If we say that in the early 80s, China's antique market was like a small seedling awakened by a spring rain of reform.

If you have to dormant your fragile root system in the soil, you can only grow it gradually by absorbing nutrients little by little.

On the contrary, the stamp market of this period was like the magic bean planted by Jack.

It is full of vigorous vitality, unscrupulous development, and rapid growth.

In fact, anyone who has studied the collection knows that it was the first collection to become popular throughout the country.

Neither antiques or calligraphy and paintings, nor ancient books or jadeite, but stamps.

Why is this happening? There's a reason, of course.

To sum up, it is nothing more than because the amount of funds required for stamp collection is small, there are many ways to obtain it, and the threshold for entering the market is low.

Moreover, this kind of valuable ticket is not only easy to carry, but also conducive to trading.

From the perspective of the people, in a period when our country has a single culture and is not economically developed.

Stamps are one of the cheapest and most accessible hobbies in almost all investment categories.

Because it costs at least a few yuan to buy a porcelain, and it costs more than ten yuan to buy a painting and calligraphy.

Stone, jade, bronze, ancient books, mahogany furniture, and the four treasures of the study, all of which are required to be collectors of any kind of plaything.

Only stamps can be purchased for a few cents.

Even asking an acquaintance for a cancelled ticket on an envelope can be fun.

Then this hobby naturally has the attribute of being close to the people.

Moreover, before the reform, China's bank interest rate has always been very low, but the purchase of stamps can also obtain excess returns.

For example, the well-known "Motherland Mountains and Rivers are Red", "Mei Lanfang Souvenir Sheet", as well as "Yellow Mountain", "Butterfly", "Goldfish", "Chrysanthemum" and "Peony", all of which are well-known excellent ticket types, have all risen all year round.

With a sustained, stable and amazing rate of return, people have formed a kind of "buy stamps can make a fortune".

So philately could easily become an investment that people were keen to do at that time.

However, this kind of investment is also because of the small volume of stamps and the small amount of funds carried, which is not enough to arouse the vigilance of relevant departments.

In addition, stamps are not as related to the national economy and people's livelihood as grain and oil stamps and industrial stamps.

Even in terms of the current national conditions, the increase in the value of stamps is not only not harmful, but also conducive to the issuance of stamps.

As a result, this speculation is almost never subject to official interference.

If the government wants to take care of it, that is, to control public order, and to manage the incidents of cheating, abduction, and fighting.

You can even disclose a little bit here.

Even during the "Movement", many commemorative stamps and special stamps issued in the past were considered to be "covered, financed, and repaired" and ceased to be sold.

Philately was criticized as a "bourgeois activity".

The private exchange and purchase of a considerable number of stamp collectors in the capital has never been interrupted.

It's just a matter of the people not holding officials accountable, and the top is turning a blind eye.

Therefore, stamps have such a combination of favorable factors.

As soon as the "movement" ended, the private stamp trade in Beijing was like a resurgence, and it was the first to be resumed.

Speaking of which, it is impossible not to mention a "holy place" in the minds of stamp collectors in Beijing.

This is the National Philatelic Corporation established by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications in January 1955 at No. 77 Donghua Gate in the east wing of the Forbidden City.

Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, it has been the most frequent place for private collectors to trade privately.

It was closed for a time during the "Movement" and reopened in July 1978.

And when the place was reopened, the enthusiasm of philatelic enthusiasts exploded like a blowout.

On the day of the issue, the business counters of philatelic companies are crowded with people, which will trigger a rush to buy new postage.

In addition to some newly issued stamps, there are also stamps issued before and during the "movement".

These stamps will also arouse the desire of stamp collectors to buy.

Perhaps the reason why philatelic enthusiasm has been suppressed for too long, people are reluctant to leave even when they walk out of the door of philatelic companies. They would gather in front of the philatelic company, whispering in small voices, exchanging all the information about the stamps.

Among these people are intellectuals, workers, cadres and students, and some social idlers.

They come from different jobs and also come from all over the capital.

But when they arrived, they all had one identity in common, and that was philatelic enthusiasts.

As for the fact that these people gathered at the door of the stamp company, there were only two purposes.

The first is to exchange information and increase the knowledge of stamps.

The second is to exchange stamps and enrich one's collection.

Some of them are long-time philatelic friends, and some are new friends.

However, the level of philately collecting is certainly uneven, and everyone's income level is very different.

Some people are anxious to buy some stamps in order to enrich their collections.

Others, by chance, have some extra stamps in hand.

However, in the early period of reform and opening up, people were ashamed to talk about money, but regarded philately as a simple cultural activity.

It makes sense to exchange stamps for stamps.

But if you pay money with one hand and goods with one hand, you will be labeled as "mercenary" and "vulgar philistine" on your forehead.

In fact, after Ning Weimin didn't have to worry about his livelihood last year.

In order to buy monkey tickets, he went to the National Philatelic Corporation many times.

When he first came on a "pilgrimage" in June, the spontaneous market in front of the Philatelic Corporation was much like this.

At that time, most stamp collectors were trading quite purely.

The unspoken rule of communication is to come to the philatelic company with two "mobile" albums.

One contains stamps that show the level of appreciation, and the other stamps that can be exchanged or transferred with someone else.

It's really just a ticket exchange, not a ticket sale.

He just curiously inquired about the price of several tickets, and was given a cold reception everywhere, and no one was willing to pay attention to him.

But precisely because of the limitations of exchanging stamps for stamps.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to meet the desire of collectors to improve their philately.

In particular, it could not satisfy the desire of some of the more affluent people to own rare stamps.

So later, some people began to wander out of these philatelic enthusiasts.

They specialize in stockpiling stamps that are particularly needed by collectors, and they are also good at figuring out the psychology of collectors.

Do some small businesses that sell low prices to go high and earn the difference.

Of course, such a person has a bad reputation in the postal market, and directly falls into a contemptuous name, that is, "stamp dealers"

The real stamp collectors are most resistant to such speculation, which is perceived as exploitation, unearned gain, and tarnishing the spirit of philately.

But nothing is a single attribute, and stamp collectors sometimes can't do without these "stamp dealers".

Because "stamp dealers" can indeed make the flow of stamps more efficient, and can also make it easier for stamp collectors to communicate with each other.

This fully shows that these "stamp dealers" are actually the backbone of the market that can really expand the market.

So when Ning Weimin wrapped up all the monkey stamps of the philatelic company, he left here for only two months.

When he came back after a long time, he found that the place had completely changed.

The number of people at the entrance of the head office has increased several times, and the informal small market is simply very prosperous.

Especially on Sundays, it's like a crowd of people, like a farmer's market.

There are many "stamp dealers" who are no longer satisfied with just carrying a stamp album and walking through the crowd in search of opportunities for trade.

Some people simply spread newspapers, set up stalls, and become farmers who wait for rabbits.

As soon as the albums are opened, the stamps will come into view, and the collectors will pay for them without salivating.

In the face of such a scenario, others may not care and only pay attention to the transaction content.

But it's different for Ning Weimin.

To put it bluntly, just like when Kangshude saw the ghost market again, he was absolutely excited.

If nothing else, just because his old profession in his previous life was to eat stamps and be a postal merchant.

He still remembered that winter in his previous life, when the cold wind was howling and the dust was flying.

In the Madian stamp trading market, only the stall owners are suffering.

At that time, he made a living selling duct tape in the mail market, and he decided that this place was his life's journey.

He still remembers the spring in his previous life, full of spring light, birdsong and flowers.

At that time, the Madian coin market was like an erupting volcano.

Countless large and small bags, countless people, countless piles of banknotes.

He has already begun to be a scalper, and he believes that stamps are a turning point in his life.

He still remembers that in the autumn of that year, the numismatic market went crazy across the board.

The high-end luxury cars parked at the entrance of the market have no end in sight, just like driving an international auto show.

Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi are lined up, and Cheetahs, Bentleys, Ferraris, and Maserati have everything to choose from.

During that time, a large amount of hot money poured in like a fly, and the Madian Post Market was like a giant cash machine that never stopped.

Because every day, I can see that the deposit number in my bank card is rising almost crazy.

After making a fortune of 1.2 million, he decided that stamps were the glory of his life.

That's it, when you don't have money, you eat somen in clear soup, and when you are rich, you eat abalone and lobster.

He's really one of the luckier guys.

In the postal market, it took only five years to clear the fog of life and find my career direction.

He worked his way up from a tape vendor, a street guerrilla, and a stamp dealer to a businessman with his own business.

It was stamps and the postal market that made him truly reborn, out of poverty, and into a small boss with thin assets.

That's why he loves the stamp industry, which is an emotion from the heart and a natural DNA in his bones.

No one misses such a chaotic and noisy environment more than him, and he is more at home.

No one knows better than him that no matter how big a postal merchant is, he has grown up from such a small fish and shrimp "stamp dealer".

No one knows better than him that our republic will grow into the world's largest stamp distribution center in the future.

Both the number of philatelic enthusiasts and the number of people who devote themselves to the profession of stamps.

Whether it is the scale of the stamp business premises or the scale of the stamp transaction, it ranks first in the world and is proud of the others.

And he is not only about to witness the evolution of this whole process, but also become an important participant in this market, and even a dominant player!

So don't look at the beginning of 1981, I have made great achievements in antique calligraphy and painting.

But compared with it, what makes Ning Weimin feel happier is that the small market at the entrance of the stamp company has taken shape, and it is about to become a truly free stamp market.

This is the big stage where he can do his best.

It was the first step for him to begin to write the legend of his life.