Zeppelin Catalog Values (Trend) Over The Years

A fellow over in the Stamporama started an interesting thread regarding how Zep catalog prices have trended over the years.

Here is the data so far...all values are adjusted for inflation to reflect 2016 dollars. The 1979 values are spiking due to inflation. Am seeking any 1980s catalog values (Mint and Used) if anyone has them please post and I will adjust for inflation and add them to the chart
Don

Don, only catalog I have is a 1987. Here are the figures:
C13 315 275
C14 800 550
C15 1300 800


Peter

Correct.

Zepps are cheaper than they have ever been. Why? because they're dirt common.

On a related note, Michel is scheduled to publish a new (German language) edition of its Zeppelin Specialized Catalog this year for Zeppelin mail. The last edition was published in 2003. It was originally supposed to be released this month, but the website now lists the release date as July 14.

I recently had dinner with an aerophilately dealer from Berlin who is involved in this project. He told me that the reason for the delay is two-fold -- the people editing the catalog are involved with others projects and vocations and, more importantly, there has been a lot of discussion over pricing. The catalog values listed in the current editions of the Michel and Sieger catalogs are ridiculously high compared to what covers are selling for in today's market. The editors are striving to make the new edition reflective of today's retail values.

He told me that a realistic arrival date for the new catalog is sometime in the 4th quarter of 2017.

Not dirt common. Less than 100,000 each sold - but yes, not super rare either. What made them that rare is that they were withdrawn after the Hindenburg crash only a month after they were issued. My father inherited a good number of NH plate blocks from his father and sold them around 1975. Not quite at the peak, but they paid for college for all three of us kids.

The Zepps were issued in April 1930 - the Hindenburg crash was May 1937 -- seven years later

Not dirt common judging by numbers printed..., but 'dirt common' to see them available for sale. Mint, used, used on covers etc. I'd swear there were millions made.

1982 Scott

C13 M 800. used 600
C14 M 1850, used 1000
15 M 2850, used 1500

Thank you rdavid and Peter.

Here is the updated data; also including the core catalog values for same time period.

A C15 used cost more than a mint since 2010 , lol

area66, I think that shows collectors/dealers scooped these up when they were printed. Plus, what would you use a $2.60 cent stamp for? I've only seen them on Zep covers.

as I always say, used stamps are good only on cover, ( the argument used collectors give is that a stamp is not a stamp until it has been use to carry mail , yes but it need something under , and an address to pass true the system..... ) that's my 2 cents of course

Thanks! My mistake. I heard that story a long time ago. Obviously incorrect. But the basic premise of their rarity comes from the fact that they were issued in May 1930 and withdrawn from sale at the end of June 1930. That's why there are not a million of them.

As someone else said, neither dirt common nor rare. The reason they seem common is because they are worth listing in an auction catalog. If a set were only worth $50 they wouldn't have the same visibility.

Zeppelin flights are philatelic. Because the stamps were issued for collectors, the survival rate for Zepps is very high both mint and used. Actually, they are fairly common. Anyone who wants a set only needs the money in order to have dozens of sets to choose from in any condition either mint or used.

This is slightly off topic but all this talk of zeppelins makes me want to post a photo of the cover my family used to have. My grandfather (Sidney McAlpin) is the addressee; he collected the cover. When he died my mom and her brother had it sold at aauction and that's where the write up came from. Didn't meet the estimate; sold for $7500.
The photos attached are of a reproduction (obviously).