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| 5630 Dunbar St. at 41st Ave. 604-684-4613 |
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Stanley Gibbons Comes to Vancouver |
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Stanley Gibbons Ltd is a company based in London, England specialising in the trade of collectible postage stamps and related products who are currently based at 399 Strand, London. The company was established by Edward Stanley Gibbons in 1856 on the basis of his purchase of a sackful of rare triangular stamps from the Cape of Good Hope. The first Stanley Gibbons stamp catalogue was a monthly published in November 1865. The company produces numerous catalogues which are largely defined by country, region or specialty, many of which are reissued annually. The catalogues list details of all known adhesive postage stamp issues and include the publisher's notional selling prices for unused and used stamps. As well as publishing, Stanley Gibbons is a stamp dealer with a retail business located on the Strand, in their Central London offices offering both older stamps and new issues and fulfilling customer want lists. They produce their own line of other philatelic products, such as albums, stock books, and other accessories. |
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 The company also has an investment division which will help investors choose a portfolio of rare and valuable stamps to hold as an investment. Stanley Gibbons will even store and insure the portfolio at no charge.
Geoff Anandappa, Investment Portfolio Manager for Stanley Gibbons, was in Vancouver to take part in the 2009 Financial Forum and Wealth Management Expo at the Convention Centre. Over 40 companies had booths at the event and were promoting investment opportunities in real estate, gold, minerals, stocks, bonds and, of course, rare stamps. Rare stamps have been considered an important asset class for over 100 years. Wealthy families and many of the Royal dynasties of Europe, have regarded rare stamps as a store of wealth - including the Rothschilds, the Roosevelts, the DuPonts, the Czars of Russia, the Rainiers of Monaco and the British Royal family. Weight for weight, stamps are the most valuable commodity on Earth with many examples regularly fetching over $1 million at auction. The most expensive, at $2.97 million, is the 1868 1c Benjamin Franklin Z-grill, owned by PIMCO fund manager Bill Gross; closely followed by Sweden’s unique Tre-Skilling Yellow. Stamps are a highly portable asset. When King Carol II, the Playboy King, was forced to flee Romania, his precious stamps (including the Tre-Skilling Yellow) came with him. |
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| There are thought to be some 50 million stamp collectors worldwide and the annual turnover for the hobby has been estimated at $10-15 billion. Stamp collecting is extremely popular in Asia: about 35% of all collectors are thought to be in China; and in the Indian sub-continent, philately is a well-respected hobby among the professional middle classes. Many countries in mainland Europe and the Commonwealth have a strong tradition of collecting stamps, having issued some of the early “classics”. In the UK and North America, philately is seeing a resurgence of interest amongst the Baby Boomers: many of those in their 40s and 50s, with more disposable income and time on their hands, are returning to their childhood hobby. | ||||
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| In recent months, several high profile sales have caught the attention of the media. US “Bond King” Bill Gross, for example, auctioned his Great Britain collection in New York for charity in June 2007, raising $10.5 million. He estimated that he spent $2.5 million to acquire the collection over the years, and the auction house estimated it would sell for $4 to $5 million. “It’s four times profit,” he said. “It’s better than the stock market!”
Stamps have been collected and studied since Great Britain issued the Penny Black in 1840. Stanley Gibbons has been publishing catalogues since 1865, which means that the price of any stamp can be tracked back over 100 years. |
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| More recently, rare stamps have been appreciating at an average of 10-15% per annum for the past few years. Many have performed much better than this, with returns of over 45% per annum over 5 years or more. This has, naturally, attracted the attention of investors looking to diversify their portfolios. | ||||
 To assist investors, Stanley Gibbons has compiled a number of indices which are now available on Bloomberg. The GB30 Rare Stamp Index has averaged 9.9% per annum for the past 50 years and, over this time period, has never fallen in value. No other asset class has shown consistent, sustained growth over such a long period.
Compared with more traditional investments over the past 10 years, the GB30 Index has performed very well, outperforming stock markets, gold and property. |
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| Furthermore, rare stamps do not correlate with any other asset class, which makes them ideal for investors seeking to diversify their portfolios. | ||||
 Guaranteed Minimum Returns – with unlimited upside
For those unfamiliar with collectibles, Stanley Gibbons is offering guaranteed contracts with minimum returns of 4-5% per annum over fixed periods of 5-20 years. While the downside is limited, the upside is unlimited – so investors will still reap the rewards if their portfolios outperform the minimum returns. In addition, there are no charges or management fees, and Stanley Gibbons offers free storage and insurance if required. |
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| Why Stanley Gibbons?
“This is a small company with a big asset: its brand is imbued with Established over 150 years ago, Stanley Gibbons is the world’s greatest brand name in collectibles and, since 1914, has held the prestigious Royal Warrant: philatelists to HM Queen Elizabeth II. The company has been listed on the London Stock Exchange (AIM) since 2000, and remains debt-free. Stanley Gibbons has been based in the Strand, London, for over 100 years, but has recently opened premises offshore in Guernsey, in the Channel Islands, specifically to deal with investors. |
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 Expert advice and knowledge is one of the most important reasons to choose Stanley Gibbons, as small flaws can significantly affect the value of a stamp. No other dealers can compare with Stanley Gibbons’ expertise and range of investment-grade items in stock. Furthermore, any item purchased by investors or collectors bears a lifetime guarantee of authenticity. |
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Stanley Gibbons is happy to work with financial advisers and agents in the UK, Europe, US and Asia, to offer a range of alternative investment products for their clients.
For more information, visit the Stanley Gibbons web site. As well, All Nations can provide investment grade stamps. For example, in the auction for March 7, 2009, lot 41 is a stamp from Newfoundland, #15 F/VF Used 1860 1 shilling Orange with an auction estimate of $4,000. As well there are three lots of British Columbia Colonial era stamps. More information about BC Colonial stamps available for sale. |
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Newsletter #169 |
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5630 Dunbar St. at 41st Ave. Phone: 604-684-4613 e-mail: collect@direct.ca |
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