Stamp Investing : How to Invest in stamps?

Hello Gandhi Philatelist,

In 1969, along with 20+ countries India also honored Mahatma Gandhi by issuing his 4 stamps along with First Day Cover. This 4 stamps were worth 7.00 Rupees (6.95 Rupees) in 1969 which was equivalent to $1. 

Do you think stamp investing makes a good choice.?

Recently I saw this 4 Gandhi stamps on Official First Day Cover was sold $3.!! So after 42+ years it's only appreciate $2.!! 

Now you might be wondering is it make sense in stamp investing.

In past I had written blog post about similar F.D.C which was sold under $1.!! Click following link to read it.

http://gandhistampsclub.blogspot.com/2011/12/india-gandhi-stamps-1969-gandhi-birth.html

But now if you compare this dollar to rupees rate in 2012 you will be amazed and I think instead of appreciating value of your stamps collection it actually decline.

In 2012, rupees was all time high against dollar.

57 Rupees = $1. So instead of buying this stamp if you just converted into dollar than it will worth $7.!! (7 x 8=56)!! Check following screenshot from Wikipedia to understand it. (History of Rupee)

Some Financial advisor  and philatelic magazine will advice you to invest in stamps(without letting know about glorification) but you know what this advisor real motivation is to make money by getting commission  both ways.!! when buying for you and selling for you and there are no fixed rate like we do it in stock trading.!!

Stamp Valuation is in mind of every experienced as well as new collectors.

New collectors will be surprised that their stamps 100+ years old is worth under $1.!!  (just couple of cents or no buyer also!!). 

Don't think that old stamp means it is valuable.

It all depends on Current Market trends of stamp collection. (Which is DECLINING since last 10 years and it's going down tremendously since last 5 years.!!). 

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!!

So if invested in stamp you will get only $3 where as invested in some other standard investment such as dollar, pounds, gold or blue chip stock/shares will get you more ROI than investing in stamps as there are very few people who are collecting stamps as hobby so when it comes to stamp investing it's very rare people so it will not appreciate at all.

If you even put 7 Rupees in bank fixed deposit on yearly basic you will get around 375 Rupees at 10% average interest rate.!! which will be still more than twice  of current selling price (3$ x 57 = 171 Rupees) of this first day cover.!!

Gold price in 1969 was $40 and today it is $1700+. So think what will be wise investment.!!

Thanks
Gandhi Stamps Club.