Stamp Investment Tip: Chilean Souvenir Sheets of the 1950s and Early '60s

Chile began issuing souvenir sheets featuring designs in conjunction with the issuance of some of its more popular stamps in the 1950s, and many of the these souvenir sheets are quite scarce. Printed on thick card stock, these souvenir sheets were not intended for postal use, and should technically be classified as souvenir cards or presentation cards. Nevertheless, Scott, the other catalogs, and collectors of Chile treat the items as souvenir sheets. Scott notes these issues after the listings for the related stamps.

The following issues, listed with printing quantities and Scott '10 Catalog Values, are worthy of consideration:

• C168Note -1953 Postage Stamp Centenary (515 issued- Scott notes but does not list a value for this sheet- it retails for $400-$600)

• C172Note - 1954 Railroad Centenary (Unknown quantity issued- $200.00 )

• C191Note- 1956 25th Anniversary of Technical University ( 2,000 issued - $ 110.00)

• C193Note - 1958 O'Higgins (3,000 issued - $ 60.00 )

• C194Note - 1958 National Philatelic Exhibition ( Unknown quantity issued - $ 48.00)

• C195Note - 1958 Savings Bank (Unknown quantity issued - $ 48.00)

• C213Note - 1959 German School Centenary ( Unknown quantity issued - $ 60.00 )

• C218Note - 1960 World Refugee Year (3,000 issued - $ 110.00)

• C220DNote - 1960 1st National Government-150th Anniversary (Unknown quantity issued- $ 30.00)

• C221Note - 1960 Rotary Conference (Unknown quantity issued - $ 60.00 )

• C221 Second Note 1962 Malaria Overprint on Rotary s/s (2,000 Issued- $ 30.00 )

• C247Note - 1962 Soccer (Unknown quantity issued - $ 12.00 )

Chile is considered the most "European" Latin American nation, and the proportion of stamp collectors within the population is moving towards European levels. Given a rapidly developing economy spurred by a government which implements sound economic policies, the future looks bright for this nation of 15 million. I expect to see continued increases in the values of better Chilean stamps and souvenir sheets.

Stamp Investment Tip: People's Republic of China 1961 Ping Pong Souvenir Sheet (Scott #566a)

The Chinese stamp market is white hot right now, and will continue to be so as long as the People's Republic maintains its rapid economic growth and does not experience a major political disruption. There may be over 15 million stamp collectors in China, and in the year 2000, the Chinese government made it an official policy to foster stamp collecting among its youth, by encouraging elementary and high school teachers to form stamp clubs, as a means of increasing interest in China's history. The country currently has almost 50,000 stamp clubs and philatelic organizations, and universities in Fujian and Jiangxi offer elective courses in Philately. All of this represents a complete reversal of Chairman Mao's prohibition against stamp collecting, which he viewed as a form of "reactionary cosmopolitanism." While he was alive, most stamps of the P.R.C. which were not used for postage were bought by European and American collectors. Now, the Chinese are buying them back.


Among the hottest of issues from P.R. China are many of the early souvenir sheets, produced in absurdly low quantities, and stamps of the Cultural Revolution period. The 1961 26th World Table Tennis Championship Souvenir Sheet (Scott #566a) had a printing of only 30,000. It's a great Sports topical, and as with many similarly scarce Chinese souvenir sheets, should continue to skyrocket in value as long as the P.R.C. continues to prosper and doesn't implode. Scott '10 values the unused souvenir sheet at $ 700.-, and the avid competition to acquire this and other better P.R.C. items is reflected in current buy lists.