THE Chinese postage stamp auction market has recently heated up again, but experts warn what’s in the attic probably isn’t worth very much unless it’s from the Cultural Revolution period (1966-76) or the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Significance, rarity and condition determine the value.

    In 1997, the postage stamp market in China was booming, and several stamp exchange markets emerged. But then the 1997 Asian financial crisis quashed hopes of a new age of profitable stamp collecting.

    But in the last couple of years, long-forgotten objects such as coins, chops, ancient mirrors and old Moutai spirit have been bringing in money. Rare postage stamps too are selling and collectors hope the trend lasts.

    In 2009, one stamp titled “All the Landscape of the Country Is Red,” issued during the Cultural Revolution, was auctioned for HK$3.68 million (US$472,845 today) in Hong Kong. It sold for 0.08 yuan (US$0.01) at the time. The auction price set a record for Culture Revolution postage stamps.

    A year later, another stamp issued during the Culture Revolution broke the record and sold for HK$6.67 million.

    Since 2010, the postage stamp market has been thriving.

    “Don’t be too optimistic,” says a veteran postage stamp investor, declining to be quoted by name. “Take a careful look. It’s only the stamps issued in early periods or the ‘cultural revolution’ that sell for high figures, since rarity always decides the value.”

    According to him, the daunting inflation rate has pushed prices up, making it a popular long-term investment.

    China issued 5 million monkey stamps to commemorate the Year of the Monkey. They are not that rare but they are familiar to many people and are considered a weather vane of the stamp market.

    In 1997, a single monkey stamp sold for 1,800 yuan (US$278). In 2010 a single stamp sold for 11,700 yuan. Early this year a whole set of 80 stamps was auctioned for 1.1 million yuan.

    The 1980 monkey stamp, and by extension similar zodiac stamps, are seen by many Chinese people as an investment — accessible and affordable.

    For example, the price of the dragon stamp issued in 2000 has increased 30 times in value; the rabbit stamp from 1999 has increased five times; last year’s tiger stamp has almost tripled in value, according to collectors.

    But Ji Chongjian, the owner of Shanghai Chongyuan Auction House, thinks there are only two stamp categories with investment potential, those issued during the Qing Dynasty and those issued during the Cultural Revolution. (SD-Agencies)