Toughest To Find For Big Blue?

Hi all, I'm wondering what stamps are the toughest to find for Big Blue. Some are expensive but readily available (eg. US #2). Which are just really elusive? Thanks! - Troy

Syria Sc 106c and the higher denominated Cape Juby issues.

Troy: I'll confine my reply to my main specialty area, Portuguese colonies. My current nemesis is Mozambique 212. Haven't been able to get it from either of my US dealers in past few years, nor from my dealer in Lisbon. Will try again in 2020. And it's just the 5th highest catalogued item in a set of 12.

While your question is posed in the "Classic Stamps" pages, I feel it can be tough to find some of the cheap items during the post-World War II period, which for all colonies except Macau is 1945 through 1974.

I used to think that the Colombia E1 (Special Delivery) fell into that category, but it is not difficult.

Your example of the US 10c 1847 is instructive. There are lots of stamps that are expensive but readily available. Then there are others, like the Syria error (which has no business being in the Big Blue in the first place) are elusive. My bet is, if money were no object, one could more quickly find an Inverted Jenny than the Syria.

There are many cheap stamps in the pre-1940 Big Blue series that you never find in older albums or find in mixture lots . There is a few hundred that you have to go search and buy as a separate purchase. It takes years of searching especially if you don't want the whole complete set .