FULL history of the unique 1856 1c black/magenta, British Guiana stamp

The Pom · Post by **The Pom** » 14 May 2022 07:16

Recently appeared:

Looking into my crystal ball, I see lots of people trying to sell, but few takers. Can't wait to see what form it takes, and the terms & conditions.

Global Admin · Post by **Global Admin** » 14 May 2022 13:00

ViccyVFU wrote: ↑01 May 2022 22:16
Global Administrator wrote: ↑22 Apr 2022 01:14 Well the SG share price slumped to a record low this week of a penny and a bit a share.

The GUANO did nothing for the Gibbons profit, (indeed it is an ALBATROSS now) or their share price, OR their reputation.

Hmmm, it appears that despite it being "PTS new business concept of the year" ( )

and a Rigs "strong buy" recommendation ( ),

the initial period has now closed, and it looks like "a total unmitigated failure" (as predicted ( ).

"A minimum of 83.7% still under their direct control"

And whilst I'm sure the holding company can suck up this cash shortfall ("by exceptional successes elsewhere" ?), I'm also "fairly sure" this "gaping hole in the accounts" is about to become the next "bottomless pit".

After all, Showpiece have PROMISED "a trading platform" for their fractional owned pieces, and its due this month (May 2022). Depending how they structure it, a "current trading price" will be established.

Either they just match offers to sell, to willing buyers, or they hold a buffer of transactional pieces on a spread...... Lets say buy at 95p, sell at 105p.

They will get very few customers at 105p to sell to, but possibly (n.b. speculation) quite a few "willing to sell at 95p". (You know.... the non stamp collecting speculators )

Of the 1655 final customer count (The current customer base), about 1000 bought at the earlybird rate, so can wear an immediate write down to £90, without losing cash .... but what about the other 655 bunnies?

If they try to sell "at a discount", other than bad publicity, its going to have a ripple effect on both sales of any further units at £100, PLUS the value of the holding companies (minimum) 83.7%, which has to be valued at the lower of "cost" or "net realisable value".

(Selling their currently unsold stock into the market at lower prices would be a real undermining of their credibility, if it occurred.... In initial docs, they said "they'd only sell higher)

Of course, they could invoke a fairly standard procedure of "mopping up all offered shares", but that just digs deeper into net cash receipts.

Given the tight margins they were working on in the first place, the profit share scheme for the sold pieces, and the total selling and transaction costs (which were all for their account), I'm not sure "their increased turnover of £1.2M" (in the trading update) isn't going to dwarfed by record losses, when the full statement is declared.

No wonder the share price is slipping.

What an unmitigated ugly MESS!

DJCMH · Post by **DJCMH** » 14 May 2022 16:40

Make a deal with the Royal Collection to trade the Magenta Albatross for some of their duplicates that would sell well at auction and allow SG to recoup their losses, and give the Magenta Albatross a fitting place to be retired before it ends up disintegrating from improper care.

Global Admin · Post by **Global Admin** » 14 May 2022 20:17

DJCMH wrote: ↑14 May 2022 16:40 Make a deal with the Royal Collection to trade the Magenta Albatross for some of their duplicates that would sell well at auction and allow SG to recoup their losses, and give the Magenta Albatross a fitting place to be retired before it ends up disintegrating from improper care.

Best suggestion of the Month.

ViccyVFU · Post by **ViccyVFU** » 16 May 2022 08:30

DJCMH wrote: ↑14 May 2022 16:40 Make a deal with the Royal Collection to trade the Magenta Albatross for some of their duplicates that would sell well at auction and allow SG to recoup their losses, and give the Magenta Albatross a fitting place to be retired before it ends up disintegrating from improper care.

I don't think trying to rip off a 96 year old, swapping tat for "the good stuff" would go down well, even if they could get approval from all the "beneficial owners".

Even "the suggestion" should see their Royal Warrant torn up.

Global Admin · Post by **Global Admin** » 16 May 2022 14:32

As I recall, the British Guiana 1c is the only major Commonwealth classic era Rarity not owned by the Royal Collection?

It would be a very good fit in there in my view, and thankfully then remove it from the Barnum and Bailey circus atmosphere that has befallen it in recent decades.

KGV tried desperately to buy it at Auction, but wealthy US Industrialist Maurice Burrus outbid him.

'All the beneficial owners' of the Royal Collection is as I understand it - the Monarch, not the UK taxpayers?

Plenty of times material from the Royal Collection has been sold off or swapped to secure pieces they sought.

One thing I wish I had not sold was this Roo pair:

The 'privy purse' is responsible for the private income and assets of the Queen.

The Royal Collection is privately owned by the Queen (rather than being owned by 'The Crown') so the Keeper of the Royal Philatelic Collection is a member of staff under the Keeper of the Privy Purse.

Sold off my Rarity page, but one of my favourite pieces - and is posted here for the record and the possible interest of others: 8)

-------------------------

This Roo pair came from the QUEEN'S COLLECTION. It was obtained by King George V who was very keen on the Kangaroo issues. It may well have been an official presentation pair from Australia.

The pair was auctioned about 20 years back from the Royal Collection, when a few selected duplicates were sold by Spink to raise funds for an expensive purchase for the Collection. (Spink are the Royal Auctioneers, holding THREE Royal Warrants.)

The sale was permitted because the Stamp Collection is the personal property of the Queen, inherited from her philatelist grandfather, King George V. It is not part of the Royal Collection of paintings, china, furniture and other works of art, which the Queen holds in trust for the nation.

The two stamps have a Royal Philatelic Society London, Expert Committee, Certificate of Genuineness which accompanies the lot. As you can see the submitter of the pair was: "The Keeper Of The Privy Purse" The stamps come in the original special lot folder from Spink, inscribed "The Royal Philatelic Collection - May 17, 2001".

The stamps are from position 14 and 15 on the left pane. the RH stamp has the constant variety 51(D)L ($6,500) "Break In Value Circle At Left". Believed unique in any kind of multiple, mint or used. (Not noticed by the RPSL.)

Provenance such as this should add 25% over the price of any other pair - themselves very rare multiples. For anyone putting aside stamps as an investment for a few years, a pair with variety coming direct from the Royal Collection will ALWAYS get a great price, and much interest and comment.

Almost nothing on the market - from any country - is originally from the Royal Collection. Bright and attractive, having been in the Northern Hemisphere for all of the past century - most unusual. Superb colour.

A client in Maryland USA bought it, and offered it to me a few years later. It is easily worth double now what I onsold I for. Top end material seldom goes backwards.

The Royal Collection VERY quietly sold off 3 blocks of the Imperf Kookaburra Mini Sheets via Spink, as the uncut sheet of 15 sheets was too long to fit on the King's large album pages!

This one sold for about $A325,000 at Public Auction -

Catweazle · Post by **Catweazle** » 20 May 2022 14:47

Global Administrator wrote: ↑14 May 2022 20:17
DJCMH wrote: ↑14 May 2022 16:40 Make a deal with the Royal Collection to trade the Magenta Albatross for some of their duplicates that would sell well at auction and allow SG to recoup their losses, and give the Magenta Albatross a fitting place to be retired before it ends up disintegrating from improper care.

Best suggestion of the Month.

Yes. I've now nominated this.

ViccyVFU · Post by **ViccyVFU** » 27 May 2022 18:37

The Pom wrote: ↑14 May 2022 07:16 Recently appeared:

Looking into my crystal ball, I see lots of people trying to sell, but few takers. Can't wait to see what form it takes, and the terms & conditions.

Well, not long to wait now ... there are just four days left in May (and two of them are the weekend).

Coming shortly, to a portal near you

Showing Zero remaining is clearly misleading (but lets just say "they have form").

I've not heard a peep out of them about the new platform....

I was just wondering if any "investors" (here on SB) have been given a heads up as to "the opportunity to expand their holding"?

"Buy it Now" or "Bye Bye SG"?

Global Admin · Post by **Global Admin** » 27 May 2022 22:20

As Showpiece/Gibbons/Phoenix have sucked over a million REAL quid in, off these clearly 1650 cretinous 'investors' surely that is selling a financial product/investment??? And surely in the UK that is tightly regulated?? - it most certainly is here.

What penalty do they incur if nothing is in place by end May? A large fine I hope? Class action legal moves by those conned to get their million quid refunded??

There is ZERO reason why these dopes have not had the long proposed trading platform up and running by end May - indeed it SHOULD have been in place months earlier. They've been flogging thus GUANO for what - over 6 months now? And have been sitting on a million quid of Donated Dummy Munny. Who cannot sell or trade their stupid cyber slices or EVER get a refund.

For the first time I have read some of the diarrhoea on their website. A few excerpts below.

https://showpiece.com/terms-and-conditions

They cheerfully seem to be advising the Bunnies that all their personal data can be sold/shared/traded with all kinds of lowlife outfits.

Worse, their own Terms appear to say the Bunnies need to accept that Showpiece can change the ground rules at ANY time, in any way, without advising them, and they are bound by those changes.

SHAME on Gibbons for having anything to do with such Cowboys. Shircore is the Gibbons CEO, who of course knows NOTHING about stamps (and it really shows) and Founder of this Brain Fart Circus. Showpiece are even domiciled in the SG offices.

No wonder SG shares have crashed to around a PENNY a share this month. They are clueless, with a clueless CEO, and choose to jump into bed with Snake Oil hucksters, which Showpiece seem to be.

norvic · Post by **norvic** » 28 May 2022 02:33

I don’t think it’s a regulated investment any more than putting money into whisky is.

I doubt either are in Australia though you would be able to correct me.

Number-O-Ne · Post by **Number-O-Ne** » 28 May 2022 02:38

The regulation side is tricky, to say the least. That must be the reason for not selling the "shares" to suckers, (ehm.. sorry..) investors in the USA .

Global Admin · Post by **Global Admin** » 28 May 2022 08:27

Number-O-Ne wrote: ↑28 May 2022 02:38 The regulation side is tricky, to say the least. That must be the reason for not selling the "shares" to suckers, (ehm.. sorry..) investors in the USA .

It is an Investment Scheme for Clueless Prize Turkeys, pure and simple, that Showpiece appears to be offering. To VERY limited 'success'. It flopped spectacularly despite the energy and cost of a chunk of the SG team flogging and hyping this dud for months, taking them all away from their core business of selling REAL stamps.

Yes, the Americans have been far brighter than the Brits, and banned this unregulated, ill thought through, Snake Oil Hype outright, very early on, it appears clear to me.

Catweazle · Post by **Catweazle** » 28 May 2022 18:35

norvic wrote: ↑28 May 2022 02:33 I don’t think it’s a regulated investment any more than putting money into whisky is.

I doubt either are in Australia though you would be able to correct me.

I'd rather put my money into whiskey. At least I'd have something nice to drink in return.

To be fair, some self-described guru probably was inspired by the hype around digital currencies, NFTs, Bitcoin and whatever other such trendy investments are out there.

Only this idea is a bit half-baked. Did they really think it through in the practical sense? Sounds like they've been taking money from so-called investors while not thinking things through. In fact, they are still trying to think out their plan of action here, and need to return to the drawing board.

Some might even say they are not thinking in the first place.

Strange is the word here. I am curious to understand the rational behind the initial concept. I find it strange. I am still not understanding it or how it is supposed to work.

I could ask you to explain it all to me here, but we've been trying to understand this for months

They have some exciting stock available - actual, real, physical stamps that is. Surely drop the prices, and they will find buyers. Sell them, shift that stock and go back to basic business marketing 101 before trying out any other strange ideas.

They have the royal logo of the monarchy. What is this being used for now? Can't they work with the royal collection to put some items on display or help the royal philatelist dude to add to their Collection? Does the Queen purchase anything from S.G. from time to time? This is something that should be explored - how to make use of the royal warrant?

The Pom · Post by **The Pom** » 31 May 2022 22:08

The Pom wrote: ↑14 May 2022 07:16 Recently appeared:

Looking into my crystal ball, I see lots of people trying to sell, but few takers. Can't wait to see what form it takes, and the terms & conditions.

Nothing yet, and under 12 hours till May ends......

ViccyVFU · Post by **ViccyVFU** » 01 Jun 2022 19:11

New month, and still no marketplace .... no surprises there, then.

They have now owned it for 51 weeks, and had a lot of ambitions for it .....

"Much fertilizer, but no growth"

Did they manage NFT's, payment in bitcoin, real fractional ownership or event a marketplace? Nope, they didn't even manage to show the original stamp in their "mini fort knox" in the Strand (I'm fairly sure it was just a copy, having seen it previously).

Judge for yourselves .... Sothebys on the left, their encased offering on the right.

"A wide margin of error"

So the market has rewarded them with the share price "at the lowest its ever been", and sent the grandparent company into "sub issue" price.

The entirety of SG is now valued at "less than they paid for this one carbuncle".

I guess its time for Harry Watson to reflect on his words of a year ago, and contemplate "whether SG really has a place in the world of stamps anymore?".

I'd be sad to see it go, but if this is the best they can come up with.....

ViccyVFU · Post by **ViccyVFU** » 01 Jun 2022 20:36

Almost by coincidence, the beta marketplace has now opened,
but only for the coin, (where 0 pieces are available).

Showpiece - Market Place Beta is now up and running - with no possible transactions!

The true acid test will be when they make it live for the BG (which they have been promising "for a lot longer").

"To list the tens of thousands unsolds, or just those in play"??

Decisions, decisions.....

(If it were "a no brainer", it would be playing to "their particular skill set"

)

Global Admin · Post by **Global Admin** » 01 Jun 2022 21:07

This Showpiece disaster keeps living up to its reputation. Now June 1 and still no PROMISED IN WRITING platform in place so that the gullible dopey Schmucks who dribbled over a million quid into this thought bubble can sell out and lick their financial losses.

I predicted from Day #1 here, that the pink blur on public display would be a replica, for insurance reasons etc. The real stamps is likely securely locked in the main safe.

So I'd not be at all surprised that a colour copy has been used. Let's face it ... it could not look WORSE than the real McCoy!

MEANWHILE ...... a new record low share price as SG Management attention has been focused on their floperoo pink blur for near a year, and not running as a stamp business. Clearly the buck stops with zero stamp knowledge Gibbons CEO, Graham Shircore, who of course also is the 'brains' behind this failed flop Showpiece.

After that idiot Michael Hall was at the top for years at SG, and near bankrupted them, you would ASSUME the following CEOs would have some stamp experience - and a good track record. Clearly not so.

ViccyVFU · Post by **ViccyVFU** » 01 Jun 2022 23:29

A few hours on, and the coin marketplace has climbed to four pieces for sale.

It shows the offer price of the lowest one on the books (the price hasn't changed since just two were initially listed).

They initially sold 4,000 pieces at £50 each (theoretically), although they may have bought most of them themselves, as "it sold out fast", and they are "clearly not selling, today".

But, curiously ....

What is missing, in either the marketplace terms (.pdf), or the Q&A, is "how much it will cost you to actually sell any you (are unfortunate enough to) hold"?

So, if the cost of selling was 50% on a small transaction, that would be shielded from all prying eyes.

You have to own a unit, and log in, to access "sell it" functionality, at which point they will let you know "how much their cut is".

Non debateable, it appears you have to be happy with "whatever crumbs they throw you".

What a shabby outfit.... No clarity in anything .... and I don't expect much more from the BG Marketplace, when they finally grow a pair and let people dispose of their holding in this "nightmare".

"Its the gift that keeps taking"

The Pom · Post by **The Pom** » 08 Jun 2022 03:37

The Pom wrote: ↑31 May 2022 22:08
The Pom wrote: ↑14 May 2022 07:16 Recently appeared:

Looking into my crystal ball, I see lots of people trying to sell, but few takers. Can't wait to see what form it takes, and the terms & conditions.
Nothing yet, and under 12 hours till May ends......

Deadline duly moved.......

ViccyVFU · Post by **ViccyVFU** » 08 Jun 2022 22:30

I wonder if all at SG are celebrating "the one year anniversary of their ownership of the BG"??

What have they achieved in that year?
Hmmm ....

Democratised ownership? Nope, they still own the lions share

Sold it, to prove they can trade stamps profitably? Nope. They are deeper in the hole, at present.

Understood the meaning of the word NFT, or arranged payment by cryptocurrency? Nope, not even close.

Got a trading platform up and running, and a steady income from it? Nope.

"When no one wants what you are selling, you need to adapt (or die)".
... And they do not appear to be very adaptable, at all.

They'd have improved their trading results if, instead of spending too much time (and cash) on this carbuncle, they'd sent their staff out "to pick loose change up, from the streets".

I suspect it will be "up for auction" (or privately placed) by Xmas 2022.

Global Admin · Post by **Global Admin** » 08 Jun 2022 22:43

ViccyVFU wrote: ↑08 Jun 2022 22:30
I suspect it will be "up for auction" (or privately placed) by Xmas 2022.

Most likely.

I have a manila envelope of UM Machin heads I'll offer them as straight swap for the GUANO.

At least THEY are instant cash! And I'll graciously wipe off my refund owed, on the reperfed £1 NWPI Roo they have STILL never paid me.

Stanley Gibbons share price hit 1.22 PENCE yesterday .. a new record low in its final death throes.

Watching SG in action is like watching a gang of 10 road workers - one man working and 9 supervising.

70 or 80 staff and these dopes STILL cannot get a trading platform set up so the Bunny Army can jump ship on this disaster 'investment'. Right now it appears Channon can sell it, and the bunnies have zero say in that, as he owns the majority of it, and they will not see a cent?

I hope they get a Class Action going against them, to get back their million quid of wasted money.

Global Admin · Post by **Global Admin** » 08 Jun 2022 23:35

The million quid plus ticking time bomb (plus all legal fees) from legal action in Guernsey has not been expanded upon. The entire market cap of SG (before that!) is now less than my neighbouring house just sold for.

The Dodgy Brothers style Showpiece wording is shown here from their last report.

ViccyVFU · Post by **ViccyVFU** » 09 Jun 2022 04:54

Global Administrator wrote: ↑08 Jun 2022 22:43 And I'll graciously wipe off my refund owed, on the reperfed £1 NWPI Roo they have STILL never paid me.

I understand why you are not chasing this, but it still wrankles with me that a senior PTS member is not honouring their business commitments.

I certainly won't be pre-ordering anything from them, nor buying unless delivery "is actually sitting on the counter".

This is a shell of a brand that once stood mighty.

As if all these woes were not enough, we've seen / had the Showpiece trading platform (in beta) for about a week on the Edward VIII coin, and despite all the non visibility, it appears they have traded "about 18 units", at ask prices "of around £65".

So assuming they are charging transaction fees in the 10% range, their income last week "for all of Showpiece" was under £150.

SG's losing money. Hornby is too, and who would make "an advanced payment on a funeral, when the funeral company may not live as long as you do"?

When they do get their act together on marketplace for the BG, then, like others here, I strongly feel people are far more likely to use it to SELL than BUY, and with a dearth of new customers, the offered transaction prices will drop "way under issue price".

This will trigger a revaluation of the underlying asset, and expose SG to even more woes .... as SG Phoenix "get lumbered with it, due to the walk away clause".

"I see no income streams"

Number-O-Ne · Post by **Number-O-Ne** » 09 Jun 2022 09:59

Why don't they simply sell stamps and catalogs?

DigitalPhilatelist · Post by **DigitalPhilatelist** » 12 Jun 2022 19:26

Number-O-Ne wrote: ↑09 Jun 2022 09:59 Why don't they simply sell stamps and catalogs?

They've forgotten how to...

Rigs · Post by **Rigs** » 12 Jun 2022 20:23

DigitalPhilatelist wrote: ↑12 Jun 2022 19:26
Number-O-Ne wrote: ↑09 Jun 2022 09:59 Why don't they simply sell stamps and catalogs?
They've forgotten how to...

Ah … the Digital Dipstick shares his opinion.

Even though SG have sold quite a few stamps over the last hundred years.

So let’s look at your dopey website.

Where do you actually buy stamps on it?

Or is it just a link-fest to other sites?

Global Admin · Post by **Global Admin** » 12 Jun 2022 21:28

Rigs ... your term 'Digital Dipstick' made me think of this question for some reason ... how is your 900 quid Digital 'investment' (sic) in this Total Turkey doing so far?

Been able to sell them at a good profit yet?

But I nearly forgot - you did get a free stockbook! Hope it had a solid gold cover.

7 months back, you assured us here your Hero in life Donald Dump will be reinstated in 2024 (after he somehow beats off the current 50 lawsuits lodged on every front, civil, sexual, State, Federal, Congress etc,) and by then your 900 quid 'investment' in this Guano (for which you will NEVER see a cent!) will also be a star.

If there is a 'Digital Dipstick' anywhere on this thread, I know who MY money is on.

Global Administrator wrote: ↑08 Nov 2021 14:47
Rigs wrote: ↑08 Nov 2021 12:31
I’m thinking by 2024 when Donald the genius is reinstated, this 90 quid ‘IPO’ will be worth a lot more.

At the moment it’s an absolute bargain - SG should be applauded for picking it up for a song.

Trump to win in 2024, AND the GUANO is a ''bargain'' at the 6.5 million quid 'song' you claim.

Astute visionaries like you are truly rare. Some would term your wisdom truly unique.

They've just offered you a SPECIAL offer in vague ''Token Slivers'' on this large Bridge in London ........ special early bird offer - they anticipate they will be market traded by at least 2031. At a guess. Very solidly built, and you get a FREE 3D model AND a postcard, and a person waking tour over it.

10,000 quid down now, and they SORT OF GUARANTEE you 15% a year capital growth. Gibbons have past experience in such offers. The last one lost investors about 60 MILLION quid. Please call to collect your huge cheque in 2030, at 399 Stand. There will be a hairdresser or shoe shop there of course, but they MIGHT be able to assist with the last known forwarding address for the Directors.

Rigs · Post by **Rigs** » 12 Jun 2022 21:55

Global Administrator wrote: ↑12 Jun 2022 21:28 Rigs ... your term 'Digital Dipstick' made me think of this question for some reason ... how is your 1000 quid Digital investment in this Turkey doing so far?

Been able to sell them at a good profit yet?

But I nearly forgot - you did get a free stockbook! Hope it had a solid gold cover.

Dear GA,

My favourite ‘commie in Camelot’.

BTW, I do congratulate you on your successful federal election prediction.

Much to the calamity forecast for the country (noting interest rates are already up 50 basis points).

We all know Labor = inflation, just cast your mind back to Witless, sorry Whitlam.

So you wish to buy my interest in ‘the Guano’, as you put it, and perhaps may I interest you in pieces of my Edward VIII penny?

Stay tuned, and I will forward the relevant link when available …

Global Admin · Post by **Global Admin** » 12 Jun 2022 22:01

Rigs wrote: ↑12 Jun 2022 21:55
BTW, I do congratulate you on your successful federal election prediction.

Thank you - I did predict it months out, and your wisdom in all things assured members there would be no Federal Government change for any reason. You could make a fortune offering your thoughts on all sorts of things, and then folks could just bet the opposite and win big! I have done well doing just that on many things, this one being the latest. Many thanks!

Rigs · Post by **Rigs** » 12 Jun 2022 22:05

Global Administrator wrote: ↑12 Jun 2022 22:01
Rigs wrote: ↑12 Jun 2022 21:55
BTW, I do congratulate you on your successful federal election prediction.

Thank you - I did predict it months out, and your wisdom in all things assured members there would be no Federal Government change for any reason. You could make a fortune offering your thoughts on all sorts of things, and then folks could just bet the opposite and win big! I have done well doing just that on many things, this one being the latest. Many thanks!

Don’t get carried away.

It’s not far til 2024, and the Donald is getting ready …

ViccyVFU · Post by **ViccyVFU** » 12 Jun 2022 22:08

DigitalPhilatelist wrote: ↑12 Jun 2022 19:26
Number-O-Ne wrote: ↑09 Jun 2022 09:59 Why don't they simply sell stamps and catalogs?
They've forgotten how to...

I'm not so sure its "they've forgotten how to" so much.
It seems more of a case of "they've failed to keep up with where the hobby moved to".

399 Strand still has some stamps (and accessories) in stock, but "whose needs" do they meet?

Suppose I was on a budget of .....
£10 - probably look on ebay
£100 - probably ebay, with dealers sites and stamp shows
£1000 - PTS dealers (others are available

) etc ...
£10000 - auctions, for extreme rarities, or specialist dealers.

And that's their problem.
They have not really declared "what level they are pitching at", so all their stuff looks overpriced.

What they need is HUGE volume, to cover HUGE overheads.
So, I'd prescribe ...

A mind blowing amount of eBay (assuming they can source low enough) - SG cannot seem to bulk list, and make decent margin.

A strong connect with mid collectors - I can think of several PTS dealers that mail me every month (or whenever they have "my thing") - SG are still getting to grips with email.

Relentless working of their network / little black book, backed up by regular and strong auctions - SG said they were going to "go in heavy", but don't seem to have anyone's eyes this year.

They fact they went "All in on a single mammoth" (BG), in a hobby that's now become "nimble and light" (Uber will deliver a single hamburger), means all their old conditions - minimum order, requesting availability (whilst someone checks offline), and 10 day order turnaround, seem positively "grandad" in an Amazon world "that delivers same day".

Add to that "all the missed deadlines / promises" (catalogues, marketplace), dodgy marketing ("not an investment").... and people have started saying "I'll buy that when I see it", with almost no enthusiasm for much of their current offering.

It wasn't that they stopped doing "what they've always done", its that "they failed to adapt".

ozwire · Post by **ozwire** » 16 Jun 2022 13:16

Interesting to see the "marketplace" for the Edward VIII coin at Showpiece (the model for the British Guiana when it comes on). They list the "available "pieces" - at the moment 11 at varying prices from $79 to $182. What is interesting is that there is no provision for evidence of any sold transactions. So, we will never know whether ANY pieces have sold on the secondary market (and at what prices).

The "1c Magenta" has not been launched yet. Current wording is "We’ll be launching the 1c in the marketplace in the next few weeks!"

Catweazle · Post by **Catweazle** » 16 Jun 2022 13:52

Buy all 11 pieces at $1306.36 and you'll control the market!

ViccyVFU · Post by **ViccyVFU** » 16 Jun 2022 18:53

ozwire wrote: ↑16 Jun 2022 13:16

There is a certain irony quoting prices in US$, when they are not supposed to be transacting there.

Lets hope no Aussie thinks its AUD (as some offers would be "below issue price".

)

The recent "sales of 10 at $65 each" translates to £53.75 each .... so not even 10% up from issue (£50 each), and selling costs will probably dwarf that "profit" anyway.

If they do offload their entire offers list today, they'd be making about £100 on the transaction, which isn't going to spread very thickly on Group losses of around "£10k, per trading day".

"Damned if they do, and damned if they don't" with a BG marketplace. So many unsolds still in stock, a really non transparent marketplace, and a market value "that's looking in the same medal pot as Tom Daley" ..... Its certainly a big enough existential issue for them, valuation wise, "to start the dominoes falling".

Castelnau were down yesterday, having lost investors money since launch, with little by way of "remission" envisaged. The sale of 25,000 shares at 84p (issue price 90p) should have taken it lower, but an unmatched trade of just two shares (Yes, just £2 in total, rounded up!) managed to "frig the stats" for some "window dressing".

Can't imagine working at Castelnau, SG Phoenix or SG is a whole bundle of laughs, at present.

Post by **gavin-h** » 16 Jun 2022 21:22

ViccyVFU wrote: ↑16 Jun 2022 18:53 Can't imagine working at Castelnau, SG Phoenix or SG is a whole bundle of laughs, at present.

Actually, it's probably exactly that. Because surely nobody can take them SERIOUSLY.

erich · Post by **erich** » 28 Jun 2022 14:34

They should have done this as an NFT. Despite the general ridiculousness of many of them, the marketplace infrastructure already exists to buy/sell them. Why reinvent the wheel?

ozwire · Post by **ozwire** » 04 Jul 2022 20:52

So the secondary market is launched on Showpiece (sort of!). There is a curious message to the effect that it is UK only beta testing. See the screen grab:

Curiously the same message has been added to the King Edward coin that previously I could buy (if I was crazy enough to buy a share of nothing). See my post above from a couple of weeks ago. Here is the coin screenshot:

Poor transparency as usual....

ViccyVFU · Post by **ViccyVFU** » 04 Jul 2022 21:38

Its an interesting quandary .... "Can SG dump their unsolds into the marketplace, at a price less than the earlybird price?" (i.e. £90)

The wording of the initial offer said that the earlybird price would be "the lowest it was ever going to be offered at", but the marketplace, being "a place of trust and transparency", has to offer those people who have been hooked so far "the opportunity to liquidate their holdings".

Any malfeasance in the transparency of trading these tokens, (N.B. All with attached voting rights), does have fairly serious implications "for those that would try it".

IF SG sell "their retained interest" shares, they are changing the voting balance, and IF they sell the previously unsolds at a discount, they are diluting the rights of existing (full price) holders.

The temptation to try and get £95 "on the marketplace", for something they could not get £100 for (even with incentives), must be "almost unbearable" in their current financial situation.

What is sad, for me, is that this is the 2016 investment scenario "all over again", and almost nothing whatsoever to do with stamp trading, but its "another nail in the coffin, for the industry".

Rare stamps remain "a reasonably good long term store of value!, its just SG, and the goons that run it, that are toxic.

Post by **gavin-h** » 04 Jul 2022 21:46

ViccyVFU wrote: ↑04 Jul 2022 21:38

The temptation to try and get £95 "on the marketplace", for something they could not get £100 for (even with incentives), must be "almost unbearable" in their current financial situation.

My local supermarkets typically reduce items to sell fresh by 30%, 50% or even 70%.

Compared to that a 5% markdown on this rather jaded piece - which is clearly at or very close to its sell by date - looks very poor indeed.

Global Admin · Post by **Global Admin** » 05 Jul 2022 00:04

Gavin, I am sure supermarkets globally for decades have sold Milk or Chocolate or sausages or anything with a clear printed 'sell by' date on that day, at a big discount. They go into the dumpster bin otherwise. Not sure what bearing that has on rare stamps that do not have a 'Sell By' date?

However, it seems The City has already decided the 'use by' date of the £1 CASTELNAU shares - who are tied up in the ownership of this GUANO flop. Some rodents are clearly deserting the sinking flop before their next required financial report.

Any real trades are at 75-85p now, when ones ignores the laughable red-herring 92 pence 'trades' of 2 shares etc!

They promised investors in writing that their goal was to OUTPERFORM the FTSE by 15% pa or so as I recall.

Hornby has flopped, SG have flopped, and their Wedding and Funeral business too it appears. A basket of toxic performers is all CASTELNAU holds. A racehorse doing so 'well' would be pet food by now.

The figures to March 31 were a disaster and the markets have collapsed further since then.

The Pom · Post by **The Pom** » 07 Jul 2022 06:18

ozwire wrote: ↑04 Jul 2022 20:52 So the secondary market is launched on Showpiece (sort of!). There is a curious message to the effect that it is UK only beta testing. See the screen grab:

The same appears for me, and I AM in the UK.

DigitalPhilatelist · Post by **DigitalPhilatelist** » 07 Jul 2022 19:48

LOL... "24 of 80000 total pieces."

Sure, SG...

The Pom · Post by **The Pom** » 05 Sep 2022 04:28

The phrase "sunk without trace" springs to mind for some reason......

deltic1575 · Post by **deltic1575** » 05 Sep 2022 04:45

I see the next offering from Showpiece is a first edition of Charles Darwin's Origin of Species which can presently be brought for around £150,000-£250,000 depending on condition. Lots of opportunities to discuss the evolution of SG and the survival of the fittest!

Global Admin · Post by **Global Admin** » 05 Sep 2022 05:19

The Darwin phrase 'Natural Selection' comes to mind ...................

Did anyone with any get up and go ever survive in The Strand?

Rigs · Post by **Rigs** » 13 Dec 2022 19:31

So,12 months on and I notice I have doubled my initial discounted investment.

Money for jam really …

Global Admin · Post by **Global Admin** » 13 Dec 2022 19:59

Well no, you have got zero return back on your £900 outlay, and never will.

All these desperate spivs are doing, is hoping they can find someone TWICE as dumb as you out there.

''Even a clock is right twice each day.''

Rigs wrote: ↑13 Dec 2022 19:31
Money for jam really …

Money for jam really … for GIBBONS.

Rigs · Post by **Rigs** » 13 Dec 2022 20:09

Tut tut, you had your chance to buy in.

And blew it …

Along with many other of the ‘diggers’ as I recall.

Sprouting endless pie charts and financial ‘expertise’ …

Global Admin · Post by **Global Admin** » 13 Dec 2022 20:56

Rigs wrote: ↑13 Dec 2022 20:09
Sprouting endless pie charts and financial ‘expertise’ …

Nope, just REAL audited financial results showing only Bunnies like you, buying slices of this ugly, faded. GUANO, is about the only thing that made them money. Congratulations.

You are an avid Trump supporter - we get it - picking losers is your special talent 'skill' in life! I BET you went big into BITCOIN .. that also took a special talent.

I am not an accountant, but a company who has 12m quid in global sales but ever rising BORROWINGS of double that, is totally doomed.

In a fire sale, Phoenix MIGHT get half what they loaned back, is my guess.

Which is more than Rigs will get back for his 'pie in the sky' slices of this dog purchase.

Rigs · Post by **Rigs** » 13 Dec 2022 21:08

Global Administrator wrote: ↑13 Dec 2022 20:56
I am not an accountant,

Yes, we are in mutual agreement with such an assertion.

So please stop there and stick to Sportsbet.