Hign Prices For Russian And Chinese Stamps On Ebay

Yes,I'm aware of caveat emptor, but I'm surprised by the number of offers and the asking prices.
If a catalogue number is quoted it is Scott.
I've noticed factual errors in some listings.
Is anyone aware of an increase in demand for Russian and Chinese stamps?
If so is there a reason?

regards
Tony

I collect Russia now and really am not sure what you are asking. High prices in what context? High quality material will always command high percentages of catalog value. In some cases Scott values are disconnected from reality and Zagorsky is more accurate. Overall Russia is a popular collecting area and that is truer now than ever. The pandemic has driven many people back to stamp collecting and material is in high demand at all levels for both wholesale and retail.

Chinese stamps have been in high demand for some time now. Better to look at other places than ebay. To get items on ebay sometimes requires a lot of patience depending on what you are looking for. The higher $$$ items are better to get someplace else.

Don't know about Russia but have noticed that stamps from China seem to be selling near cat value and sometimes above from one of our 'beloved' dealers. Not sure if shill bidding is involved but I had read somewhere that Chinese are very active in securing stamps from their countries. I know for a fact that Chinese investors are very active and aggressive in obtaining real estate property in Canada.

I just recently started collecting Chinese stamps, but already knew the demand. There are over a billion Chinese, and their middle class exceeds the entire US population. So it doesn't take a high percentage of Chinese collectors to bring demand up.

About 5 years ago, I attended a stamp show in Missouri, USA, and there was a stamp dealer there from California who had stopped to sell at this small show as he travelled east to a much bigger show. As he talked to the collectors seated at his table, he said he visited mainland China with his wife on vacation. While there, he wanted to see a Chinese stamp show, so he figured out where they were having one. It was located in a large, grassy, park, open area. This was not a big national show, just a common people gathering of stamp collectors, buying and selling from small tables and straight out of stock books. People were there as far as the eye could see. He estimated the crowd to be between 25 to 30 thousand people on a sunny Saturday afternoon. He said he could not believe his eyes, to see that many stamp collectors in one spot. This is China, bigger than we can comprehend.

Linus

Dear All
Thanks for your replies

Have no fear, I do not buy stamps from ebay and if I buy anything from them, then I check everything out first.

I think the comment about Scott values being dreamy is correct.

The prices I see [on ebay] are way above that for 'the same' stamps listed on other sites

My posting was one of curiousity to see what others thought.

Thank you all

regards
Tony

Some things on ebay are always over priced because sometimes the seller is dreaming of bigger things than what they have. My main interest is US and I could find numerous sales where the seller is asking a price that no one will pay. I have bought some Chinese off ebay, but you really have to be patient as there are few good listings among all the weeds. For China, I really think the best place to go is the auction houses. Reasonable prices for some of the better seconds and less worry about whether they are forgeries as there are plenty out there.

I noticed that demand for Chinese material had exploded when I went to a Harmers auction, after I returned to stamp collecting -- in 1996!
Prices have continued to climb since.

As for Russia, I think it was a no-brainer that prices would boom once communism collapsed.
Prices have jumped since, though its been rather irregular as they have had a sequence of booms and busts, ruble devaluations etc etc.

I have fairly decent collections of both countries, but havent been too actively seeking either.
Usually any China collection sells for big money, wherever it is, so I glean mine from all-world and box lots.

I am just curious, how does hitstamps compare to ebay generally?