In total, Wall Street claimed to have entered into transactions giving it access to at least 713 crates of stamps - issued by governments in Aden, the Trucial States and similar Arabian locales - weighing about 100 pounds each. These stamps had been authenticated by assorted N.Y. and Connecticut-based appraisers found by the company who valued them at upwards of US$386 million. Wall Street announced to investors: "These transactions are thought to be among the largest in the history of the philatelic world, according to available information, and are believed to make Wall Street the largest holder of South and Southeastern Arabian postal issue stamps in the world, as well as in all likelihood the world's largest stamp company."
Overseeing this philatelic treasure was a new management slate which included: a pair of Beverly Hills-based PR consultants and Scientologists, Michael Baybak and George Duggan (both of whom have been associated with other Vancouver penny stock promotions); a reputed "Sultan" Ghalib Bin'Awadh Al-Qu'aitl, said to be a "Self-employed consultant on Arabian history, Islamic art and business"; and Denis Potvin, the retired New York Islanders hockey star. Ex-NHLer Potvin was referred to in one promotional Wall Street article as a "retired professional hockey player and collector of Middle East stamps." And, it was claimed that, Wall Street officer Steven C. Rockefeller of Norwalk, Connecticut held "an informed appreciation of the unique and growing appeal of the South and Southeastern Arabian stamps represented in the company's inventory." John Reznikoff, who was Wall Street's Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice-President, was the only board member to have a professional background as a dealer in collectible stamps imagenisp.com |