I was wondering whether there are many people who focus on acquiring only the first stamp from various countries. Some of them are prohibitively expensive, but it seems like an interesting approach. Each has its own special significance just by virtue of being first issue. Any comments?
In many cases, the first stamp of a country is far from being the most expensive representative of that country. Classic example is Great Britain where a fairly decent looking #1 Penny Black might be acquired for $50 + us dollars if you keep your eyes open.
I have a decent#1 New South Wales - $160. And a not so decent #1 Western Australia - $70. US #1 $330, etc. And there are many countries where #1 is a pittance.
I would not say I focus on #1's, but I will certainly look into it if affordable. It's always nice to get that first position in an album filled. And at that point I start feeling bad I don't have #2. And so it goes.
#1s do not normally run in the high dollars. We associate #1s with age and rarity, because in the popular countries that is true to a great extent.
Note also that there are a number of countries that do not have a #1 in Scott. In my discussions with #1 collectors, if it is not #1, they do not want it.
Here are some #1 examples less than $100 with 2017 Scott values (unused-MNH/used):
Guam $20.00/$25.00
Ryukyu Islands $2.00/$2.00
United Nations New York $0.25/$0.25
United Nations Geneva $0.25/$0.25
United Nations Vienna $0.25/$0.30
West New Guinea $0.25/$0.25
Kosovo $1.00/$0.75
Abu Dhabi $3.75/$4.00
Afghanistan used $60.00
Aguera, La $2.50/$2.60
Aitutaki $4.75/$7.00
Ajman $0.25/$0.25
Alaouites $4.00/$4.00
Alexandretta $3.50/$3.50
Algeria $0.40/$0.40
Allenstein $0.40/$1.15
Andorra (Spanish) $0.55/$0.55
Andorra (French) $1.25/$1.25
Angola $4.00/$1.75
Angra $5.00/$2.75
Anguilla $85.00/$32.50
Annam & Tonkin $47.50/$50.00
Argentina $1.50/$40.00
Armenia $2.75/$2.75
Aruba $0.40/$0.25
Ascension $7.50/$27.50
Australia $11.50/$7.50
Azerbaijan $0.40/$0.40
That takes car of the "A" countries. I did not go into the local state issues such as with Argentina and Australia. As can be seen, most of the #1s are less than $100, with almost all valued at $5.00 or less.
As Eric states, if money is an issue, one can always find inferior examples of the higher-priced #1s and use them as a space filler until a better one can be afforded.
It is an interesting challenge to find the #1s, but there are some dealers who set aside #1s for people who collect them. Sometimes they advertise in Linns.
Wouldn't ya know... I no sooner read this thread and then went to my email. My stamp club forwarded the newsletter from a club in Delaware and this was on the front page...
"The program for the evening was the APS
presentation “Number Ones of the World” by
Svend Yort. One of the most interesting things
we learned was that catalog number one may not
be the first stamp issued.
Scott’s typically lists stamps
in denomination order, but
the lowest denomination was
not always the first issued.
The program proceeded in
the order in which they first
issued stamps. Great Britain was
first, of course, with the famous
Penny Black and also a 2p blue
(1840). Brazil came next in 1843
with the Bullseye issues (set of 3).
Several Swiss cantons came next
and then the United States. The
program reviewed number ones
issued for the next few decades.
Although not all number ones
are rare and expensive, this was
a great chance to see some
stamps most of us have never
seen.
And here is the other thread that I have located within the Stamporama discussions regarding the subject of collecting #1's. Looks like I need to pay YouTube a visit as well.
Hi All
I chat online with a fellow in New Jersey who collects #1s of every country. He too stated that a lot of them aren't really that expensive. I bet that #2s can be more expensive
Chimo
Bujutsu
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