The best investment opportunities will change on a fairly regular basis, fluctuating between a huge range of different options and depending on everything from supply and demand through to the perceived safety of a given commodity. However, it seems that a new forerunner is emerging in the East and moving slowly westwards – the postage stamp.
Demand in some areas has been so high that London-based stamp dealers have now opened offices in Singapore and Hong Kong, with the figure of stamp collectors in Asia now estimated at around 40 million.
Whilst some of these 40 million, along with many other millions of philatelists worldwide, will merely be buying stamps because they love to find rare items and simply have a passion for certain designs, eras or geographical regions, others are seeing philately as a very appealing investment. In much the way that art and gold are traded throughout the world and seen as worthwhile investments in terms of both financial remuneration and artistic edification, stamp collecting has now been added to this fold, offering individuals an interesting and exciting way to increase their portfolio and seek attractive returns.
British stamps are some of the most coveted items available to philatelists in the East and it may well be even easier for those in the West to buy such a stamp, making them an even better investment for those here in the UK than those in Asia. As such, as the interest in stamp collecting grows amongst Pacific nations, the interest in it is growing here too, with many people looking at how they can capitalise on rare finds in the international market.
Rare postage stamps can go for hundreds of thousands of pounds, with one stamp in particular reaching over half a million pound at auction. As time passes, and certain stamps become even more rare and special, such prices can be driven up dramatically, making them a safe bet, especially in a market where collectors are becoming more commonplace every single year.
Finding a commodity to invest in that has intellectual and artistic benefits as opposed to just financial ones will always make a monetary investment more rewarding. Whilst many financial transactions can be dry and dull, seeking exciting and rare items such as a very specific antique stamp will allow individuals to not only increase their portfolio and boost the safety of their overall exposure, but to also grant them an item that will be extremely interesting to many of those around them at the very same time.
It is now easier than ever to find any stamp you might want, with online auctions taking the stress out of the process. This also makes it far easier to ‘cash in’ on these investments when it comes time for one to do so. The price of these commodities is already substantial, with many rare additions fetching huge prices at auction, and with interest growing on a daily basis, now is the time to make those first investments, before the price of available stamps starts its dramatic ascent.
