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.
Two things fix the prices of all but the rarest or commonest stamps. First, the desire of the dealers, who make the catalogues, to obtain as high a price as possible for scarce stamps of which they have a supply on hand; and secondly, auction sales, which reflect the actual prices paid in open competition. During the last four months the new catalogues have appeared with increased prices for the majority of "medium" stamps, and during the same period the prices paid in the auction-room have in many instances been smaller than during the previous year. The result has been a comparative cessation of business in stamps, which will continue until the two factors have adjusted themselves. Speculators will not buy on a falling market, and it has been the speculative purchases in the past which have advanced the prices of so many stamps. Of course the real scarcity of unused stamps of most of the early issues has been demonstrated of late years, and an increase of value was inevitable, but, pushed too far, it frightens new collectors, and discourages many of the older ones whose purses are not large.
Each of the Portuguese colonies, Funchal, Horta, Angra, and Punta Delgado has a complete set of new stamps. The designs of all values and for all the colonies are the same, with the exception that the stamps bear the name of the colony in the label under the portrait.
| 2½ reis, gray and black. |
| 5 reis, orange-buff and black. |
| 10 reis, light green and black. |
| 15 reis, brown and black. |
| 20 reis, violet and black. |
| 25 reis, dark green and black. |
| 50 reis, blue and black. |
| 75 reis, rose and black. |
| 80 reis, lilac and black. |
| 100 reis, blue and black on blue. |
| 150 reis, brown and black on buff. |
| 200 reis, mauve and black on lilac. |
| 300 reis, blue and black on pink. |
| 500 reis, black and red on blue. |
George Hall.—It is a Hungarian revenue stamp.
L. N. Dodd, 2607 Thirty-ninth Street, Chicago, Ill., wishes to exchange stamps.
W. R. Wheeler.—The 3c. "outer line," perforated, is the same stamp as the 1851. The common perforated lacks the line at top and bottom, as these were cut out of the plate to allow room for the perforations. The Department stamps have been advancing in price for years. How long they will continue to advance no one knows. Some of the "specimen" stamps are rarer than the regular issues.
D. McPherson, Jun., Cor. Church and Chestnut streets, Santa Cruz, Cal., wants to exchange a kodak for stamps.
E. L. Smith.—Your Spanish stamp is a revenue. The word "Cave" is that of a large mercantile house in the East. It is not a governmental surcharge.
F. O. S.—Your coin with inscription LUD. XV. D. G. FR. ET. N. REX. (Louis XV. By the Grace of God King of France and Navarre), and the other coin (from Bolivia), are no longer current, and hence are worth bullion only.
D. McPherson.—Your 12c. 1869 U.S. stamp is very badly centred, and hence is not worth more than one-half as much as a perfectly centred copy. This is true of all scarce stamps.
A. Gregory.—An "Albino" envelope is one with the impression of the die, but without ink, having been used on the same. It is found in U.S. envelopes sometimes.
Philatus.
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