China PRC...any problems on the horizon?

[rrraphy]

Anyone aware of the flood of counterfeit China PRC stamps pouring in the market?
Good ones too. They have expertise in printing and paper...they invented it! And no one cares in China! Especially if it is exported!
Heard at a recent stamp show that prices are way way over the top, and most of the valuable stamps being offered are now counterfeit!
Is this going to kill the China stamp market?
Someone was telling me NOT to buy any China stamps of value without a certificate.
Thoughts?
rrr....

[RossStamps]

I think that with the current trends in value it was only a matter of time. A quick google search turned up numerous counterfeit busted rings , and how to identify fake's ect.. I'm sure the feebay is a great source. And of course feebay will do nothing about it.
Here's a great discussion on the topic
http://www.stampboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=16455

[michael78651]

Counterfeit PRC stamps have been around for a while. The Year of the Monkey stamp, for example has been extensively counterfeited. I have heard that very dangerous counterfeits of this stamp are now coming onto the market too. I agree, that it is probably very wise to get a certificate with valuable PRC stamps.

[gardibolt]

Of course, as the autograph folks have learned, it's just as easy to fake a certificate (and in the case of a stamp, probably easier).

[MilCo]

"Monkey" issue are well know, not just to the non-China collectors, and reason is simply = market prices!

For this price tag that are now on, for "bad guys" it is worth to made almost original and start to sell it!

But I don't think that it will continue, because - You know, when it will made problem to the China like country, someone there will start to react, or police, or someone who are responsible to keep China image on top level.

Problem will start, when China GDP will go down, and people will start to sell all material that they now buy - market will be overflow and that will ruin too much collectors around globe. Till now, and I hope that some way it will be "stabilized", market for China material is growing, with "sky is no border", but - nothing can keep it in this tempo!

best regards
Milco
http://picasaweb.google.com/balkanstamp

[michael78651]

You may very well be correct about that. Caution must be exercised whenever the value increases on anything because of speculation. Many people jump on the band wagon when they hear about such things, hoping to be able to cash in later. Often, they cash in at the wrong time when the market crashes for the item, and they lose money, because they got sucked into it during the craze when the market was already high.

I bought my PRC Year of the Monkey stamp for $165.00 a couple of years before it went crazy in the market. However, this stamp may be somewhat of an exception. While there is much speculation in the philatelic market for this stamp, a market report a couple of years ago touted this stamp as one that will continue to rise as it has demand from non-philatelists (not buying for investment, but for good luck) helping to push the value up. Even if the market drops for PRC, I still see this stamp holding good value. It would probably drop as well, but I think it could hold above what I paid for it at least. (my opinion on the value)

[MilCo]

Thanks for info Michael, I personally, don't have this "Monkey" issue, because I just don't deal with PRC material (I start on 2000 - and yesterday discovered that I don't have all issue, because some Central Post didn't deliver or didn't made at all?), but I well follow this market.

That, people buy this issue, for simple "luck", is most non-logic explanation, but, what is more "clever" it is like You say, price at the time when China citizen start to "feel" better income.

I personally have this experience with countries that I deal. At the time, when my "power" was, I use all extra money in my budget to buy expensive items, because I have this money and it was "not so big" amount. Like You say 165$ - not enough that You can buy property, but expensive and You can spend it!

Most of ordinary collectors when have this kind of money to spend, will "run" after some low value stamp and buy "quantity" this way, they will miss expensive items, and lot of China citizen have it almost made. Now, when standard is allowing them to purchase stamp, they are missing this expensive. Now is just question, till when situation will be "positive" in China and China economy, this will be also period, till when this "Monkey" issue will be valued!

best regards
Milco
http://picasaweb.google.com/balkanstamp

p.s.
Not just this China issue go to be counterfeit, recently come info that also Yugoslavia "First Train" Block go fake on market!!

[youpiao]

That, people buy this issue, for simple "luck", is most non-logic explanation,

Milco
http://picasaweb.google.com/balkanstamp

I do not say this to denigrate the Chinese, as my wife is Chinese, so I am a little bit familiar with their culture. (And I mean only a little bit; my lack of full understanding still gets me in trouble, many times )

A thread of superstition does wind pervasively through Chinese culture. The US Postal Service even played into this when they issued the 44c Lunar New Year stamp. 4 is an unlucky number, because, in Chinese, the number 4 sounds like the word "die" (or "death," I'm not sure which). So, instead of issuing a 10-stamp self-adhesive pane for $4.40, the US changed it to a double sided 20-stamp pane, so the total value would equal $8.80. The number 8 symbolizes prosperity.

More recently, China's Year of the Dragon stamp sold out quickly (in China and in my BidStart store) simply because of the dragon.



Tedski

[youpiao]

I forgot to mention, when my wife and I were choosing which lot on which to have our house built, my choice of lot was vetoed in favor of her choice, because of the street numbers. My lot was 624 (the dreaded 4, again), while she wanted the more auspicious 608. And that was even considering that the 608 lot has a big ugly electrical utility box sitting on the front lawn between our house and the neighbor's.

Superstition trumps aesthetics every time.



Tedski

[MilCo]

Understand it well, because "8" is well know - if I don't make mistake, 50's to 60's most of China stamps was 800 face value?!

best regards
Milco
http://picasaweb.google.com/balkanstamp

[michael78651]

That, people buy this issue, for simple "luck", is most non-logic explanation,

Milco
http://picasaweb.google.com/balkanstamp

I do not say this to denigrate the Chinese, as my wife is Chinese, so I am a little bit familiar with their culture. (And I mean only a little bit; my lack of full understanding still gets me in trouble, many times )

A thread of superstition does wind pervasively through Chinese culture. The US Postal Service even played into this when they issued the 44c Lunar New Year stamp. 4 is an unlucky number, because, in Chinese, the number 4 sounds like the word "die" (or "death," I'm not sure which). So, instead of issuing a 10-stamp self-adhesive pane for $4.40, the US changed it to a double sided 20-stamp pane, so the total value would equal $8.80. The number 8 symbolizes prosperity.

More recently, China's Year of the Dragon stamp sold out quickly (in China and in my BidStart store) simply because of the dragon.



Tedski

Well, the $8.80 did little to help the USPS!