On 21st July , the postage stamp rate goes from 70c each to 72c for an ordinary letter, but someday in the future those very stamps may be worth keeping as an investment. Quietly, as befits such a sedentary pursuit, philately has emerged as one of the hottest and most fashionable pastimes in the world.

Postage stamps are the third largest category traded on eBay and it is estimated that over 30 million people now count themselves as active collectors.

Much more to the point, stamps have proved to be an excellent medium to long-term investment with average returns not so dissimilar to property or stocks and shares. Two market indices — the SG Stamp Price Index and the GB30 Rarities Index — offer tangible evidence of this. Both track average prices and have shown annual increase of closer to 9.

Furthermore, postage stamps have always fared well in times of economic uncertainty. If you study the performance charts for the last five decades you will notice that there are no dramatic market corrections. Prices may be stagnant for periods — but they rarely fall.

The second is, undoubtedly, the scarcity of supply as clearly there is a limited number of any given stamp in existence. Thirdly, the market is international and liquid.

This is all the more true thanks to the Internet, which allows collectors to buy and sell quickly and easily. Fourthly, with astute buying it is possible for the enthusiastic philatelist to beat the market indices and produce even higher returns. You would also be well advised to understand how stamps are valued as well as how to care for them.

A step-by-step guide to profiting off a 3-cent hike on US postage stamps — Quartz

Finally, you should consider what sort of collection you want to build up. Are you interested in stamps from a particular country, airmail stamps, stamps that deal with a particular subject?

Handmade Greeting Cards and Rubber Stamping Tips

Would you be more interested in covers where the stamp is still attached to the envelope or unused stamps or commemorative issues? One area of obvious interest to readers of this paper is that of collecting Irish stamps. The most sought after stamps for Irish collectors were the British stamps that were overprinted for Irish use first printed in February and the last one in These include the Fenian issue, produced by Irish veterans of the U.

Whatever area you decide to invest in, a stamp collection should deliver returns that are difficult to lick. Irish Philatelic Society and the Dublin Stamp Society.

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Weather Aertel Watch Live. By John Lowe Managing director of Providence Finance Services Ltd trading as The Money Doctor. More on Lifestyle living The Money Doctor john lowe Institute of Bankers Stillorgan Co Dublin Save Cash Make Money Stamp Price Index Sinn Feinn Irish Post Office Irish National Stamp Exhibition Philatelic Society Dublin Stamp Society Providence Finance Services Ltd Living.

How to invest in stamps and make good money

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