A country with affordable yet challenging-to-find stamps

By Henry Gitner and Rick Miller

Collector interest in Latin America is strong, and it remains one of the more active stamp markets. 

Paraguay is a landlocked country in the middle of South America bordering Argentina, Brazil, and Bolivia. Most of the population is Mestizo, having at least some Guarani ancestry, and Guarani is one of two official languages, the other being Spanish. It has mostly been misruled by a series of dictators until multiparty democracy was established in 1993.

Demand for Paraguay stamps is steady for all eras. Many of the still highly affordable older stamps appeal to classic stamp collectors, while newer issues are popular with many categories of topical collectors. Just because many sets have relatively low catalog value doesn’t mean that they are all that easy to find or not in demand.

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A good example is the set of 18 airmail stamps (Scott C56-C73) issued from 1931 to 1936. Topics include yerbe mate (the main ingredient in a type of herbal tea very popular in South America), a war memorial to the disastrous Paraguayan War (1864-1870), palm trees, and an eagle. 

The 2017 Scott Classic Specialized Catalogue of Stamps and Covers 1840-1940 values the set at just $4.95 in unused hinged condition and $7.20 in used condition. We recommend buying this set at those prices, or splurge and look for a set in mint never-hinged condition.