Niger stamps : Think what will happen to you if you are collecting MINT stamps.!!

Hello Gandhi Stamp Collector,

Recently I saw 3 stamp sheet with Mahatma Gandhi stamp, Martin Luther King stamp, Kennedy stamp and Adenauer stamp sold under $1.!!

Total of 12 stamps issued somewhere between 1969.!!

To me it looks like now Mahatma Gandhi cannot save stamp value because in past it was highly inflated by SHILL bidders, FAKE buyer who don't pay etc.

Following is screenshot from eBay which will explain you what is happening in stamp collection.

Now if you think about ROI than you will start thinking IS IT WORTH TO COLLECT STAMPS? 

You will be surprised when you see following screenshot from eBay.

Lot of 40 first day covers from Great Britain from 1980 - 1996 were sold for $1.!!

That means who invested or collected and paid more than $30-$50 has to take a great loss!!

So now think what will happen to your collection if you start now or if you started 5-10 years ago.!!!

Just bringing the TRUTH about stamp collecting hobby so you don't regret in future that you were cheated or you might feel "I was not involved in stamp collection.!!!"

So be careful what are you collecting.!!

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.

Martin Luther King stamp - Gandhi Stamps Bloc feuillet from Haute-Volta Senegal Tchad Niger Mauritania : Stamp price is declining.

Hello Gandhi Collectors,

In 1969 to celebrate Gandhi 100th Birth Anniversary lot of countries issued stamp. Some countries only issued single stamp where as other smaller countries issued multiple stamp in a sheet with other famous leader during that time. 

I think African countries like Niger, Tchad, Senegal and other issued sheet just to make it more expensive because they want to  get more money by making different thematic collectors( Gandhi, MLK and Kennedy collectors)  to fight for that sheets.!!

But I was surprised when I saw value of this stamp sheet sold on various auction internet auction sites. It's barely selling  between $2-3.!!!

I still think this is expensive because dealers are protecting their collection value by bidding on this item. Otherwise I don't think there are many buyer for this kind of sheets.!!

World wide stamp collection is decreasing because lost of interest in this hobby so beware of pricing before you buy it.

After 40+ years if this Gandhi sheets with Martin Luther King and John Kennedy and Robert Kennedy is selling at such a low value. So I think Gandhi stamp hobby is on downward path.

To me it looks a big SCAM is going on not only in Mahatma Gandhi Stamps but all other Mauritius scam by certain dealers on eBay and also on Delcampe so beware when you buy it.

Gandhi stamps are not expensive as it is mentioned in certain articles because there is lot of shill bidding going on not only in Gandhi stamps but also in Indian First Aerial Post cancellation, British India stamps, King George stamps etc.

If you have money to throw away then start collecting  Mauritius, Cameroon, Panama and 1948 India Gandhi stamps and philatelic material and you will have a PIECE of PAPER.

Still cannot decide then read following blog post which might help you.

1) FAKE or Forged British India Cancellation

2) FAKE Indian Embassy of Nepal Cancellation

3) Even Gandhi Stamps are FAKE.!!

Still not decided then my opinion is AVOID it all the cost.!! and have peace of mind instead of worrying you are buying Genuine material at reasonable price.!!!

To me all Gandhi Philatelic material available ( specially before 1950) looks FAKE or Forgery as it is very hard to find Genuine stuff and as new collectors (like me) wants to collect, so some greedy experienced collectors/dealers will provide  all of us as well as experienced collectors.!!

Still want to do research  then please read my other blog post and have fun.!!

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

Thanks
Gandhi Stamps Club

Gandhi Stamps sheet - sheetlet from Cameroun Gabon Tchad Niger Mauritania Upper-Volta issued in 1968 - 1969. Does it make sense in Gandhi Collection.!!

Hello Gandhi Collectors,

Recently I was researching about Gandhi Stamps from Africa and I was surprised after looking at it.

In 1969, it was Gandhi 100th Birth Anniversary and  it was one of most popular event around the world for Gandhi Philatelist and more than 40+ countries issued stamp of him to honor Mahatma Gandhi.

All 6 sheetlets looks similar and looks like printed at same printing press.!! All of this countries except Tchad issued stamp in 1968.!! Not sure why!!

Also not sure why all this 6 countries did not design differently. My guess is they were following Gandhiji's principles of simplicity.!!!

Again to all new collectors think before you start collecting and see what is the real philatelic. It's not just stamps and sheetlets.!!! If you collect stamp sheetlet like this I think it will not appreciate too much as there are more then enough for all Gandhi Collectors.

 John Kennedy and Robert Kennedy were famous in 1960 because of president and their assasination, but my research indicates that thematic collection of Kennedy's are not popular any more lot of stamps and sheetlets are coming in market. I think same is the case with MLK. It's surprising to see this kind of decline in thematic collection of certain leaders.

I think Gandhi popularity is gaining because economic in India is doing very good since last 10+ years and also lot of NRI who went to foreign countries on H1 Visa are coming back to their childhood hobby so it's in great demand and trying to collect all.!!  But I am not sure how long it will continued and will sustain this kind of popularity of this thematic hobby.!!

Even after this popularity this sheetlet are selling some where between $1-$3 and I think it's a reasonable price after 40+ years.!!

To me it looks a big SCAM is going on not only in Mahatma Gandhi Stamps but all other Mauritius scam by certain dealers on eBay and also on Delcampe so beware when you buy it.

Gandhi stamps are not expensive as it is mentioned in certain articles because there is lot of shill bidding going on not only in Gandhi stamps but also in Indian First Aerial Post cancellation, British India stamps, King George stamps etc.

If you have money to throw away then start collecting  Mauritius, Cameroon, Panama and 1948 India Gandhi stamps and philatelic material and you will have a PIECE of PAPER.

Still cannot decide then read following blog post which might help you.

1) FAKE or Forged British India Cancellation

2) FAKE Indian Embassy of Nepal Cancellation

3) Even Gandhi Stamps are FAKE.!!

Still not decided then my opinion is AVOID it all the cost.!! and have peace of mind instead of worrying you are buying Genuine material at reasonable price.!!!

To me all Gandhi Philatelic material available ( specially before 1950) looks FAKE or Forgery as it is very hard to find Genuine stuff and as new collectors (like me) wants to collect, so some greedy experienced collectors/dealers will provide  all of us as well as experienced collectors.!!

Still want to do research  then please read my other blog post and have fun.!!

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

Thanks
GSC

Niger Gandhi Stamps, Miniature Sheet and FDC - What is value of Gandhi Stamps.

Hello Gandhi Collectors,

Niger, officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east. The capital city is Niamey. (Read more about Niger at Wikipedia)

In 1968 Niger honored Mahatma Gandhi along with other popular leaders MLK, John Kennedy and Robert Kennedy during that time.

This stamps and sheet are similar to stamps issued from countries like Cameroun, TCHAD and Gabon. All this countries issued stamps of same leaders and similar pictures on stamp sheet. None of the other leaders stamps except Gandhi is even selling for one-tenth of this price.!!!

Even after 40+ years this stamps and stamps sheet are appreciating at all because of very large quantity comparing to population during that time.  All 4 Stamps are available some where around $1 - $2 and Miniature sheet of 4 stamps is available from 2-3$ range.

Also 3000 Gandhi FDC were issued so I think there will be enough for everyone.

Don't just buy it because you are collecting Gandhi Stamps and Philatelic materials. Need to understand first lot of things before you start buying it.

Again Gandhi Stamps and Sheet are available in very very large quantity so you will find it cheap all the time and MNH stamps and sheet does not have importance in exhibition. It only looks good in your album.!!

Thanks
Ketankumar Patel.