This Department is conducted in the interest of stamp and coin collectors, and the Editor will be pleased to answer any question on these subjects so far as possible. Correspondents should address Editor Stamp Department.
The American Philatelic Association has just held its annual meeting at Lake Minnetonka, Minn. The membership is 1046, and the treasurer reports a surplus on hand of about $1300. The annual dues have been raised to $1.08, being exactly nine cents per month. The following were elected officers for the ensuing year: Messrs. Olney, president; Vanderlip, Toppan, and Kilborn, vice-presidents; Chandler, treasurer; Beard, Phillips, and Doeblin, secretaries; Mekeel, superintendent of sales.
Plate Nos. and U.S. Revenues continue to increase in value, and now a long-neglected department of philately is exciting widespread interest, viz., U.S. entire envelopes. I have always advocated collecting entire envelopes, showing the different dies and colors of papers, leaving to specialists the different varieties in shapes, sizes, water-marks, gums, etc. The only objection has been the necessity of having separate albums for the envelopes. One of the curious facts connected with auction sales is that frequently a perfectly clean entire envelope could be bought cheaper than a cut square envelope of the same die, and on the same paper. A few collectors have availed themselves of these opportunities to their own profit.
The issue of the Columbian series of U.S. stamps seems to have led large numbers of persons who know nothing of stamps, except that some rare ones bring big prices, to buy quantities of all the Columbians and lay them aside as a speculation. These hoards are now coming into the market, and every week quantities are purchased by the dealers at a discount on the face value. This is especially true of the denominations 50c., $2, $3, $4, $5. Very few of the $1 stamps are offered, thus their price is fairly well maintained. But the others are bought at a discount of ten or fifteen per cent., thereby breaking the speculative prices. Still, every lot that comes into the market reduces the quantity held in reserve, and prices may advance materially at any time.
A. Carey.—M. stands for German marks, worth 25c. each; F. for French francs, worth 20c. each; £ for English pound sterling, worth $4.88; also for Italian liras, worth 20c. each.
A. B. Hervey.—It is impossible to say which of the Plate Nos. are rarest. One dealer may have a large quantity of certain Nos., and lack those of which another dealer has a superfluity, and vice versa. A priced catalogue of Plate Nos. can be bought of any dealer for 25c. The prices are a fair indication of present values, which, however, are fluctuating. The following list of Nos. wanted has been advertised by one of the largest dealers. They must be in strips of three, with full Imprint and Plate Nos. attached, either tops, bottoms, or sides.
UNWATER-MARKED.
Nos. 2, 6, 7, 10, 15, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 25, 31, 34, 49, 50, 53, 54, 56, 59, 61, 62, 63, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 80, 84, 85, 88, 89 (will pay $25 for this), 90, 92, 93, 94, 97, 100, 104, 105, 106, 109, 110, 111, 123, 125, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 146, 151.
WATER-MARKED.
Nos. 24, 29, 33, 35, 60, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 82, 84, 90, 93, 100, 102, 105, 109, 110, 116, 123, 126, 131, 132, 133, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 159, 258, 259, 260, 261, 265, 266, 267, 268, 269, 270, 271, 272, 273, 284, 285, 286, 287, 288, 289. Nos. 24, 29, 33, and 35 on water-marked paper are worth $5 each and upward.
There must be thousands of these sheets in the smaller post-offices.
R. B. B.—The U.S. coins mentioned are all current, and turn up constantly in the ordinary course of trade. The foreign coins are no longer current, and are worth bullion only. The red Centennial is listed at 50c., the green at 25c. I would advise you to buy a 25c. catalogue, as it will give you full information on values.
D. H. Wilson.—Foreign copper money has no value in this country.
J. M. S. Carter.—To see water-marks, dip the stamp in water, and try it in various positions and in various lights. The letters on English stamps are control Nos. (see Round Table for October 8, 1895). Rare stamps are more valuable on letters. Common stamps are common in any way.
A. Sachs.—Certainly. Buy a catalogue. If you intend to collect stamps systematically, you must have a catalogue.
E. T. Syms.—Spanish stamps cancelled by heavy lines straight across, and those having holes punched in them, are both remainders. They are genuine stamps which could have been used for postage before they were "barred" or "punched."
A. Chambers.—O.S. on British Colonial stamps means "Official Service." The New South Wales stamps with different initials were used in the different public offices. For instance, those with the surcharge L.C. stand for Land Commissioner, etc. Some of these stamps are very scarce, and all are worth more than the same stamps without the initials.
H. D. Jackson.—There were so many varieties of Revenue stamps that it would be impossible to answer your question accurately. In general the imperforated stamps ate worth much more than the perforated. The average perforated Revenues can be bought at from 1c to 25c. each in all values up to $10.
M. Shrene.—A complete set of Columbian stamps, from 1c. to $5, is worth $25, either used or unused.
Lura E. Cosley.—All the U.S. stamps are now water-marked. A portion of a letter is to be found on every one. The letters are U.S.P.S. (see Round Table, August 6, 1895).
S. Isabel Carter.—They are not coins, but are "war tokens," which are extremely interesting, but at present have no monetary value. They were collected from 1862 to 1864, but the dies were in the hands of the manufacturers, who immediately struck a quantity whenever there was a premium. This discouraged the collectors. Some day they will doubtless be much sought after, and will then become valuable.
Honesdale.—V nickels without the word "cents" can be bought of dealers for 10c. each. Your dime and copper are still current and quite common. The "Exigency" is a "war token." Letters on U.S. coins show the mint at which they were coined. The Philadelphia mint, however, does not show any special letter.
Philatus.