Stanley Gibbons Group Limited 15 June 2005 Stanley Gibbons Limited 399 Strand, London WC2R 0LX www.stanleygibbons.com 15 June 2005 RARE STAMP PRICE INDEX SHOWS RISE OF 103% OVER LAST 7 YEARS AND INCREASE OF 10,199% SINCE 1954. With the FT House Price Index showing its weakest reading for 6 years, and the Halifax forecasting a decline in house values for 2005, it is encouraging to report that the prices of rare stamps continue to rise strongly. The anniversary of the Stanley Gibbons GB 30 Rarities Index, which coincides with the publication of the 2005 Edition of the Company's Concise Great Britain catalogue, shows the stamp market to be in very good health. The GB 30 Index lists Great Britain rarities, and gives an accurate picture of the market for the scarcest items. Stamps included in the Index represent examples of the type of classic material recommended by the Stanley Gibbons Investment Department to its clients. Such stamps are considered to be the most likely to show consistent returns over the medium to long term, as demand from collectors exceeds what, in many cases, is a very scarce supply. Fourteen stamps out of thirty in the Index have risen in price by 100% or more since 1998. Most notably, an unused 1903 10d dull purple & carmine official (SG O40) has seen an increase in value from £5,000 in 1998 to £20,000 in 2005 (300%), as this area of philately has undergone a rerating by collectors. Another example, the 1882 £1 brown-lilac (SG 136) has risen from £31,000 to £70,000 (an increase of 125%) over the same period, as its scarcity - only a handful are known in investment grade condition - has become fully appreciated by philatelists. An investment of £423,500, representing one of each stamp comprising the GB 30 Rarities Index in 1998, would have risen to £861,000 in 2005 (an increase of 103.3% over 7 years) and provided an average return of 10.7% per annum, far outweighing the returns available from bank deposit interest rates or the UK stock market during this period. For the first time Stanley Gibbons has also backtested the GB 30 Index to 1954. This demonstrates the phenomenal long term investment performance of rare stamps over the last 50 years. The total Index has grown from £8360 in 1954 to £861,000 in 2005, a remarkable increase of £852,640 or 10,199% over the period, producing an annual increase of 9.5% over 51 years. The biggest single mover is the 1851 2d violet-blue (SG 15aa) up from £10 to £14,000, a rise of 139,900%. The Company's other price indicator; the SG100 Stamp Price Index, also continues to outperform traditional investments. The items which make up the SG100 are those 'most frequently traded' and the Index therefore gives a very accurate picture of the state of the market for the more popular stamps. The SG100 Index has risen to 403.87, growth of 63.6% since 1998. Adrian Roose, Associate Investment Director, comments: 'The performance of the Stanley Gibbons Stamp Price Index demonstrates the outstanding growth which the rare stamp market enjoys. Its performance, together with the continuing favorable fundamentals, should encourage more investors to choose stamps as an alternative means of achieving the returns they have failed to obtain from traditional investments in recent years.' - Ends - For further information contact: Adrian Roose or Richard Purkis on: Tel: 020 7836 8444 Fax: 0207 836 7342 or Email: investment@stanleygibbons.co.uk Web: www.stanleygibbons.com/investment Editor's Note: • Stanley Gibbons was established in 1856 and is the World's leading name in stamp dealing and related publishing. • The SG GB 30 Rarities Index is available in spreadsheet form. Please email rpurkis@stanleygibbons.co.uk for a copy. • Illustrations of the three stamps above can also be emailed. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange