18 JANUARY 2016 http://www.stampandcoin.co.ukStamp update
C
ollectors, like hikers, enjoy a challenge. They may
want an easy philatelic climb some of the time, but
for long term appeal most collectors need some
difficulty in their pursuit.
For a philatelic specialty to be popular, items after the
basics should be hard to find. Perhaps there are rarities that require
great monetary outlay, and perhaps there is the challenge of reprints and
forgeries. But make the challenge too daunting and people give up the
climb and collect something else. Such is the case with Venezuela.
Venezuela should be a popular country. It is one of the wealthiest
countries in Latin America, with large oil revenues and it has an educated
and literate population. These are both factors that predict philatelic
popularity in a country. And yet very few people collect the stamps of
Venezuela. The reason, I think, is because of forgeries. The early issues
were very crudely printed and have been extensively forged. Beyond
forgeries there were many issues that were remaindered out (sold to the
philatelic trade after demonetisation, and sometimes before) which are
impossible to tell from the originals.
Next add a series of fiercely difficult to distinguish overprints that were
placed on the stamps as anti-counterfeiting and anti-theft measures (similar
to the US Kansas-Nebraska overprints) and you have a collecting situation
appealing largely to masochists.
Years ago Harmer’s had a great specialised auction of Venezuela that I
attended. If you knew what you were doing, great rarities could be purchased
for little cost compared to what they would be worth if they were the stamps
of a more popular country. The same situation exists today.John Apfelbaum has spent a lifetime learning about stamp collecting. He runs
the venerable firm of stamp professionals Earl PL Apfelbaum, a business that has
dealt in only stamps since 1901 and which was founded by his great grandfather.
He can be reached at [email protected]A challenge too far?
Grosvenor Philatelic Auctions
recently celebrated its 100th
auction with a week of sales,
achieving a total of over £
million. The Golden Collection
of Great Britain featured ‘an
exceptional presentation of mint/
unused stamps and specimens
from the reigns of Queen
Victoria and King Edward VII’ and included a very scarce
1882 Watermark Anchor £1 brown-lilac on blued paper.SOLD FOR £35,The largest known multiple of the 1891 Provisional
Surcharge 1d claret, described as ‘truly a Crown Jewel of
Falklands philately’ was sold during Grosvenor’s recent sales.SOLD FOR £36,The Charles W. Adams
Collection of United States and
Canada was recently sold by
Spink. The highest sale price
came for a 4c Orange brown
on bluish paper, described as
‘handsome appearing mint
example of this sought-after
20th-century rarity... a rare
opportunity to acquire this elusive stamp, of which
approximately ninety examples were released by the Post
Office Department’.SOLD FOR £7,Spink USA’s Philatelic
Collector’s Series Sale
included a ‘spectacular’
right sheet-margin mint
block of four of the
Nova Scotia 1853 1d
red brown. The block
was said to be ‘in a
marvellous state of preservation, brilliantly fresh, lovely rich
colour and impression, clear to large margins all around’SOLD FOR £13,p16 Auctions.indd 18 23/11/2015 14: