7 Jul 2015 07:00
07 July, 2015
Stamp investments "still pack a punch", 175 years after their introduction
Rare stamp and prestige collectibles merchant, Stanley Gibbons, releases its annual stamp index updates.
Rare stamps continue to prove their investment value, with the latest Stanley Gibbons GB30 and GB250 indices showing continued growth from 2014. In fact, 2015 represents the 45th year in a row that the GB30 index has increased in value.
Listed on both the Bloomberg Professional® service and Thomson Reuters, the indices chart steady increases in value, reflecting the increasing popularity of rare, tangible, heritage assets. These steady increases are uncorrelated to mainstream markets, and create opportunities for portfolio diversification.
The GB250 index, tracking the prices of the top 250 investment-grade stamps of Great Britain has risen 2.05% from 2014 to 2015, clocking up an impressive 10 year growth of 165.72% and 10 year CAGR of 10.27%.
The GB30 Rarities Index, which charts the prices of the 30 rarest stamps of Great Britain, rose 2.40% over the same period, reflecting a 10 year growth rate of 120.09% with a CAGR of 8.21%. Over the past 45 years the GB30 has shown a CAGR of 10.03%, with no drop in value.
Managing Director of Stanley Gibbons Investments, Keith Heddle, said, 'The indices show steady, sustained and sustainable growth in British stamps. Tangible, heritage assets now increasingly form part of a balanced portfolio. As we continue to see economic uncertainty, uncorrelated alternative assets such as rare stamps and coins are being sought to buffer market volatility. 175 years on from the introduction of the Penny Black, the world's first stamp, the role of stamps may have changed somewhat, but they can still pack a punch when it comes to wealth preservation.'
The best performing stamp in the GB250 Index over the past year is the SG440d, a 1935 1d scarlet with a double impression, where the image on the stamp has been printed twice due to a shift during the printing process. The stamp has risen in value by 20% (£20,000 to £24,000). The best performer over the past decade, however, is the SG7 - a 1d red-brown dating back to 1841, which has risen in value from £625 to £11,500 - a jump of 1542.86%.
Data is compiled from the Stanley Gibbons Great Britain Concise Stamp Catalogue, released 13th May 2015, which is the standard reference work for Great Britain philately.
To view a short interview with Keith Heddle on the rare stamp market, click here.
Contact details:
Stanley Gibbons
Louise Reynolds
lreynolds@stanleygibbons.com
+44 (0) 1425 481045
ENDS
Notes to editors
Images: The two best performing stamps: SG440d, 1d scarlet double impression and a block of eight SG7, 1d red-brown, pl 11 from 'Black plates'.
Established in 1856, The Stanley Gibbons Group plc is the world's leading rare stamp and prestige collectibles merchant with offices in the UK, US, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Channel Islands.
A holder of the Royal Warrant as philatelists since 1914, the company set up a designated Investment Department in 2003 to cope with increased demand for rare collectibles as an alternative investment option. It now has rare stamp, rare coin, manuscript and rare book portfolios of more than £120 million under management, with a £10 million 'Wants List' from collectors for rare items. As well as the rarest, finest stamps, Stanley Gibbons Investments also offer rare coins, 1st edition books and limited edition prints.
The Group includes coin merchants Baldwin's (est 1872), fine art auctioneers Dreweatts & Bloomsbury, Fraser's Autographs and Mallett Antiques.
www.stanleygibbonsplc.com