Barrie District Stamp Club Celebrates 50th Anniversary

In celebration of their 50th anniversary the Barrie District Stamp Club, located in Ontario, Canada, have issued a commemorative post card. Dec/2/10
  

Michael Millar had just landed a casual job at the post office in Barrie and reconnected with his stamp collection when a colleague suggested they start up a stamp club.

That was almost exactly 50 years ago.

On Thursday, members of the Barrie District Stamp Club celebrated the anniversary of their first meeting at Central United Church, Thursday, Dec. 1, 1960.
"There were 10 people there. Five us us went on to be fairly long-time members of the club," recalls Millar.

One was the former Simcoe County medical officer of health. Another came to Barrie when his company transferred here. He specialized in Boy Scouts stamps, one of many branches in stamp collecting.

Now, the club boasts 45 members from across the area, with members gathering from Bradford, Beeton, Innisfil, Wasaga Beach and Orillia.

"We actually have a member in England" who attends meetings when in Barrie visiting his daughter, said Millar.

Maggie Toms is a lifetime member. She now lives in a retirement home in Ottawa and turned 100 this year. She specializes in early Canadian stamps and postcards.

Millar began collecting stamps as a lad in England when his father brought home stamps marking the centennial of the Penny Black.

The Penny Black is the world's first adhesive postage stamp issued in the United Kingdom in May 1840.

Millar's uncle was in the navy and letters arrived with stamps from all over, allowing the boy to build his collection.

Life intervened, the stamp collection was put aside, but was revived years later when Millar settled in Barrie.

Since then, he's th his stamp collection, guessing that he might have spent more on the collection than its current value. It's kept him connected to history and given him snapshots of places and times.

It's also provided a network, both locally and nationally, as a representative of the philatelic society.

"Some of the rarities seem to be holding their value," he says. "Very few of us have those fine collections."

For information about the club, call (705) 726-5019.

Source: http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2873470

Philately emerges as high-return investment - prices rocketing!

MUMBAI: It's an investment that survived the recession in 2008, and actually zoomed 39% that year when all asset classes—global stock markets, US property rates and even gold—fell.

 

Considered to be an "undervalued" but a highly stable asset class, investing in rare stamps is catching the fancy of Asians, particularly Indians. Investment portfolio managers feel that with India's growth story, rare stamps will be the next big asset class to invest in for the well-heeled.

Globally, the list of stamp buffs who hold "valuable" collections include Queen Elizabeth, French President Nicholas Sarkozy, Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova and billionaire fund manager Bill Gross. Over the years, it is expected to move on from just being under the realm of royal dynasties into high networth individuals.

The global philatelic market is believed to be $10-20 billion, but in India, investing in rare stamps is a niche and relatively smaller option among alternative "exotic" investments like art and antiques. Wealth experts here expect it to grow after five years and become a popular "alternative" option, mainly among people who collect them as a hobby.

Geoff Anandappa, investment portfolio manager at Stanley Gibbons, one of the largest investment portfolio firms, told TOI: "In India, typically investors are collectors themselves as against globally, where most people are pure investors. This is expected to change over the next few years, with more people investing in rare stamps. As an asset class, philately is very stable and offers around 10% returns on an annualized basis."

Though it is difficult to hazard a guess in terms of investors coming from India, data with Stanley Gibbons suggests that 20-odd high networth individuals have already invested in rare stamps. These are mainly younger professionals in their late 30s or early 40s (as against older people, globally) who hold substantial stamp collections with them.

The figure could go up over the next few years with aggressive marketing by global portfolio management firms.

The minimum amount required for investing in a rare stamp is over Rs 50 lakh.

Read more: Philately emerges as high-return investment - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/Philately-emerges-as-high-return-investment/articleshow/7013034.cms#ixzz16yp6YJp9

Fabergé and Bill Gross's 'most important' Russian stamps could bring $75,000

This 1k orange pair was formerly owned by the House of Fabergé and the billionaire 'bond king'
Among the highlights in Cherrystone's small but gem-packed sale - including arguably the world's most famous stamp, the Inverted Jenny - is this exceptional Russian rarity.

Dated to 1883-88, this pair of 1k orange invert stamps ('invert' meaning its design was accidently printed back to front) comprises two of just six known examples in the world.

According to Cherrystone's lot notes, these singles were originally a horizontal pair and later rejoined. They were later cancelled in the Ukraine, as evidenced by the applied handstamp which reads "Izum, prov.Kharkov".

The handstamp is dated "10 Feb 1886". Each of the stamps boasts a bright colour and are well-centered.

The pair of 1k orange invert stamps, with excellent provenance.

 In terms of condition, at the right-hand stamp's top right corner is a light diagonal crease ending with a small tear.

The left-hand stamp, meanwhile, is described as "very fine" in Cherrystone's description.

Despite the slight wear and tear, this stamp pair's rarity is key to its value - as well as exceptional provenance, having formerly been part of the renowned Mikulski and Fabergé (of ornamental eggs fame) collections.

Also among this pair's previous owners is Bill Gross, the billionaire "bond king" and famous collector whose previous acquisitions included the World Record-priced Inverted Jenny block of four.

Billed by Cherrystone as "one of the most important groundwork inverted rarities," this rare Russian pair is expected to bring $75,000, if not more, when bidding closes on December 16.

Source:  http://www.paulfrasercollectibles.com/section.asp?catid=80&docid=5191

Half a rare German postage stamp fetches a fortune - £221,000

BERLIN (Reuters) - Half a rare German postage stamp which dates back to 1872 has fetched some £221,000 or 261,000 euros ($347,500) at auction in the southern German town of Bietigheim-Bissingen, a spokeswoman for the auction house told Reuters on Thursday.

She said a German collector purchased the well-preserved half stamp, which originates from the northern German town of Syke, despite its hefty price tag because it was so rare.

"Stamps were in short supply in Syke between 1872 and 1874 so it was decided that they should be cut in half as a makeshift solution," she said. "But because this was only done for a short period, very few letters actually bear these halved stamps."

She said the winning bidder from north Germany was able to secure the stamp, which had an asking price of 120,000 euros, only after a lengthy duel with a bidder from south Germany.

The stamp was particularly valuable because it was featured as the cover picture on a book written about Syke's collection of halved stamps by Rolf Rohlfs in 1982.

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6AO1YY20101125