Hello Gandhi Philatelist,
Looks like Gandhi Philately is in deep trouble.!!!
Yesterday Gandhi Centenary FDC from Mexico was sold for $15.!! It's not price of one it's price for 3 FDC.!!
As you all know FDC are one of the safest to collect as there are very very less chances of cheating because it's hard to duplicate each and everything required to make it such as envelope quality (needs 40+ years old), size, cachet printing on the FDC(India Map) and last is special cancellation issued for that date.
Like private FDC and used register cover there are more chance of FAKE or Forged then authenticate or Genuine because anyone can make it as it don't need special cover, special cachet and special cancellation.
FDC are safest investment except some 1948 Gandhi FDC from India. All other private FDC(without cachet or special cancellation issued for that day) and cachet less envelope are useless (such as First day Cover with Gandhi stamp withNepal Indian Embassy cancellation.!! )
So my question is why even after 40+ years it's available for $5 makes it's interesting to study as don't know why there are no buyers!!
I think reason for this decline is
2) Forgery and FAKE are making new collectors to run away.:- As you all know that there are lot of forgery items available not only in Gandhi stamps and Philatelic material but all philatelic material of the world including British India, Aerial Post etc. We are seeing currently lot of FAKE 1948 Gandhi stamps along with Gandhi SERVICE stamp available in current market. Also you know there are other FAKE material in First Aerial Mail special cachet cancellation, 1948 FAKE private FDC and all different kind of Overprint stamp.
3) Inflated price by shill bidding is the main reason why new collectors are running away faster than they can.!! : But this is one of the major reason why price is declining, because new collectors are scared as soon as they are aware that they bought philatelic material at inflated by and they are cheated by some unethical sellers like dealers/collectors on eBay who inflated price in order to sell there own.!! (Lot of cheaters are out there so beware. No one to trust.!!)
4) Current collectors are buying at very low price only : Also collectors who are collecting since more than 5 years are not ADDING expensive items in their collection or even avoiding all together because they are worried themselves what is the future of this hobby once it was known as king of hobby for knowledge they get also known for good investment.!!!!
But looks like it's not for investment, but of course for knowledge how to increase price by shill bidding, how to cheat, how to forged without getting caught etc.!!
So above are only some of the reason why Mexico Gandhi Stamps FDC was sold for $5.!!!
Following is recent auction of 3 Mexico FDC with Gandhi Stamps which was sold for $15 as there was no shill bidding involved other wise it will shoot up in price or it will start from high value (so some one get trap.!!).
In my previous blog spot I wrote about
Mexico FDC sold under $1.!! so this is interesting that someone really wants to get 3 of them.!!
To me it's does not justify to keep this PAPER for 40+ years and with all this deflation in money and all headache of storing it in a good place with good quality of album just get you negative return on investment.
But I think in future it will come down as there will be no new collectors are coming in to this hobby.
Not sure what is the future of Gandhi Stamps and Philatelic material, but to me it looks it will end up with other philatelic value. (which has NONE.!!)
In past we saw some very low value of 1969 Gandhi FDC from India with all 4 Gandhi stamps. In december 2011 it was only sold for 39 cents (0.39$). Yes only 39 US cents.!!
After looking 1969 Mexico Gandhi FDC price and 1969 Gandhi FDC from India, don't you think that Gandhi stamps and philatelic collection is in very DEEP TROUBLE.!!!!!!
Not sure about you but I think it's indeed in trouble. Still not sure read my following my blog posts to understand what is going on stamp collecting world specially in Indian Philatelic material with 1948 Gandhi stamps.
