As WWI anniversary nears, expect this 3¢ violet Victory and Flags of the Allies stamp to surge

Tip of the Week — By Henry Gitner and Rick Miller 

The 100th anniversary of the end of World War I is coming up next year on Nov. 11, 2018. The “War to End All Wars,” also known as the “War to Make the World Safe for Democracy,” remains one of the most tragic and futile events in all of human history.

If you ever begin to feel too optimistic about the human race, just read a good book on the subject as a quick corrective.

But lest we forget the sacrifices of the soldiers and the stupidity of their respective governments, now is a good time to look for a very fine or better example of the 3¢ violet Victory and Flags of the Allies stamp (Scott 537) issued March 3, 1919.

Connect with Linn’s Stamp News: 

    Sign up for our newsletter
    Like us on Facebook
    Follow us on Twitter

The 2017 Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps and Covers values the stamp in mint never-hinged condition at $20.

Although there were some problems with the centering of this issue, you can probably find it for that price or a bit less. There are also rather pricey color varieties — deep red violet, light reddish violet, and red violet (Scott 537a-537c) — for the specialist.

If you have unused hinged or no-gum examples with less than very fine centering, cover servicers are likely to be looking for examples to use on event and combination covers next year. Now is a good time to offer them for sale.