Middle Eastern stamps are very appealing for a few reasons. First, they are politically fascinating. Nearly all of the Middle East was under Turkish control until after WW I. The breakup created a power vacuum that brought Britain and France into play both with and against local populations in setting up new governments.

The philately reflects this with a wide range of locally produced stamps under changing postal administrations. And the stamps are all scarce and for the most part under-appreciated and under-valued all of which makes the possibility for collector "finds" (which are fun) and for rising prices.

Pictured is the 1933 Jordan pictorial. This set represents the first set in the modern period of Middle Eastern philately. Before about 1930, most of the stamps of Jordan, Syria, and Saudi Arabia were surcharged on stamps of Turkey or France. This Jordan set had its own designer and printer and depicted the current ruler of the country and as such, they represent the first true Independence issues of this country. This set above is not cheap-it sells for about Rs. 3500 (US$500)- but considering how scarce it is and how rarely it is offered for sale and the potential for the stamps of this area to greatly increase in popularity, it is a very good buy for the future if you can find one.

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