Initiating coverage of New Guinea, it seems appropriate to begin with its first stamps, a set issued from 1925 through 1928 picturing Native Huts (Scott #1-13). Only 2,520 were issued, and Scott '11 values it unused at $479.50.New Guinea occupies the northeastern part of the island of Papua New Guinea and was later incorporated into the nation of that name. Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural resources, but exploitation has been hampered by the rugged terrain and the high cost of developing infrastructure. Agriculture provides a subsistence livelihood for most of the population of about 7 million. Annual GDP growth has increased dramatically over the last 5 years, from 1% in 2005 to about 7% in 2009. Still, the majority of the population is extremely poor, and I do not foresee the development of a significant collecting population within the country for some time.
Most of the collectors of New Guinea are British Commonwealth collectors or Australians, because the the island of Papua New Guinea was administered by Australia until 1975, and maintains close ties with that nation. I recommend accumulation of the better stamps of Papua, New Guinea, and Papua New Guinea based on the probable growth in interest among Australian collectors, and collectors of British Commonwealth.
