Katanga 1961 Set On Cover - First Day Of Issue

I often get people showing me stamps and asking if they are of any value. I can usually tell for certain that they are not, but I'd appreciate some feedback regarding this cover, which belongs to a friend of mine. Her father was a journalist covering a war in the Congo and got these stamps on the day of issue - they have a 'Premier Jour' (First Day) cancellation.

I know that Katanga was only independent for about two years and that stamps of Katanga on covers are quite scarce - please can anyone advise if collectors or dealers would be likely to be interested in this cover, and where would be the best place to sell it? Thanks!

A typical place to look for an indication is LastDodo with a large Belgian community.

It does not list a first day cover or full set on cover. A philatelic (non-addressed) cover with the top three values sold in 2014 for € 0.05. It was not an FDC. But it is even far below the minimal prices realised for any single of those three stamps.

The OBP (official Belgian stamp catalogue) might price it. However, earlier this year, a complete unmounted mint run of Katanga stamps sold on Catawiki at € 30 plus fees (around € 6), against an OBP catalogue value of € 375. This suggests the catalogue price is highly inflated.

I shall leave it to you to interpret these numbers.

I did sell an original badge from Mad Mike Hoare's 5 Commando to a Belgian collector a few years back- he collected artifacts from that period. So maybe list it on ebay; the Belgians have a strong connection with Congo and Katanga.

The Snap-on tools in my toolbox come from that conflict. Thanks CIA!

(also a wooden crate for Heinz tomato ketchup)

For anyone who hasn't seen it, Soundtrack to a Coup D'Etat is a powerful film about Lumumba and his murder by Thsombe's men in Katanga. Belgian, British and US killers were all on his trail.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound...oup_d%27Etat