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 Director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing reports that the sale of stamps during the past year was as follows:
| Postage-stamps | 3,025,481,467 |
| Special-delivery stamps | 4,666,270 |
| Postage-due stamps | 19,348,714 |
| Newspaper stamps | 5,505,672 |
In addition, the bureau made the following stamps for internal-revenue purposes: 36,044,732 sheets of Tobacco, Liquor, and Playing-card stamps; 214,000 sheets Custom-house stamps, besides a vast quantity of United States bonds, bank-notes, certificates, etc.
Crime and philately were formerly strangers to each other, but the growing value of stamps is reflected by the criminal statistics of to-day. In one number of the Stamp-Collectors' Fortnightly, published in England, I find the following items (I omit details): 1. The trial of Aubert and Margaret Dubois for the murder of Delahaef, committed to obtain possession of Delahaef's stamp collection. The man was condemned to penal servitude for life, the woman to three years' imprisonment. 2. The trial of two young men in Liverpool for stealing stamps from dealers. 3. A similar case in Aberdeen. 4. A similar case at Bournemouth. 5. Two other cases at London.
In addition, a large part of the paper is taken up with the Sydney Bulletin's article on the "unauthorised and scandalous" trading in postage-stamps by post-office officials; the sale of 5-peseta stamps at Gibraltar, which could not be obtained at the post-office, as practically the whole stock had been sold to one man; and to a review of the Nova Scotia remainder mystery. The author comes to the conclusion that the Nova Scotia stamps (cents issue) had best be left alone by all collectors. Then there is a review of the silly article which appeared in a New York paper a short time ago, in which the failure of a large mercantile house was ascribed to the neglect of business by the head of the house while he pottered over his collection of postage-stamps.
A. C. Tarr.—Dealers ask $1.50 for early gold dollars, and $2 to $2.50 for the later dates; half-dollars, silver, 1828, 75c.; 3c. silver pieces, 10c. for early dates, 50c. to $1 for late dates; but coins must be in "Fine" condition. Ordinary circulated U.S. coins are worth face only.
W. T. Howell.—The 50c. blue and black U.S. Revenue are very common, and can be bought at 2c.
G. G. Morse.—The prices quoted were for unperforated stamps only. Those with perforations are, as a rule, of little value. As there are hundreds of varieties, it is impossible to give a list, but would advise your purchasing a stamp-catalogue, which prices U.S. Revenues of all descriptions. No idea as to value can be formed without examination.
J. D. Duff.—As the button fad is rapidly dying out, this Department can not advise regarding them.
W. E. Shreve, Ridley Park, Pa., wishes to exchange stamps.
B. B. Meggs.—The 1897 catalogues will probably all be published during the month of December or early in January. The prices vary from 10c. to $1.50; but 50c. will be the price of probably the best one.
Amateur.—Addresses can not be given in this column, with the exception of readers of the Round Table who wish to exchange stamps.
Philatus.