Commomorative Stamps

I understandable that we collect them as a piece of souvenir or history (War of 1812, for example). Since these stamps are not as widely used as definitive stamps, how do the values of these stamps grow?

petersun


If you buy stamps because you think their value will grow, then you will be very disappointed. For many decades people have purchased stamps from the post office expecting they will eventually become valuable. Most stamps issued over the past 60 years can be purchased in quantity at less than face value. Canadian postage stamps issued at the post office are not good investments.

The stamps that have the "P" on them may be easier to sell in the future because their face value increases when the domestic letter rate changes.But someday, Canada Post may announce that the "P" stamps will no longer be valid. I don't want to scare anyone but that is a possibility.

Petersun, collecting stamps is a hobby-not an investment.

Hi Petersun,

Basically the value of any stamp is based upon 'supply and demand'.

Typically there are less commemorative stamps printed than a definitive one which partly influences the varying values, collecting a commemorative stamp with an in period 'socked-on-the-nose' (SON) cancel will further reduce its number, and IF there are many collectors that collect SON cancels from the country where this stamp was issued, then the demand will raise its value above the others. As you can imagine there are many factors that effect the price, but as LordDenning stated - "If you buy stamps because you think their value will grow, then you will be very disappointed.".

- stamporator -

The only way for the price to grow would be if they issued them in very, very limited special editions, then just maybe they will grow in value. However with the amount of stamps they issue for each one they will never become an investment. In fact like LD said you could get less than face value for them.

The value of popular topical stamps seem to grow though.

As lomg as a topic is popular it will be pricey.

For example, USA Superheroes on stamps are now popular on ebay as well as the Canada Syperman stamps now.

A well-designed stamp or booklet or soiuvenir or miniature sheet will be popular also.

When you use a nice-looking stamp to make a nice cover with a nice cachet that all adds value to the whole and ends up being more valuable than the single parts alone.

In my opinion, stamps ... like any number of other collectibles ... have value based on what a seller is willing to accept and a buyer is willing to pay for the item. no matter what a catalog may show.

Typically, modern stamps are issued in such vast quantities that the secondary market value is low. The postal issuing authorities intentionally do this so that collectors will hopefully prize their purchase and keep it as part of a stamp collection, which is the best scenario for the post office, since stamps that never see postal use is a clear profit item for the postal issuing authority.

Popularity of certain issues such as US Superheroes and/or CP Superman is a cross-collecting item. Not only are stamp collectors interested in the stamps, but so are collectors of memorabilia relating to the subject matter (i.e. comic book collectors, etc.) which often relates to a better secondary market value, as there is a larger audience potentially interested in the item (not just stamp collectors).

Thank you for your pieces of advice.
The phrase "supply and demand" explains a great portion of my question.
For the Superman series, Canada Post is attempting to attract younger stamp collectors so they could be a new generation of customers, in my opinion.

petersun,

in my opinion, I would also suggest that one approach the stamp investment/hobby discussion by thinking about them in general as those stamps/covers/items from

(A) Pre World War II (or broadly speaking prior to 1945).
and
(B) Those from after this period.

And in general, in my subjective opinion, those falling into (A) tend to be scarcer and more of an investment and (B) tend to be more of a hobby.

Again: just as a general guideline, with many exceptions.

In either case, both are fun and rewarding.