Recently I notice that there is stiff decline in demand of Gandhi stamp, which eventually is declining the price.
Above screenshoot will make you start thinking about what's in this Gandhi Philately going on.!!
This is because of global economy meltdown effect or by better understanding of dealers and reseller.?
Today there were 7-8 Gandhi stamps were sold on ebay at very low price which was surpising me. I was thinking that 1969 stamps from Somalia, Syria & Cameroun - Kamerun are very rare stamps available in the market but this not a case.
Following is the price of sold item
GANDHI DU CAMEROUN 2 STAMP 1969 - 1.60 GBP
GANDHI DU CAMEROUN 2 STAMP 1969 - 1.60 GBP
Gandhi SOMALIA 3 STAMPS 1969 -- 2.21 GBP
GANDHI SYRIAN TWO STAMPS 1969 -- 1.20 GBP.
This is because of global economy meltdown effect or by better understanding of dealers and reseller.?
Please let me know about Gandhi Panama 1969 Issue and Gandhi India 1948 Issues? What price it sells? Is it declining or increasing?
ReplyDeleteYogikumar,
ReplyDeleteWe do not provide any catalog price look up and nor do we predict any price upswings or downswings. If we could successfully do that, we would have been millionaires.
But you do bring an interesting question and let me attempt to explain.
Philatelic collectibles follow two simple rules,
1) Demand & Supply. – Where there is a demand, there will always be a supply.
2) Exchange Rates. - With the economic turmoil across the globe, philatelic items have not been immune to it. About two years ago, 1 British pounds = 2 US Dollars. That ratio has come down now to about 1.56.
Most catalog companies have investment departments. So, on one hand they decide on pricing via catalogs and on the other they help people invest based on Rule(1) above.
There are no guaranteed returns on any kind of investments in the world except India's LIC, but they do ensure both sides are well balanced.
To your point, India - Gandhi 1948 price is a discussion in itself and so is the 1969 Panama Gandhi. In my personal opinion and experience, mint or used off paper have practically zero philatelic value except to keep as a memento in one's own album. The catalog value is as published by Scotts in the United States in US Dollars and Stanley Gibbons in the UK in GBP.
Although I have observed the catalog value go up, however, the exchange rate has killed whatever benefit one may have gained from it rendering it with net depreciation of 10 to 15% in US Dollar terms. To put this in a better perspective, using approximation…..two years ago, if you paid $200.00 US Dollars for 1948 Gandhi Set, today you can buy the same for $150.00. The Indian Rupee has lost 20% against the dollar in past two years. So, if you paid $200 US two years ago, it was Rs7800.00 using approximate conversion rate of Rs39 at the time. At today’s price it’s $150.00 which is about Rs 7000. I leave the rest of the math to you.
Philately is like buying car, you take it off the lot and it depreciates by 10% right away. If you were to sell it, expect to pay dealer wholesale pricing for trade in. So, when I buy a car, I enjoy it to the fullest extent possible and till such time that I own it, and worry about the final value at the time of trade in. Life is too short. If one were to worry about price swings or the end value of the car or profit or loss, then it is better not to own one.
This was told to me last week by a retiring 85 year old philatelist.
Yogi,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Maulik's comments on your question.
Also as I previously mentioned that think as Hobby not as Investment.
I read one article in which that widows of stamp collector are having depression because their husband told them that this collection is worth this much money. But when they try to sell no one was buying it. Because there are very very few buyers and they don't need that.
So if you are thinking about value increasing or decreasing than invest in Gold which will be accepted everywhere by everyone not just by some few collectors.
All this 1948 Gandhi issues, OVPT issues and Panama are inflated prices so instead of worrying about prices enjoy if you have in your collection and if you don't have it than think Maulik's and my comment and do whatever you feel good for you and your family.
Also next time before asking question introduce yourself and provide your contact info so we know who are you as some Gandhi collector think they are very smart.!!
Thanks