Chinese stamps break new records - your turn to access this booming market

Dear Reader,

In the last fortnight, a block of 4 Chinese stamps broke yet another world record for the highest auction realisation for a Chinese stamp- continuing the trend for escalating prices in the Far Eastern stamp market as affluent Chinese look for secure ways to invest their money.

As we have intimated to you already, there is an increasing demand for rare Chinese stamps. This sale also suggests that:
 

• Supply is not keeping up with demand
• The financial returns for expertly-chosen, rare stamps are high
  The wave of Chinese money that has come into the markets for fine wine, art and antiques is now entering the world of stamp collecting- and the returns are following the patterns of these other investment markets
• With the Chinese government's measures to try and cool the red-hot property market is becoming harder for the rich to buy multiple properties. Chinese investors are starting to look for alternative investment outlets that offer both security and a healthy return.

The record breaking block

The block comprises of a set of 4 stamps from the Cultural Revolution, featuring a design called 'Mao's 1968 Inscription to Japanese worker Friend'.

In 1962, Mao Zedong received a delegation of Japanese 'Worker Activists in Study', supportive of the Communist ideals embodied by Mao's China. In honour of this, and as a message to other Japanese citizens sympathetic to Communism, Chairman Mao wrote and released an 'Important Inscription for Japanese Worker Friends'. It stated:

"The Japanese revolution will undoubtedly be victorious, provided the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism is really integrated with the concrete practice of the Japanese revolution. Written for our friends the Japanese workers, in compliance with the request of the friends on the Japanese Delegation to China of Worker Activists in Study".

On the sixth anniversary of the release, the Chinese Government chose to commission a commemorative stamp, depicting the inscription set against a red background.

However, the Japanese Government objected to the stamp, claiming it might incite its citizens to cultivate and act upon revolutionary ideas. Many are unconvinced that Chairman Mao would have actually taken into consideration the feelings of the Japanese government, however, for whatever reason, the stamp was withdrawn before official issue.

There was a twist though - the post office in a northern Chinese province had begun selling the stamp prior to the official issuance date and before the cancellation order which meant that a tiny handful were purchased by the public- the number is immensely small and it is one of China's rarest and most prized stamps.

A short while ago we found a single example of this stamp and, recognising it was undervalued, purchased it- it was sold almost straight away to a collector who happened to be in the right place at the right time- for a price that now seems even more undervalued.

You still have a chance to get into this exciting market

We do have a small and select stock of other, rare, premium Chinese stamps available to you and I would urge you to move quickly and purchase as many of these as your finances or your investment ceiling allows.

Simply e-mail back on investment@stanleygibbons.com, or call 0845 026 7170 (UK) or +44 1481 708 270 with all speed.

CHINA SG92

1897 (Jan) $5 on 3c deep red, a rarity of which only 5000 were surcharged, of these most were 'used' on remittance certificates but not cancelled and are therefore without gum, this example, which is centred to top, is one of the few remaining that have large part o.g., an extraordinary stamp.
£60,000

One of the 'great rarities' of the Qing Dynasty. Undervalued (possibly going to be £70K in the new China catalogue.)

CHINA SG 81a var

1897 1½mm spaced surcharge on Dowager third printing, 4c on 4ca pale pink, error surcharge inverted and showing incorrect type of Chinese '4', only one pane of eighty was found with the inverted surcharge, this example with the incorrect '4' is therefore unique, part o.g. (Chan 77c) an extraordinary Item.
£32,000

There are 2 errors with this item. The sheet the surcharge was printed on was fed incorrectly into the printer leaving it inverted. But more importantly the '4' used was wrong on one position. As there has only ever been one recorded sheet this item is unique.

CHINA FORMOSA

1888 Horse and Dragon 20 cash, a group of nine Bradbury Wilkinson imperf proofs, each approx 47mm x 51mm, on thin wove paper (similar to issued stamps) in deep red-brown (ungummed), deep chestnut (gummed), bright chestnut (ungummed), deep dull green (both gummed and ungummed) green (gummed), bright green (gummed) and bright blue (both gummed and ungummed), a few tones but an extraordinary and possibly unique assemblage
£50,000

There has been a lot of interest in the 'Large dragon' stamps from 1878-85 with prices rocketing. As the prices have risen there is an ever increasing interest in the 'Small dragons' from 1885-88. Great set that is almost impossible to assemble now- possibly unique and if not, certainly very rare.

CHINA SG 16a

1915 $1 black and orange-yellow, error 2nd and 3rd characters of overprint transposed, perfs at foot somewhat trimmed and a couple of short perfs at top but a rarity and one of the 'Treasures of the Republic', large part o.g.
£32,000

The second and third character from the top have been switched. This only happened on 1 stamp per sheet. There were many sheets printed but very few have survived making this item exceptionally rare.

Do be quick and take advantage of this offer

Of course, we don't know what the rare Chinese stamp market will do long term, but if recent movements and indications are anything to go, this is a boom market and the right Chinese stamps (as offered to you by Stanley Gibbons) are likely to be prize investments.

Do contact us on 0845 026 7170 (UK) or +44 1481 708 270, or investments@stanleygibbons.com

Best wishes,

Keith Heddle
Investment Director
Stanley Gibbons Plc

Please note: Content in the Newsletter Archives may no longer be valid and may contain time-sensitive offers that have now expired.