Imagine for a minute that you are the owner of the British Guiana 1c Magenta - now the world's most valuable postage stamp.

The 1c Magenta - a better place to store wealth than your London home

You bought it back in 1980 for $935,000 after a windfall came through, along with a good-sized London house and a classic car.

Now you've just sold the stamp for £9.48m, marking another momentous occasion in its long and colourful history.

Along with it, you decide to sell the house in London as well as the classic car, having a bit of a clear out while the time is right.

You certainly caught the London market at the right time, with the current housing bubble ensuring a decent £485,000 for your average three-bedroom place.

That's not bad considering you only paid £40,000 for it 34 years ago.

In fact, in that time it has brought you returns of 8.57% per annum, a little bit more than the 7.94% pa returns you got from the 1c Magenta.

Which of your investments would you miss?

Property in London has long been known for its ever-increasing value, but once the taxes and bills are done, does the investment pay off?

While celebrating your selling success over dinner one day, a friend asks you a difficult question: which investment do you miss the most?

It gives you pause for thought.

As far as profit is concerned, it seems the London house is the clear winner - 8.57% per annum is not to be sniffed at.

Yet, when you take into account the repairs, the taxes, the bills, it all mounts up.

Suddenly, the scales tip in favour of the 1c Magenta.

Then there's the worry. In the 34 years since you bought the house, you've weathered three recessions.

Three times, at least, has there been cause for concern, as the market stalled and you have a property that no one wants to buy.

All the while, the 1c Magenta caused little worry, sat in safe storage and occasionally brought out to dazzle other collectors.

An exciting way to store money

What's more, those rare occasions when it was displayed at stamp exhibitions were some of the most memorable you've ever had.

As a lifelong stamp collector, what could be better than the recognition of your fellow collectors, with your stamp presented with several awards over the years?

The prestige of owning the world's rarest stamp is akin to being a stamp collecting celebrity, and it's nice to enjoy the spotlight once in a while.

You've been invited to travel the world to visit top stamp expos, with your unique philatelic gem granting you access to exclusive events. And then there's the friend you've made at those events.

Sure, the classic car could have brought you all this and more, but as an investment, it has it's perks but hasn't been the most profitable purchase.

The sheer pleasure of driving it is extraordinary. Yet even this can only outweigh the cost of garaging, restorations and costly days at the track for so long.

In all that time, the only money the 1c Magenta has cost is the re-certification ahead of its big sale - a minor one-off payment.

There's only one answer you can give to your friend over dinner: "I miss the 1c Magenta the most".

Enrich your portfolio

You see, postage stamps are so much more than just a monetary investment.

Sure, the profits seen by stamps can rival the returns of London property, but they bring so much more.

In terms of volatility, stamps are about as hassle-free as investments come, with little correlation to other markets causing almost no sudden fluctuations in the market. No recession concerns here, with stamps staying strong throughout recent economic woes.

And, unlike art or classic cars, stamps also have little in terms of storage cost, with the right conditions in your home often more than suitable. If you're collection is of a particularly high value, you might want to consider a safe, but that's all you'll need to protect your tiny squares of paper.

At Paul Fraser Collectibles, we provide free storage and free fully-insured delivery, helping you keep the cost of owning world-class collectibles at a minimum.

As for pleasure of ownership, if philately's your thing you can't get better than an investment in stamps. Many of the most enjoyable collections, such as wine or classic cars, are brilliant fun but can only offer so much when it comes to reliable returns.

And that's why the new owner of the British Guiana 1c Magenta was prepared to pay another new record price to own the stamp - it's a life-enriching addition to their portfolio that offers much more than the drab world of property and shares.

Yet, despite being billed as "the world's rarest stamp", there are actually a number of unique rarities available with Paul Fraser Collectibles.

We have some of the most stunning, rare and investment quality stamps for sale at prices similar to the 1c Magenta in 1980. This is your chance to make 7.94% per annum returns while enjoying a quality of life unrivalled by other investments.

Thanks for reading,

Paul

Paul Fraser Collectibles