What is happening to our market?

[Stamp and Coin Dealer 10]

Can someone please inform me as to what is happening to our stamp market?

 

I have been in the stamp trade now for over 20 years and over the last few years I have seen a decline in serious collectors.

 

No one in South Africa (except for maybe 2 or 3 buyers) is prepared to pay market related prices for good items.

 

I had a selection of items for sale and after two weeks had no luck in selling the items in our market.

I then contacted a well known dealer in the UK and they bought the items from me with a smile.

 

I frequently bid on auctions in the UK and the market is so strong that I am lucky to get 1 out of 10 items I want.

Sometimes I bid 5 x low estimate and still can not get the item.

 

I know we all want a bargain but at what cost to our hobby.

 

The message I get from our market is that no one has any faith in the hobby anymore.

and that is why 99.99% of the better collections get sold overseas and not in South Africa.

 

Maybe we should market stamps as an Investment opportunity or Rand hedge.

 

I hope to get some feedback as to what other dealers think.

 

Regards Morne

 

[republikein 10]

Many of the old timers have passed on, many have emigrated ... and the rest are too busy trying to survive against all odds.

[mrmouse 11]

To me a stamp has no value , I would rather spend R2000 on parts and turn that money over into R10000 in less than a week ,than buy stamps and hope for a good return.