Philately as investment - Yugoslavia:

Actually, here is not talk about specific items from Yugoslavia area, it is more about one 

(I think wrong), meaning or "way" of collectors and Philatelist worldwide think about Philately.

All or almost all of Philatelist will say that they collect stamps for pure JOY!

No one think about Philately as investment, just few will trade material, and most of Philatelist actually have material "from here - to there", mixed quality, topical, not full set.

They really collect just to have postage stamps in albums, and as they believe that no profit is possible from this hobby, they keep it that way.

A lot of relaxing time spend with postage stamp, it is fact, a lot of money spend, space, handling.... all is fine till time come to think about selling collection or giving it to the next generation.

Than,  disappointment come!

No one of next generation interested in continuing,  no one of children/grand children wish to keep collection, no one have patience and mean of preserving this "pile" of albums in some secure place. So, the inheritors will just go to first stamp shop, offer it for sale, and go home very disappointed.

Many will just throw this "life work" somewhere in basement, and forget about, naturally, all will go to be damaged after few years, and in the end, material will finish in garbage bin.

Sad as can be!

So, what is problem? No, no problem at all with me, it is "the way world is made" and I accept it in this way.

But, let see some nice example, that made me really surprised!

It is not this "magenta" which was sold recently for few million of US$, or Penny Black, or inverted airplane, or other more "famous" items sold by big auction companies.

We can give a lot of examples, where one stamp is purchased by face value, and within time, this stamp reach some very high returns when sold on internet or public auction, we can mention few stamps that are deposited in banks as "cover" for taken credit or as investment.

Fine to talk, but to give some REAL happening where You can actually prove that Philately/stamp can made a good profit, are very slim. 

Over this 35 years that I deal, trade, collect stamps, I saw few people that purchased plot of land, even apartment from selling collection of stamps. All of this stories are just under "believe or not" title.

Except one!

...that I recently read, and I read it not as connected to Philately, but as one of interview with one great person, published in "The New York Times International Edition", Friday, August 14, 2020, under title "Corner Office", by David Gelles, and interview was with Michael Dell, head of Dell Technologies!

You can ask, what connection at all! High tech, IT, but not Philately, isn't?

So, if You read it, and come to the part when author ask Mr Dell about "How did You become interested in technology?", so, in his answer, Mr Dell say, between all, also: "...I had saved up some money from early entrepreneurial things - trading baseball cards and STAMPS...."!

So, that it is - Philately as "seed", as IGNITION for one investment, yes - INVESTMENT that give starting point for big business!

Good point, why - WHY to collect and be active in stamp trading and building one collection that have value, and probably, will bring to the next generation some kind of "starting push" in other investment, or just as one kind of educational tool for our future generation (education is worth a lot, isn't?).

As I receive last edition of  renowned Michel catalog for Yugoslavia and all related territory, reading and examining last change in prices, comparing it with prices from 2015 year edition, I come across one "classic" item, that have evaded me for many-many years! Even today, after 35+ years in collecting, I have chance to see this item, probably three or four time. Last one sample, that I wanted to obtain, was from person that ask very-very high price for it.

Put aside, that this period of Yugoslavia, most of material are expensive, and almost all will need certificate from known examiner (which, in this modern time are rare), still, asking price, compared with 2015 edition of Michel was - HIGH!

Than come new edition of catalog, to my desk, and when I read, that same stamp are now very-very expensive, I just say - PHILATELY is INVESTMENT now!

This is items that made me think to talk about PHILATELY as investment:

Michel catalog number: 62:

 Yugoslavia, 1918 year, overprint "SHS"

Surprise? 

Not so, because in 2015 catalog edition, it was valued at 2000.00 euro, mint, nh condition even higher, certificate must, and exam mark on back on stamp preferable.

Keep an eye on this country and period, it is very hard to complete but very worth to have!

Serbia: Classic period

This is one country (Serbia) with very interesting history!

 From great battle on Kosovo territory against Great Turkish Empire, till today's time!

How it affect Philately are very visible on, when someone wish to make complete collection, which can be almost impossible task.

In this small world, I know probably just one or two person that have it completed, and next 15 to 20 who reach one serious level.

We know that Serbia made first postage stamp on 1866 (May), with Coat of Arms design, and following it, come next issue (July) with Prince Mihailo Obrenovic III portrait on stamp.

(1967 issue, folded on middle)

When talking about completing this country in postage stamp collection, we must to understand, that stamps from this period, because time period, printing quality, and history, are mostly impossible to find in perfect, or even "good" condition. Most of material will be without glue, and with heavy hinges on back, if You will find samples without "rust", You can say "Hallelujah"!

There will be, as usually "missing" corner, or folded (as shown on photo), otherwise, if someone will offer You this period material in "perfect" or "very good" condition, be very suspicious, as it can be some kind of fake. There is NO samples of in perfect condition.

(1869 issue, missing "corner")

As You see from this issue from 1869 year (Prince Milan Obrenovic), there is "normal" quality You will (very hard) find on free market.

Another obstacle come with perforation varieties that are registered in Michel catalog, and there is many of it!

(1869 issue, perforation varieties)

So, what is reason that I say "Stamp Must Have"?

With all this quality in question, I still say, You MUST have it if You wish to make one serious collection, that will have market value, and that when "we" pass away, our children/s or grand-children/s will have something about what to talk, something that have VALUE!

I try to search market and collectors who offer this material on web or on direct sales, and result are very "grave"!

See in Michel catalog, and from first line You can read, that mentioned prices are for HINGED, to very hinged quality! Mean, that in good quality, You will pay premium over full catalog value, if You have luck to find it at all!

For items, that have high catalog value, obviously, You will need certificate, as price ranged from few $ to few thousand $ per sample!

That mean, if You go for "hunting" this material, do it just from personal dealer, or take risk (which can cost You lot)!

Good luck and "Mazal Tov" (מזל טוב) to any good purchase!

Czechoslovakia 1919

Here we come to one "Diamond" in every collection.

Nice or not nice, it is one classic issue from 1919 year, overprint on Austro-Hungarian stamp (Michel number 205 II), catalog Michel have it by number 56 IIb, 3 Kr lilarot (lilac red), 

overprint "Posta Ceskoslovenska 1919" in black color, and Scott have it under number B19a.

Examining Scott and Michel catalog, also Specialized Czechoslovakia catalog, I see that this issue is not summarized in "set" like we know to name some issue of x, y stamp in issue - that mean, this overprinted stamp come to the use "as situation required" but here we have too much to study, which is not my intention at present - I'm not so big specialist in this field.

Now, why I think that it is worth to have?

First, it is early period of country, after that one more reason is overprint alone, next come that this specific stamp is not in "basic" set - mean, that "basic set" value of 3 Kr come in brown-carmine color, and here shown come in claret. Scott mention this "variety" (number B19a), which is actually not variety, but regular color of original Austro-Hungarian set. 

I just purchased this one lot of 4 stamp, where between four, one is exactly mentioned number, in VF, LH condition, og.

What decided that I go after it was, rarity of this issue, and because it (specific stamp) is signed on back, which actually is some kind of certificate about same. I don't have wish to track and buy one sample with certificate, also because it will be so costly and also because not many of this stamp are know. Signature on back actually give me some kind of secure sleep, when is talking about forgery - but, without certificate it still have one level of chance that it can be "bad".

I also read little about this stamp in "Specialized Guide for Czechoslovakian Stamp" which say that color is correct and also dimension is correct, actually existed "small" (25x30 mm) and "big" (25.7x29 mm) dimension, which just confirmed that I have right stamp.

What say catalog value?

Michel 2000.00 euro, Scott 2750.00 $ and "Guide" (don't have prices - but "points") marked it 2R (mean: 201 to 400 know discovered). If I know that my sample is in VF, LH condition, that will reduce level to one fair market price of around 60-70% of Michel catalog.

Want it, have it? Keep for it, and if it is in Your collection - put it on the bottom of box, as dark side as can be - it is really one valued stamp!