One of the most interesting countries to collect is the Dominican Republic. The first issues are crudely printed from domestically produced plates and the major varieties of the first thirty or so stamps are not design types but paper varieties. Philatelist have traditionally treated major paper types as grounds for a major catalog number. The early stamps of the Dominican Republic are printed on ordinary wove paper (the paper type on which over 99% of the world’s stamps have been produced), on laid paper (a paper type where the paper pulp is laid on a mesh bed producing a paper that has lined ridges in it. Today, this paper type is mainly used on wedding invitations and fancy stationery), and pelure paper (a paper type where the paper is very thin and translucent). There are few countries that have such significant paper varieties in their stamps. Later nineteenth century stamps are interesting with the usual (Latin American) run of significant overprinted issues caused by political instability. And twentieth century stamps are well designed and moderate in numbers. There are two good reasons to consider collecting the Dominican Republic now. First, on a scarcity to price ratio, Dominican Republic stamps are a steal. You just don’t find them very often and when you do the prices are surprisingly modest. And second, as one of the fastest growing economies in the Americas (and with a significant and successful expatriot population) there is a good chance that indigenous demand will lead to price appreciation.
