Chinese investors now make up one-third of the $3bn global stamp collecting market, according to the latest Alternative Investment Report from Intelligent Partnership.
The report, sponsored by stamp and coin dealer Stanley Gibbons, revealed that out of 60m collectors worldwide, 20m are based in China, where wealthy individuals hold an average of 18 per cent of their total net worth in “treasure assets” such as rare stamps, coins, paintings and classic cars.
Experts attribute the growing popularity of stamps in the Far East to their growing value. Investments of passion — anything that is tangible and not a conventional financial asset — have performed strongly over the past 10 years compared to traditional investments such as shares.