The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1889-07-30
STAMPS.
Something of Interest to Young and
Old Collectors.

Not a week passes that numerous
readers do not write to inquire the value
| OF some more or less rare stamps in their
| possession, not realizing how difficult il
is to fix such values. Stamps, apart
| from their intrinsic value OF , or 3 cents
| when uncanceledl are merely curiosities
and have no actual value.
Some people would not give dollar
| tOr hundred OF the rarest stamps IN the
world, while others would mortgage q
| house to obtain possession OF single
stamp. Some OF the prices paid Tor
stamps in this country are such as may
well amaze the young stamp-collector,
and in Europe the mania Is so great that
some collections are almost priceless.
NJ. Philippe de Ferrari has collec-
ton Of 100000 stamps, and he has sold
one collection to a Partisan stamp-lover
for $4,000
| Mr.. Burnett, an English collector, has
stamps valued at $4,000, land many col
! lections by no means remarkable, have
been sold in England for $4,000.
The late Duchess de Galhera accu-
INFLATED 5000 albums, which are now
valued at $4,000.
At the Paris Mint there is a remark
able collection, and the Rothschild col
lection in Paris is so costly and so highly
priced by its owner that it is guarded
like the Koh-i-noor, and only experts are
allowed to see it.
At a recent London auction some re-
markable prices were realized. British
Guiana stamps brought the following
prices: A "blue 4c." of 1856, Cancelled,
$I85; uncanceled, $3.50; four 1c. issue
1858, IS each, and pair of &c. Magentas
OF 1858, $50.
These prices are paralyzing to the ordis
nary reader, but much higher figures
have been reached in other sales. Here
are few samples:
The Is cents and 30 cents Reunion
stamps bring $500, and the New Bruins
wick 5 cent stamp finds ready pur
chaser at $50. The set of four 1852
Hawaiian stamps, including the inter-
national stamp with the words "U. s.
and Hawaii" on it, are valued at 81 800,
and the lS47 Mauritius stamps, z cents
and cents, can rarely be had under
$500.
Old Brazil black stamps range in value
from So to $12 so; the green and yellow
ones of Buenos Ayres bring as high as
$25 each, while the red ones are worth
$50.
The vermillion l franc French stamp
of lS49 and "V. R." black English
penny stamp are considered cheap at $50
apiece, while the Mulready wrapper on
India paper, issued in 1910, has been
sold for $500.
The prices are enough to send a cold
chill down the back OF the youthful col
lector who is rejecting whether he can
afford to invest 30 cents for an 1859
Peruvian one penny red" But that is
no reason why the collector could not
collect, if it gives him pleasure. 1t is
harmless amusement and incidentally
history to the cole
But there is drawback, as there is to
every amusement. All rate stamps are
and the rogues are
so skillful that only an expert can detect
the imposition.
Many a collector has Il stamp he
prizes as the gem of his collection, sup
posed to be worth dollars when it is not
worth cents. However, it is consola- |
ton to know that counterfeit gives just
as much satisfaction as a genuine stamp,
until its spurious character is discovered, |
and such discovery rarely happens.-[Ex.