The two men parted ways. Li Daniu went home, while Qi Tongwei headed straight to the department store to buy gifts. He spent nearly 5,000 yuan on items like Codonopsis pilosula, angelica, goji berries, and tea. On his way, he passed a specialty market for stamps and coins. In this era, buying stamps was an immediate gain. For instance, the Zodiac stamps were currently popular and representative.
Take the 1987 first-round Rabbit stamps, for example. Despite their large circulation, they had gradually attracted the attention of collectors as time passed and the popularity of zodiac themes grew. Then there were the JT stamps—"J" for commemorative and "T" for special issues. Sets like *Water Margin (I)*, *Famous Buildings*, *Murals (I)*, *Kites*, *Founding of the Army*, *Ye Jianying*, and *Xu Xiake* were beautifully designed, had relatively low circulation, and were in high demand, giving them significant collection value. There were also souvenir sheets, such as those for *Dunhuang Murals*, *Famous Buildings*, and *Water Margin (I)* included in the 1987 stamp annuals.
These were items that would only appreciate over time. Qi Tongwei was not short on cash, but he didn't mind bending down to pick up money when it was practically within reach. Take the Rabbit stamps: they cost only 8 cents each, 6.40 yuan for a full sheet of 80. Thirty years later, a sheet would be worth as much as 600 yuan. Given the currency’s tendency to devalue over time, this was a decent way to manage asset…
Chapter 342