Last year proved a strong year for the rare stamp market across most areas.

Record prices were achieved at auction on numerous occasions.

The biggest event last year was the auction sale of the US Inverted Jenny stamp for $2 million. This set a new record for the most expensive single US stamp sold.

Last week, I revealed our top selling stamp countries from Number 10 to Number 6…

Today, it’s time for me to reveal the hottest 5 countries in stamps right now.

These are the stamps we have found most in demand over the past year.

For each country, I also share with you my top personal recommendation for you to add to your collection.

Not only should they give personal pride, pleasure and delight…

They are also specific stamps I recommend for investment purposes.

Let us proceed…

5. South Africa

South Africa continues to prove a popular area with collectors, staying put in 5th place.

In recent years, we have witnessed a rising number of active specialised collectors of South African stamps and postal history.

It is an area of philatelic interest with a complex postal history, giving a lifetime of intellectual pursuit for many.

Last year, auction realisations for covers and postal history were particularly strong.

The rising interest and prices for items of postal history have been a theme in recent years. The former president of the Royal Philatelic Society, Peter Cockburn, explains why in a recent interview with The Telegraph newspaper:

“It’s the story that is so interesting to me, not the fact they are worth a lot of money. And it’s not just me. In general, fewer collectors are focused on money these days, although, as postage stamps truly are mini works of art, the price that other pieces of art sell for makes the value of a stamp look ridiculously low.”

This complex piece of African postal history looks great value, being extremely rare, fascinating and with exceptional provenance…

Zanzibar 1934 (18 JAN) incoming airmail cover from Durban, South Africa with black/blue trilingual airmail label, underfranked by 1930-45 3d black and red (the rate being 5d) tied by despatch circular date stamp, with bold oval "T/40c" applied alongside to indicate double deficiency of 40 gold centimes.

On reverse, transit circular date stamp of Dodoma (20 JA 34) and Dar Es Salaam (22 JA 1934) in Tanganyika, and type KD13 Zanzibar arrival circular date stamp (23 JA 34).

The deficiency was paid on arrival by 1930-33 25c black/lilac postage due, SGD24 (6th setting, 1st printing, R2/2) applied to face and tied by light type R7 "REG./ZANZIBAR" circular date stamp (24 JA 34).

A very fine and neat cover other than trivial opening faults and much better quality than normally seen for covers of this nature. A lovely piece of complex postal history in the most attractive condition.

A rare and desirable cover being one of only 12 recorded with the 25c black/lilac.

Provenance: Ex John Griffith-Jones collection, and illustrated (as Fig. 11.33) on p.312 of his book. Census F.205.

Price: £850 

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4. Australia   

Australia dropped from 3rd to 4th place this year.

Although it was a quieter year for Australia, the Australian States saw an increase in prices.

Australia benefits from a strong and passionate home market, yet is a country which captivates the interest of collectors from all over the world.

I am sticking (forgive the pun) to postal history for my Australian top pick.

I am excited to be in a position to present to you something special from the early days of Australian postal history.

This one is, in fact, the earliest postal usage.

It is also unique and therefore highly desirable…

Australia Tasmania 1857 (JY 25) entire letter from Hobart to 'Campbell Town', franked at 4d inland rate by 1856-57 2d dull emerald-green on thin white paper (no watermark), SG20.

The two examples have lovely fresh colour with mostly good margins, tied by very fine '62' numeral, with red 'PRE-PAID' despatch circular date stamp below.

Light filing fold at foot, the stamps lifted for inspection (by Purves Philatelics) and replaced, and the left stamp with unobtrusive vertical crease, nevertheless a choice and very rare cover, one of only five recorded with this stamp - unique with this franking and the earliest known usage.

A very important piece of early Australian postal history.

The island of Tasmania just off south-eastern Australia was one of the six British colonies that merged to form the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901.

Originally called Van Diemen’s Land, in 1812, British convicts were sent to the island as a “prison without walls”.

Van Diemen’s Land changed its name to Tasmania in 1856.

Accompanied with a British Philatelic Association (BPA) certificate of authenticity (2014), not mentioning the crease.

Price: £6,500

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3. China

China drops one spot to 3rd place this year, although it remains one of the areas in highest demand.

China is reported to host a third of the total number of stamp collectors in the world. We expect to see further growth in those numbers from the entry of millennials with a growing awareness and interest toward collectibles.

The Chinese stamp market was the strongest area of the market between 2000 and 2016, with prices for some stamps rising by as much as 10% per month.

The market experienced a hefty correction between 2016 and 2018. Prices remained relatively flat since that correction until last year when they started to rise again.

The dynamics that caused the high levels of growth in the past remain in place, with auctions in China and Hong Kong still showing a larger number of bidders than anywhere else in the world.

Current market evidence points towards the return of a bull market in Chinese stamps. In the past year we have witnessed higher prices being realised at European auctions of Chinese stamps. This includes an increased participation in these auctions from Chinese buyers.

2024 is the Chinese Year of the Dragon, an event which comes around only every 12 years.

The first stamps issued by the Chinese Empire featured a wonderfully artistic design of a dragon. I expect to see these stamps being even more popular with Chinese collectors this year…

China 1878 1ca green, 3ca brown-red and 5ca orange, 'Large Dragons', thin paper 2¼mm spacing, SG1/3.

Fine mint examples with large part original gum, rarely seen so fine.

The Chinese Empire Large Dragon stamps are one of the most attractive stamp issues of all time. When you soak up the intricate detail of this piece of artwork created with precise accuracy on a minute piece of paper, you can’t help admire the skill involved.

The dragon is an important symbol of Chinese culture. It is considered a symbol of power, strength and good luck.

Finding fine quality mint examples of China’s first postage stamps is challenging. Few examples you will find are as fresh as this set.

This set of stamps were the first stamps issued by the Chinese Empire in 1878 and hold the same collecting importance in China as the penny black in Great Britain.

Price: £3,250

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2. Canada

Canada is up two places and was our second biggest selling stamp country in 2023. 

Canada has always been a very popular country to collect with a wide base of collectors. Its high position this year reflects the fact we had a number of big buyers of Canadian stamps in 2023, which included the sale of the iconic 1851 12d Black Empress stamp for £90,000.

In my view, Canada is responsible for issuing some of the best stamp designs in the world. Throughout their postal history, they have strictly adhered to high quality issues with fantastic designs showcasing their unique culture.

Collectors of Canadian stamps are generally very condition focused and it is common to see premium quality examples sell for above Stanley Gibbons catalogue values.

Most of the increases in prices we witnessed last year were for pre-war issues.

The “Large Queen” stamps were the first stamps issued after the formation of the Dominion of Canada in 1867. Their name is to distinguish them from the 1870 issues (the “Small Queen”) which are similar in appearance but physically similar.

The Large Queen stamp issue is a favourite of Canadian stamp collectors around the world.

This exceptional quality imperforate mint pair is a must add to any serious collection of Canadian Queen Victorian stamps…

Canada 1868-90 Large Queen 15c, IMPERFORATE HORIZONTAL PAIR in brown-purple, upper marginal with trace of imprint, SG71a.

A fine quality pair with original gum and rich colour and especially large margins. A real stunner.

Only 200 pairs existed and are rare in this form and quality.

Accompanied with a Vincent Graves Greene Philatelic Research Foundation certificate of authenticity (1991) as Scott 29d for block of 4, from which this is the upper pair.

Price: £1,400 

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1. Great Britain

Our home country, the first country to issue adhesive postage stamps, takes the top spot for another year.

Last year saw high liquidity as a large number of collections appeared at auction. We experienced a constant healthy demand from our own client base.

In my view, British rare stamps currently look undervalued against rarities from other countries. For the past seven years prices have mostly remained flat, with some areas falling in value considerably, most notably, QEII stamp errors.

At some point, I expect to see a lack of supply in the market leading to a price correction. Much higher growth rates will be experienced for a period of time whilst British stamps catch up to reach their fair values again.

Despite the recent period of market weakness in rare British stamps, over the past 50 years the GB30 British Stamps Rarities index has reported an average annual compound growth rate of 9%.

One area of the specialist British stamp market has proved enduringly popular over the past 20 years, consistently rising in value…

The Government Official stamps have outperformed most other areas of the British stamp market.

My final recommendation is also my top recommendation of them all for investment purposes…

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Great Britain 1902 1s green & carmine (Board of Education) Official, SGO87var. 
 
A superb very lightly mounted unused, original gum, example of this very rare departmental issue overprinted "SPECIMEN" type 16.