More than a mere hobby

"Philately has grown from being a mere hobby to becoming a serious investment option in India," writes Anima Balakrishnan in The Hindu, India's National Newspaper.

"Though still bearing the cross of being a child's hobby, philately is now being approached with a newfound seriousness by discerning investors. Like Art, stamp collectors believe these little pieces of paper can be a good investment option," says Balakrishnan.

The article points out that, according to a survey of the U.S. based Salomon Brothers Investment Bank, philately is said to be the fourth best investment over an 80-year period. Land, gold, shares of stock are one, two and three.

"Philately is not taken seriously in India," says P.R. Krishnan, Secretary, The Philatelists' Coimbatore. "People are often shy to even admit they are stamp collectors. It is a knowledge-based hobby (since each stamp tells a story) and is predominantly collector-based."

To read the entire article, click here.