Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-06-15
HOW SOME POSTAGE STAMPS SELL.

curious VIA stamps held AT nun
dreds or DoiIars-some Auction
Prices List Monday.
The prices obtained at auction and
private sale for articles valuable only to
one who rides hobby are wonder
ful. Thousands of dollars for bric-a-
brac, old furniture. plates. dishes. vases,
books paintings and lesser amounts
for coins and postage stamps. These
last although financially not so inter.
esting. still bring even high prices, if
we consider the shortness of time dur
ing which postage stamps have been in
use.
As an example, take the auction sale
of January l6, this year. for an origin
nj Brattleboro, VT. stamp 1926 was OBJ
tanned This is the highest price
postage stamp has ever sold Mt auc-
ton IN this country. But this stamp is
not the most valuable in existence. for
for the first issue OF Mauritus from
$500 to 81, 600 is the estimated value.
There are several other extremely rare
stamps known, among which might be
mentioned this first issue of the Sand
witch Islands. the first issue of tie New
Caledonia used. and the first issue of
the Isle Reunion, all Of which are held
at prices ranging from $500 up.
Then among the United States stamps
there are some very rare and valuable
ones, such as the Baltimore stamp of
1916. consisting of the autographs
signature OF James Nj. Buchanan, the
postmaster of Baltimore at the time.
with 3 cents below. the whole enclosed
in frame of single lines and printed
III black. OF these only ten specimens
are known. They are valued at about
$500 each. Another valuable stamp is
the original uncut stamp of New Haven
OF 1910 Only one specimen is in ex-
istence, and it is valued at $500 The
5-crnt black stamp of Millbury, of
which only three specimens are known,
Is also valued at about $500. 1t is very
seldom that these extreme rarites are
offered ut auction.
a curious thing in connection with
rare stamps is the fact that there was
one. issued by the postmaster of New
York in 1915, specimen of which has
never yet been discovered OF course,
if one should be found it would COM
mand very high price. The way this
stamp is known is from a printed des-
CT ption printed in the New York En-
pesS of July 8, 1915. 1t is there stated
that the stamp was in use at that time.
1t probably remained in use only few
weeks, for on July IA adhesive stamps
were issued. which must have taken
It's place, 1t is described as being
simply hand stamp having as a de-
sign live cents above. and K. IL Morris
lthe New York postmaster) below. the
imprint be ne in black and upon an
envelope.
Last Monday evening an interesting
auct on sale OF postage stamys was
held ut Bangs x Co. & auction rooms.
139 Broadway. From 5000 to 6. 600
specimens were sold, netting altogether
about l,440. The attendance at the
sale was very good. some 40 persons.
mostly of mature age. being present.
One of the largest buyers was the Scott
Stamp & Coin Co. The collection had
been the property, of Mr.. + IL Sinsa-
baugh, OF this city, and was noteworthy
because of the number of unused
stamps in it. In fact all except very
few were uncancelled None of the
astounding varieties just mentioned
were represented. but there were a
number of the second degree of rarity.
Some of the most interesting prices,
both to the collection and the general
public. all the stamps sold being un-
cancelled. unless otherwise stated were
the follow NC:
United States-Issue of 1866. 3 cents
scarlet, S5.75 newspaper stamps. 1872.
SIP green, cancelled with punch. Sc. SO
red, cancelled with punch. SLIPS; S4S
brown. cancelled with punch. Sl3. %;
500 violet. cancelled with punch, SlS;
New York, 1913. 3 cents, blue glazed
paper. 81. so lS45, ) cents black. with
out signature. $3.50; Providence. 10
cents black. answered. Sl5 carrier
stamp, 1851, horseman. l cent red.
cancelled So. 10; War Department en-
velope, 10 cents red on white, Sl2; 10
cents red on amber. s.. 80.
Boliv a--lS67 10c. brown, $3.50;
1876. l stars Doc. black, $40 Dom
inlcan Republic-1S62, r.. green. italic
letters. S14. Great Britain. 1917.
shilling. Sc. 80; envelope stamp. Null
uady first postage stamp ever issued
penny. black rapper, cancelled. S305;
same penny blue wrapped, cancell-
cd. s. 10. Natal, 1857 9 penny. blue,
$2l.50. Nova Scotia. 1897, l shilling.
violet. 1850 Two Sicilies. issued dur
ing the time of Garibaldi Arms, tor
nesc blue $50. United States of Col
umba. 1872. 20c., red, S21. Bolivar,
1868 l0c., green, cancelled Sl9.-N ei0
lorE sun