The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-05-26
Stamp Collecting.

"Where did we get that quantity of
stamps in the Window Why, it is only
a sample Of what we have inside, " u
| stamp dealer said. "I.ook here, "open-
ing large case closely packed with
stamps, "and at these" displaying q
pile Of albums more or less filled. "I'n
tell you where we got them. We buy
them from every civilized country in
| the world. Only this morning we got
in a quantity Of rare Belgian stamps,
| which cost us three thousand dollars.
We have agents and correspondents in
the capitals of every country, who arc
always Oh the lookout for anything rare
| in our Ane. Besides, wc purchase largo
quantities from small collectors in tho
United States, many of whom make u
fair living nosing about importing
houses and begging the stamps from
foreign letters"
"Do you have many cust0mers?"
81 should say we do. Besides 10
large number of retail dealers through
the United States to whom we sell, we
have valuable customers in the army of
stamp collectors which has sprung up
of late. You would be surprised at the
number of persons absorbed in the
hobby. Stamp collecting is no longer
u school boy pastime. 1t has become
the. serious occupation Of thousands of
persons, the most Of whom, as I find by
experience, are far past their youthful
days. You have no idea Of the avtlity
with which they scrape together these
odd-looking stamps, and tho large prices
they are willing to pay for them. |
have heard Of some who keep their
stamp albums under double lock, and
Of others who even keep them under
their pillows at night. Stamp collect
ing is the most all,Iring of hobbies.
There are $500 differt II stamps known.
The value of certain single stamps is
equal to many Il PERSONS yearly income.
a leading banker, whose residence is in
Madison avenue, has an album of
stamps worth at the lowest estimate
S30,OO0. Another album, owned by Il
lady, is valued at $4,000. 1 could
name several more, varying in value
from $40, 900 down to $1,000"
"Well, some are enthusiastic, AMI .hcy
collect stamps from pure love Of the
rare and curious. just as many cXpend
fortunes on rare manuscripts and works
of art. Others, and L believe they COM
pose the larger class, have more charac-
teristically American views. They see
the almighty dollar behind these tiny
pictures, and they buy them up for the
same reason that keen Wall street
man buys up stocks which he knows
will bring profitable returns. From
two to five years will double the value
of nearly every one Of these stamps, and
these collectors know what they are
doing when they invest largely in the
article"
care corners in the stamp market
possible?"
"Certainly; many collectors are at
present buying up all the match box
and medicine revenue stamps which
pass out OF use in July. They hope in
few years to create a corner in the
market and get them off their hands at
immense prices. We sold a matchbox
stamp yesterday for SIS"
"What collections have been sold at
notably large prices?"
''There was one sold in London in
1876 for $4,000. Another sold in Paris
last fall for 10000 francs. We our
selves have sold several $1,000 colleo-
tlOns. This may surprise you, but re-
member that some Of these little stamps
sell for more than 5000. There is ono
OF the old local stamps issued by the
Brattloboro, VT, post Office in 1916.
we would not sell it to-day for less
than 5000. We have many others or
equal value. The stamps which are
most in demand and bring the highest
prices are the provisional stamps issued
| from 1914 to 184G by the Postmastors of
Baltimore, St. Louis and BnttleborO.
Here is the Baltimore stamp-a simple
frame of single lines enclosing fac
simile of the autograph of James
Buchanan. The St. Louis stamp dis
plays the arms of the State Of Missouri
with st. Louis and the largo number
of value above, and 'P. o. below. The
BrattlebOrO stamp consists of the auto
graphic initials 'T. N. P.' in an octapon
ground Of vertical lines, with Bmttle-
boro' above and 'P. o. at the sides.
Any of these can be sold for $500"
'lt is sald," the reporter remarked,
that many rare stamps have their
birthplace in stamp factories in Chicago
and other enterprisng towns"
"That Is not true. Stamp counter
feiting has been entirely broken up In
the United States since we overturned
one Of the concerns in Philadelphia in
1876, and had the proprietor sentenced
to State Prison for twenty years. Be-
sides, the stamp dealers are generally
experts, and can no more be deceived
by counterfeit stamps than the bank
teller by counterfeit bank notes.n
"When and where did this mania for
stamp collecting begin?"
''It may be said TO have originated in
London in 1862, when Mount Brown,
Esq, published tho first list Of postage
stamps. DIR. j. e. Gray, of the British
Museum, followed with similar and
more complete work in the same year.
These works we're widely read, excited
much curiosity, and caused thousands
to become stamp collectors. The mania
went OH increasing until at present J.
can safely say there are moro than q
million persons seriously devoted to col
lccting stamps"
Gold Mines,