.

Chimo

Bujutsu

I really love the Guy issues. Those stamps quantities printed are unbelievably low as listed in Unitrade. One would think the catalog values would be much much higher. And the stamps do indeed come along infrequently. Congrats on your find!

The original thread question is one that interests me because I only collect Newfoundland and nothing else; since I was 12 in 1972.
I guess you could say that I have a warped view or an informed one because of my narrow focus.

My opinion is Yes the prices are up significantly for Newfoundland because of two factors: (1) the limited set of stamps (and some other provinces) because they ceased being countries around 1949, and stopped issuing stamps)...so static supply vs increasing demand and (2) as collectors come to the country, they overpay for the moderate to harder to get stamps because they need them. so "damn the torpedos" for selected stamps. So you may see someone paying 100% or more of catalog for #88C.

But I also can argue against myself and say No, there are bargains out there. Case in point, I looked back at my last 5 years of auction buying and except for the harder to get ones, I have managed to pay between 25-50% of Unitrade Catalog value. Lastly, going to local stamp shows is a great way of getting value: I recently went to one in California and grabbed a $900 stamp for $150--so like 16% of catalog. To me I spent $150 in cash for a diamond in the rough; to the seller--he had a small Newfoundland set amongst all his world stamps, so he did not know the value and was happy to get $150 cash.

good question, these are just my thoughts. I will scan and attach the stamp that I got -- a dead letter stamp OX1, that was used