Old Greek gold coins are as eagerly sought for as ever, and very few new copies are found in excavations, tombs, etc. Mr. H. Montague for many years collected all the fine and rare copies he could purchase. His collection has just been sold, and the 816 coins brought $44,884. Among the highest prices were an Athenian gold stater, b.c. 88, with the head of Athene Parthenos wearing the triple-crested helmet, $830, only three of these staters being known; a tetradrachm of Nabis of Lacedæmon, $580; an old stater of the Arcadian League, with the head of Zeus Lykæos in high relief, $695; one of Tarentum, with the head of Demeter, $500: a silver stater of Croton, with a nude figure of Herakles on the reverse, $375; an oktadrachm of Alexander the Great, $450; a stater of Pheneus, with a naked running Hermes on the reverse, $575, and one of Alexander II., Zebena of Syria, $825. Very few specimens of these old Greek coins have been brought to America.
D. W. W.—Practically all the unperforated U. S. Revenues are on "old paper," but the paper varied in thickness and in color. The "silk" paper was used in some of the perforated stamps. They are quite scarce. The second and third issues of the U.S. Revenues and the Proprietary stamps were printed on "pink" paper, "violet" paper, and "green" paper. Unless a collector has lots of money to spend, I would advise him not to bother about papers, but take every stamp according to design only. Part perforated stamps are those which have perforations on two sides only. These are to be collected in unsevered pairs only.
L. H. B.—The 1837 dime is quoted by dealers at 35c. No dealer's address can be given in this column.
E. Friend, Columbus.—See answer to L. H. B.
F. Hamm, 4127 Mantua Ave., Philadelphia, Richard Starke, East Islip, New York, Edison B. Council, Council, N.C., wish to exchange stamps.
B. W. Leavitt.—You can buy a beautiful 1894 dollar from dealers for $1.50.
No. 1 and 2.
No. 3.
H. P. D.—Lithographed stamps are those printed from stones; engraved, those printed from steel-plates; wood-cuts, those printed from engraved wood blocks; typographed, those printed from relief plates. Your Mexican is a revenue stamp. The three triangles of 1894 U.S. 2c. stamps are all slightly different. In No. 1 the horizontal lines run across the ornaments. No. 2 is like No. 1 except that the lines running across the ornament are thinner than No. 1. In No. 3 the lines do not cross the frame.
W. T. McClintock.—See answer to H. P. D.
Philatus.
Babies whose mothers use common soaps, fret
Chafed and uneasy: but this little pet,
Thanks to pure Ivory, contentedly lies,
Soothed into slumber with soft lullabies.
Copyrighted, 1896, by The Procter & Gamble Co., Cin'ti.
Too simple to get out of order; too strong to break; hooks and unhooks easily—when you please—not before.