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New Member
United States
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Greetings, nice to have found this forum. I am looking for reputable dealers and sellers of investment grade material. I have a specific interest in KUT and East Africa and Uganda higher denomination issues. In my limited experience in visiting sites and surfing about, it seems like a scary jungle out there full of pitfalls and dangers. Any advice would be deeply appreciated. What would be ideal would be to find one really honest and committed dealer, or agent, who would find good values for me to purchase for my portfolio/collection. Any leads that I could contact and interview would be wonderful.
Question: are stamp values historically low, high or about average currently?
There is a book called Money Stamps which I have read with interest, but I felt it was a little hazy on how to go about finding somebody honest and committed to work with. At one time a few years ago, I embarked on this endeavor with some modest success. Unfortunately, I found myself needing to sell and put my portfolio up for auction with Spinks in NYC. Sadly, between the time I submitted my stamps and the auction took place, Brexit occurred and whacked my values pretty hard. All told, I broke even. but would have done a bit better had values held. An English gentleman named Michael Gorwitz from Huntington NY assisted me with some of the acquisitions but I cannot find him again, though I've searched hard on the internet.
OK. Thanks very much.
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Pillar Of The Community
Netherlands
6526 Posts |
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Quote:
Question: are stamp values historically low, high or about average currently? That depends on the territory, condition, and age of the stamps. And there is no telling how these prices willchange over time. If you are thinking of investing or speculating, bitcoin is a better gamble. Quote:
Sadly, between the time I submitted my stamps and the auction took place, Brexit occurred and whacked my values pretty hard. Brexit had nothing to do with stamp values. Also, Brexit took years to materialise. |
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New Member
United States
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Thanks very much for your thoughts. I would be buying and holding for a long time. Perhaps I was misled by someone about Brexit's effects on Commonwealth stamp prices, so thank you for the clarification on that. I would be buying mint and used stamps in the highest condition available from between 1895 and 1930. Not speculating, or gambling. I'm sorry if my original post was unclear. I'm really very grateful for your kind and informative response. |
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Pillar Of The Community
Netherlands
6526 Posts |
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The book, was that "MONEYSTAMPS: THE SAFE-HAVEN INVESTMENT IN AN UNSAFE WORLD" by Richard Lehman? For everybody's entertainment, this is the description by Jeff's people: Quote:
This book provides convincing facts and arguments as to why stamps truly are the ultimate safe-haven asset and then gives you actionable information on individual stamps to get started. The term moneystamps is used to differentiate the ten percent of stamps, issued before 1950, that have true investment potential, from the ninety percent which are of interest only to postage stamp collectors. Stamps' ability to serve a diversity of needs combined with their fixed supply quantities gives them a broad appeal, stability and ever rising value. In securities' evaluation, financial metrics have been developed to help make rational choices. And guess what, the same metrics approach works even better for stamps as I prove herein. Chapter 2 shows how well my past recommendations have performed. The selection of which stamps have the best potential for preserving and growing in value, i.e. moneystamps, has been my specialty for the last 25 years. My non-stamp experience is in the financial arena. Having spent the last 20 years writing about income investing for Forbes magazine and managing client portfolios helped me to develop a keen appreciation for the uncertainty investors are suffering in the current securities markets. Income yields are disappearing from the market, and investors are facing ever increasing risks of capital losses in their search for income. Since selling my advisory business, my focus is on investing in assets whose principal attribute was asset preservation. Such assets are termed safehaven assets. These assets are not well understood but offer a genuine shelter from today's uncertainties. The investment world has changed significantly in the last decade. As of the latest reading, some $17 trillion dollars of worldwide capital is now invested in financial instruments with negative rates of return. Another symptom of change is that, according to the Wall Street Journal, $100 denomination US currency notes to the tune of $900 billion has left the United States and disappeared. These are clear signals to national governments of an opportunity to take control over what is essentially idle capital. For instance, the German government recently sold a 30 year bond issue with a zero interest rate and the US Government is looking into a similar 50 year issue. What this is telling us is that the world is awash with so much capital that borrowers with impeccable credit can borrow for free. Just promise to give them their money back. In investment lingo this is described as investors putting the return of capital ahead of the return on capital. We will cover this in our discussion of the various type of investors in Chapter 1 and how stamps fill a variety of needs beyond this primary one. What is clear from this fundamental change in capitalism is that governments see an opportunity to take control over what they perceive as idle capital in the name of the public good. Whether you come away from reading this book and deciding to build your own stamp investment portfolio, or decide to use a professional stamp advisor, you'll find that investment grade stamps can be an effective part of your long-term asset diversification needs. Expanded and continuous guidance can be found on our website ****. Never mind that all the stamp-investment pension schemes have failed, .... miserably. |
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| Edited by NSK - 08/11/2024 03:52 am |
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New Member
United States
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Not looking at pension schemes. Am aware of their failures. The aforementioned book describes in detail attempts to put together stamp investment funds that all failed. I'm simply looking for long term appreciation in a different asset class, and somebody willing to help me find some stamps is all. I like stamps and have collected on and off my whole life. I like higher valued stamps and need help so I don't get ripped off. I thought maybe I could get some referrals for reputable and honest dealers, if not also perhaps someone on this site who also buys and holds for longterm appreciation that might advise me. I'm basically a collector looking for high value stamps to diversify my asset portfolio. At present, it is securities and real estate heavy. Thanks. |
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Pillar Of The Community
Australia
3282 Posts |
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Would it not make more sense to buy from auction houses rather than dealers? In any event, mountains of homework to be done before you dip your toe in the water  |
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Valued Member
495 Posts |
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Off the top of my head, good quality material, good dealers include Rupp Brothers, Century Stamps, and Newport Stamps. There are many others that perhaps some other members can recommend.
Uncertain as to whether or not stamps are a good investment vehicle. But ... stamps with PF or PSE certificates seem to always be in demand compared to those without. |
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New Member
United States
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Thanks you so much. I will look into them. Yes, I would always ask for certification as a condition of acquisition. |
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New Member
United States
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Bobby de la Rue, why better to buy at auction than through dealers? And yes, there sure is lots and lots of research and prep ahead. Thanks so much for your thoughts. I really am trying to learn from some seasoned individuals about buying stamps. That ws really kind and helpful.
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
2830 Posts |
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Bobby's comment about buying at auction cannot be overemphasized. Dealers like the ones mentioned are top-tiered and thus they are able to command top prices. That will greatly limit or eliminate opportunities to earn returns for your stamps.
At auctions, you can sometimes cut out the middle-man and avoid items that retail dealers would like to "clear out." Finding the right niche for yourself will take not only homework, but a lot of shopping. When it comes to collectibles, you can't just pick up the phone and order 10 French Colonial coin collections.
An auction agent can help you find things and perhaps offer advice while bidding on items for you so you both find "bargains" and stay in the shadows, so to speak.
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| Edited by shermae - 08/11/2024 11:43 pm |
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Valued Member
495 Posts |
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The dealers I mentioned are pretty much US only though. Good for building a collection but Shermae is correct about auctions. If goal is to buy with intent of turning over, auctions are the way to go. |
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Pillar Of The Community
United Kingdom
8579 Posts |
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If you're looking at stamps from East Africa, it would probably make more sense to look at UK auctions. When considering the desirability of certificates, surely the key is whether the stamp is known to have been forged or you are looking at particular shades etc, rather than an across-the-board need. |
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Pillar Of The Community
Netherlands
6526 Posts |
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Stamp dealers must earn a living and will charge even larger margins than auction houses. With auction houses you pay a buyer's premium when buying and a seller's fee when selling. That requires enormous increases to cover those margins.
The disadvantage of auction houses is that the interesting stamps may not be offered individually for a long time and those that come in collections may not be of good quality, requiring personal viewing before bidding.
If you buy at a British auction, customs may also bill you.
I agree with Geoff about certificates. I doubt many will come with the offered item and you might have to pay for certification, increasing the margin you have to make up.
There are a number of reputable Commonwealth dealers in the UK. But with reputation and quality, the prices increase. |
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| Edited by NSK - 08/12/2024 03:46 am |
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
1847 Posts |
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Take a look at classicPhil GmbH of Austria, Heinrich Koehler Auktionshaus, Le Timbre Classique of Paris, Cherrystone Auctions of New Jersey, Schuyler Rumsey of San Francisco, and Daniel F. Kelleher Auctions of Connecticut. All have been sources of high-quality material for me in the past. Kelleher is running a British Commonwealth auction now, closing on August 27, that includes Uganda. A brief check shows the offering is missing the high values you may want, although otherwise high-quality.
As noted, your goal may require going overseas to inspect material in person. You can avoid that by finding and developing a personal relationship with an auction agent who bids for you, with a fee of course. Most auction houses can refer you to agents.
You'll be competing against wealthy UK, European, and South African buyers of your material of interest. However, auctions likely offer the best chance to "buy low." Retail dealers like Stanley Gibbons in London offer your material but at high-margin dealer margins. For decades if not a century, the great collectors of higher-end material always have sourced from auctions.
Join stampauctionnetwork.com and consider one of its fee-based plans that offer access to sales and market performance data. Watch its schedule of forthcoming auctions for houses of interest; you can sometimes find several within a few days of one another, which may make a European inspection trip easier to manage. |
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New Member
United States
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Gentlemen, now we're cooking' with gas, as my daddy used to say. This is fantastic information and exactly what I signed up for. I truly cannot adequately express my deepest gratitude to you all for sharing these pearls of wisdom. This is invaluable knowledge. I'm feeling very honored. The vague and hazy course is beginning to clear.
Is there an app or site that is stamp auction specific, telling you when and where they will take place, and what's available?
And these agents that one of you mentioned, would they shop all appropriate auctions worldwide on my behalf, or would I need to work with a few of them, if that seemed like a viable route to take? Otherwise, I enjoy the auction process and it might be fun to bid in person a time or two.
You weren't kidding. There's an awful lot to learn and consider.
And its starting to feel fun.
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New Member
United States
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cjpalermo1964, I just saw your post after I sent my last one, answering all those questions. Thank you. |
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Replies: 25 / Views: 1,638 |
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Posted 08/10/2024 11:32 am
