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Danzig Report Nr. 9

DANZIG REPORT  -  -  STUDY and RESEARCH GROUP

Editor: John H. Bloecher Jr., 1743 Little Creek Drive, Baltimore, Md. 21207

IMPRESSIONS OF INTERPHIL ‘76: The expanse of exhibits and bourse in Philadelphia could only be described as overwhelming. From the short time that we had to spend at the Civic Center, the impression was that everything was neatly in place, all dealers appeared very busy, and the philatelic exhibits were excellent. Unless a dealer had several others working the booth with him, he was hard-pressed to keep up with the constant stream of inquiring visitor/customers that flowed past.

FOREIGN DEALERS brought large stocks and enjoyed good sales at high prices. The first story that we heard upon arrival was that a German auction house was buying everything in sight - at retail prices One source said that the Germans were paying $2.00 per English Pound and buying heavily.

FORTUNATELY FOR US LATE-COMERS, dealers such as Pete Rickenback still had a good Danzig stock at week’s end. Among his interesting lots of imperfs, misperfs, inverted overprints, etc., Pete had a group of Dienstmark half-sheets with a variety of offset patterns on the gum side for 47.50 each, #D18K invert Dienstmark for $19.00, a block of four #72 with wild o’prints @$19.00, #156U imperf (250,000 M violet lion crest) @$18.00, and a used #54 (10 Pfg. or/blk ship) with misperfs and center shifted for $9.50.

ANALYZING THE PRICES, we find that the good stuff, such as the material mentioned above, as well as Danzig specialties unavailable from U.S. dealers, must be purchased overseas and are going to cost the 1976 Michel Specialized Catalog prices. European demand for stamps has resulted in sharp increase in prices. The message? Buy the expensive material now while there is still time: Next time you see the same items they may be out of your budget range.

LET’S LOOK AT THE TRENDS in Danzig prices since about 1930 (keeping in mind the inflation rates during this time period), beginning with the 1920 Innendienst set:

 

Danzig Report  Nr. 9 – May - June - 1976, Page 1.