Is the current market condition a buyer’s market or seller’s market? The price one pays for a stamp or stamps depends on the condition and rarity. Also, supply and demand dictate current prices in the market place. The current condition of the market is a buyer’s market. The flood of North Korean stamps which started at the beginning of the year is continuing to this day.
On eBay, sellers from the UK, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain, France, Australia and the US are dumping enormous amounts of early North Korea stamps every day. The (winning) prices have fallen drastically and most of the items are being sold around 30 percent of Scott’s Catalogue listed values.
The “flood” of North Korea stamps derives mainly from 2-3 large stocks dissolved at real auctions: including the one ex-Wallberg, (1923-2014) former swedish officer of NNSC in 1950s who bought the stamps directly at the local p.o. in North Korea. From the 1980s, Wallberg exhibited at international exhibitions, focussing his collection on old korea with small knowledge and never acquiring real top stuff – yes, I went thru his Korea exhibit and really wondered where his gold medals came from. He also become an FIP judge and a nuisance to korean specialist exhibitors (“Istanbul scandal” may ring a bell). Other fellow FIP judges considered Wallberg an “Asia-knows-it-all” reference and followed his recommandations blind, (NB I never exhibited but know some victims/endless stories and saw Mr. Wallberg and a devoted crowd listening to his erm. explanations at a Philanippon). The Wallberg excess NK material stockbooks went via several large asian dealers until it ended in a CG auction and entered the ebay retail scene.
Then there was the perhaps best collection of NK ever, formed by a japanese specialist and dissolved for reasons of age. Both events have nothing to with a “panic” or “rush” or “sell out”.
After all, NK specialized is still a very limited group of collectors. Once these big sources are gone, its over. So secure Your items of desire know.
The first time I learned the name of Wallberg was from 2016 InterAsia auction catalogue, where it mentioned about his North Korea collection and Mr. Gregory Todd. However, very limited information was available on internet. Is it possible to tell more about this past philatelist and his collection?
CG 38th auction, 2017 Oct., started from €2000 and finished at €4200 + service charge.
I think this is the last part of Wallberg’s collection….
1946/82, mint and used substantial holding in 2 stockbooks. Inc. blocks-4 or pairs, inc. imperf., earlies originals as well as reprints, varieties/mirror imprint on reverse, the 1958/63 imperf. parallell issues and a page of early fiscals. Also 1961 5 Ch./1 Ch. overprint in gift folder postmarked “1961.12.20”. 1960s/70s inc. s/s with two mint copies of 1970 complete inc. “damnated” error stamp (tonings). 1960s/70s mixed condition due to album quality, but a wealth of variety. Ex- B. Walberg, 1956/58 as swedish Major and NNSC officer in North Korea.
Written by Jae-Seung Kim, published in Korean Philately Vol. 43 No. 1 (February 1997), pages 19-20:
This is a very interesting article even though I can still smell the anger within it now…. and it makes me more curious about knowing Wallberg ….. but that’s another story….. wish to learn more…..
Back to DPRK 1956 reprints, I suppose many KSS members know that Dr. Maeda had ever written a book about how to differentiate originals and reprints. Many interesting findings.
Fascinating information on these reprints; and I don’t even collect North Korean stamps. The articles on the KSS website just keep getting better and better.