India Stamps : How to Invest When Philately is dropping.!! : What a price for 1948 Gandhi Memorial Stamp Folder

Hello Gandhi Collectors,

As you can see from previous blog posts that worldwide trend indicates that Philately is on downward turn and looks like no hope of coming back like stock market because very few new collectors are joining this hobby and those new comers are leaving this hobby in couple of months as it does not motivate them to collect for various reasons.

1) Lot of FAKE philatelic items.
2) Lot of Inflated price by Shill Bidding
3) Lot of New issues of stamps/sheets from small countries just to make money.
4) Poor quality of Gandhi Philatelic materials

Also stamp collector are very shear in numbers compare to stock market which makes it more difficult to sustain this downturn and chances of comeback chances are very very rare.

This is also true for Gandhi Philatelist who are/were thinking that their thematic collection is immune to any downturn because of worldwide Gandhi's famous personality.

Also how much current collector will invest in Gandhi Philatelic to keep price up as it will be very hard to keep buying(even at half price) with philatelic material coming in to market. I can believe it if is very unique but this are same 1948 stamps, FDC, folder etc.

Now let's analysis recent transaction of 1948 Gandhi Memorial Folder with 4 stamps including 10 Rupees.

1948 Gandhi stamps are one of the most widely collected item by world wide Gandhi collectors and   because of this pricing of this stamps also varies a lot.  Sometimes MNH stamps only will be sold for $200-500 and FDC will be sold between wide range.

Recently I notice 1948 Memorial folder with all 4 Gandhi stamp and I was surprised that it  was initially sold for $226 but buyer did not paid for item and seller has to resell it which was sold only for $137.!!

To me it looks like a good quality where seller provided multiple pictures of stamps and good description of his selling terms. Also seller have 10000+ feedback so it looks genuine (but that's not the case always as I have seen very weird auction by high feedback seller so BEWARE). Looks like it's QUALITY of stamps is good.

Also this folder has no special cancellation issued on 15th August, 1948. Chances are this might get that special cancellation (rubber stamp) and it will on for sell or it might have some other post office cancellation as a RARE postmark!!! ( This is my guess only after seeing lot of stuff in Gandhi Philately!!) 

This item was for relisted because previous buyer did not pay.!! And think what it was sold for only  $137.!! This is common practice when a low feedback buyer start bidding it which spoils purchase of real buyer and after wards they buy it with different id at cheaper price and then resell it.!!

Also not sure why no second offer !! or where are the other two bidders a**u(362) and j**a(13) not bidding on when it was on resell.!!

Also I don't see last minute bidding in this item so it confuse me and which indicates is this still overpriced.!!

Don't you think it's Unbelievable low price of 1948  Gandhi Mint stamps in a Memorial folder.!!!

Sometimes even 1948 Gandhi used stamps even go higher than this price.!! So not sure what is going one.!!

So don't you think Gandhi Philately is dropping and don't you think you need to revisit your investing/collecting strategy.

It is upto new collector how to invest in Gandhi Philately. If I have to give advice to my kids about investing in Gandhi Philately I will stop them from investing not only in Gandhi philately but all together.!! (Don't need to collect expensive item otherwise they will regret. As a hobby is fine with very less money involved.)

Thanks

Gandhi stamps club

Nicaragua Gandhi Einstein Stamp : Is it really OVERPRINT Gandhi stamp ? which can be consider as Gandhi Einsetin ERROR stamp ?

Hello Gandhi Collectors,

Nicaragua 1980 Gandhi and Einstein stamp/miniature sheet is one of the most error stamp with incorrect issue year, Overprint in gold and red available in the market. 

This Overprint stamp is for wide range of collectors ( Gandhi, Einstein, Error, Overprint, Olympics, UN, Science, Physics etc) so it can be appreciated more.!! 

Please read my previous blog post so you know what's going on Nicaragua Gandhi Stamps which will give you good idea about it.

Nicaragua Gandhi Einstein 1980 miniature sheet FDC - Is it really ERROR?

To me it make sense to have error but to have that error stamp on FDC does not make sense at all because error stamp will not make it to FDC.

I think because of smaller country outsource there stamp printing to dealers which do all kind of different things for all of us and we will dream to get it at cheaper price.!! without thinking that whether it makes sense or not.

To me this OVERPRINT stamp does not make sense at all because error will happen to one or two sheets not all and if error happens printers will destroy that rare error stamp unless they hide it and take it with them and after 40-50 years it will come in market.!!!

Now look at the following FDC. I am not sure whether this was officially issued or just made specially to make money out of it.

Buyer : www_stampfromindia_com

According to me this is nothing put piece of paper!! I don't consider this as REAL overprint stamp which can be consider as ERROR stamp so forget about FDC at all.

Want to know more about Gandhi Overprint stamps then please read my past blog posts about Overprint stamps which will make you think before you buy any of overprint stamps.

http://gandhistampsclub.blogspot.com/search/label/overprint%20gandhi%20stamps

Thanks
Gandhi stamps club

Gandhi Stamps : Austria - Osterreich Gandhi Stamps - Is it FAKE stamps or Personalized or Custom stamps ?

 Hello Gandhi Collectors,

Recently I saw Austria Gandhi Stamp and did little bit more research on it and found out that there is none issued officially by Austria Postal Service.!!  I cannot find any information in handbook or any other Gandhi stamps related website. So to me it looks like it's either FAKE or Personalized or Custom or Private stamp!!

This stamp is available on ebay since last 2-3 years.

To me it looks like artwork is copied from SriLanka Gandhi Stamp.!! So not sure country like Austria were  lot of importance is given to artist will never do this kind of activity. They will create nice design of stamp instead of just copying.!!

In title or description on ebay listing there is nothing mentioned about  Personalized or Custom or Private stamp!! So I am not sure about what it is so now question is about Authenticity of this stamp.

Even if it is private or custom stamp then I am not sure what is the philatelic value of this stamp as anyone can print it any time.!!

To me it looks like it's either FAKE stamp or misguiding (incomplete) information to buyers/collectors so  beware of this kind of activity. I think buying at $75 is too much expensive. If it was $3-4 or $5 then it make sense to see what it is .!!

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT GANDHI PERSONALIZED - CUSTOM - PRIVATE STAMP THEN READ MY FOLLOWING BLOG POST

http://gandhistampsclub.blogspot.com/2012/12/personalised-stamp-customized-postage.html

Now after reading this blog and my previous blog post, if you still need Austria Custom/Personalized stamp then click following link and it will print current postage rate of 62 cents(0.62 Euro) and mail it to you for 2 Euro only.!!! (But you have to order 100 quantity.!!) but don't have to pay 75$ for just one stamp.

http://www.post.at/eshop/meinemarke/bestellen.php

http://www.post.at/eshop/meinemarke/bestellen.php

I tried and following is the preview of the custom Gandhi stamp sheet from Austria. ( I can make look alike stamp like above by cropping the image and adding name on in it)

So Gandhi Collectors beware of this kind of activity where there are dealers who are waiting for your money.!! Don't think it is RARE or SCARE. Do your research before you buy any Gandhi Philatelic material for more than 10 dollars.!!

Higher the value more FAKE item comes in market.!! same way like buying Rolex watch or Gucci items or  Burberry etc. But this Austria Gandhi stamp does not look like it's FAKE but to me it looks like Custom stamp but there is no information about personalised or custom Gandhi stamp so what else we can think.!!


Read my following blog post to understand about stamp collection in DECLINE.!!

1) A Hobby in Decline : 1948 Gandhi USED cover case study.!!
2) A Hobby in Decline.!! - Part-2
3) How to invest when philately price is dropping.

If you see stamps are not even selling or selling like 5-10 times lower their value than mentioned in catalog.!!

There is nothing RARE or Scare in philately because this hobby is in downward trend because experienced collectors are loosing interest because value is not appreciating and new collectors are not coming in to this because there are lot of other things to do for them such as playing video games on Nintendo or X-box , social networking on facebook or google+ or  surfing on web through internet or SMS through iphone or android or watch games such as cricket, football or basketball.!!

Only way philately can sustain is to stop cheating in this hobby. Yes CHEATING.!! which is what you will see in order to increase value artificially by inflating the price by SHILL bidding, not paying to seller or mutual understanding cancelling transaction and lot more.

To know more about this kind of activity read my following blog post and think what are the possibilities in cheating, glorification, SHILL bidding, FAKE, Forgery etc.

1) 1948 Stamps False hope of Riches?
2) 1948 Gandhi Stamps: Are False hope of Riches - Part II ?
3) 1948 Gandhi Mourning Private FDC : Are False hope of Riches - Part III?
4) 1948 Expensive Gandhi FDC : Are False hope of Riches - Part IV?
5) 1948 Gandhi Stamps Early Usage cover :  Gandhi Stamps Are False hope of Riches - Part V?
6) Maxi Card sold for $5100 with 1948 Gandhi Stamps - False hope of Riches - Part VI?
7) Indian Philately Exposed 
8) Indian Philately Exposed - Part II
9) Gandhi SERVICE overprint stamp price fell from $1009 to $1.!!
10) How can you tell that Gandhi SERVICE stamp is FAKE or Forgery ?

I hope all the above will help while making decision in investing stamps and to avoid getting CHEATED.!!

Now don't you think it does NOT make sense STAMP INVESTING!!

Thanks

Gandhi Stamps Club.