The stamp collecting/investment world appears to be in robust health, at least if based on figures from Stanley Gibbons last week.

Stanley Gibbons, the renowned market for stamps – a market that has prospered along with other collectible sectors recently – announced that sales for the year ending on 31 March were £56.9 million ($61 million), from £51.8 million in the 15-month period to 31 March last year. (The 15-month previous reporting period is caused by a change to the reporting end-point stemming from a corporate acquisition.)

The firm’s gross margin for the year ended 31 March was 56.7 per cent, up from 44.1 per cent for the 15-month period ending a year earlier, the firm said in a statement last Friday.

Adjusted profit before tax was £7.5 million, while it was £5.2 million in the 15-month period a year earlier. The adjustment excludes operational earnings charges, pension service, share option charges, and amortisation of customer lists.

The firm launched its Stanley Gibbons Online Marketplace in May this year.

Stanley Gibbons said trading at its core philatelic dealing was hit by a number of expected high value sales failing to complete in the financial year.

“Following the launch of the Stanley Gibbons Online Marketplace on 21 May 2015 growth in visitor numbers and GMV has been encouraging. We are focused on delivering material growth in GMV and will be in a better position to report on the performance of our new website when our interim results are announced in November,” the firm said.

“The market for rare collectibles and fine and decorative arts remains buoyant evidenced by some high profile realisations, which included the highest price realised for the sale of a single stamp in June 2014, the 1c magenta from British Guiana, for $9.5 million," the firm added.