The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-09-07
THE PHILATBLIC Craze.
Valuable Hints for Postage
Stamp Collectors
Specimens Worth
Seeking.
FAMOUS FAN FANCIERS.
Baroness de Rothchlld In the Lead
How the Coquetts's Weapon
Is Made.
FAMOUS FAN FANCIERS.

OSA4~Sti9S WAAA 10 AOdA0 a A4o90
agreeable form of amusement or recrea-
tion. 1t numbers among its devotees
hundreds of lawyers. cler9ymen, doctors,
students and men and women in every
walk of life. although It's main hold is
upon the younger people. 1t is estimated
that there are in the United States alone
over 10000 collectors of stamps, and in
the world over 500. 900.
Philately in its broadcast sen Sc consists
in the endeavor to obtain a specimen of
each stamp issued IN the world, but lately
the number of varieties has increased SO
much that most collectors confne their
efforts to some certain countries of geo.
graphical division, such as Europe or
South America, or the United States
alone, and by this meaus make their COL
lect1ons OF these more complete. This
will prove the best method, especially
with new beginners, az the first Issues of
many countries are SO rare that unless
one is a millionaire small chance is of
ferred 10 get anything like a complete
collection of all the stamps ever issued.
This country first issued stamps in l847,
or seven years after they were IL use III
England. The first general issue con-
sisted OF two varieties only-fve cents.
brown, and ten cents, black. Previous to
this issue by the government the post
masters at several of the larger cities
issued stamps for their own Offices.
These are called provisional stamps
and some of them now are very
rare, as comparatively few we've used.
Shortly after The first government issue
the rates Tor postage were reduced. which
caused a new issue to be made aud several
denominations ADDED. This issue con-
sisted of eight varieties, as Yellowstone
cent, blue; three cents, red: I'VE cents,
brown; ten cents, green; twelve cents,
black; twenty-four cents, lilac; thirty
cents. orange. and rinety cents, blue.
This issue was made in 1851.
An entire new series of designs was
made in 1861, though the stamps con-
sisted OF the same denominations and
colors as The previous set, with the addi-
ton of a two-ceDt black stamp in 1868,
and a 1S-cent black in 1866. In 1868 these
sta mps appeared drilled or embossed A
new issue was made III 1859, and consisted
of small, rectangular stamps. of various
and beautiful designs. Following are
denominations and colors:-
One cent. buff; 2 cents, brown; 8 cents,
blue; 6 cents, blue: 10 cents, yellow: IL
cents. green; IS cents, brown and blue;
"a cents, green and black; 80 cents, blue
and carmtne; 80 cents, black and ear
mine. These were by far the hand
soonest stamps the United States ever
issued in poiut of designs aud engraving,
but the colors they were printed in and
other causes made their expense SO great
that they were suppressed the next wear.
Thus. in 1870, we have an entire new
series, as follows:-1 cent, blue; Q cents,
brown; 8 cents. green; 6 cents, pink; Z
cents, vermillon; 10 cents. brown; 10
cents. dark purple; Is cents, orange; "a
cents, violet; 80 cents. black; so cents,
carmine. In 1875 the 2 cent brown was
changed to vermilion, and 5 cents blue
stamp added also; in 1882 the 5 cents was
changed to black, and profile of Garfield
placed thereon instead Of Taylor.
OFFICIAL STAMPS.
Owing to the reduction of letter post
age in 1883 a new 2-cent stamp was issued,
printed in claret. also a 4 cent In green.
In 1887 we have the 2 cents changed to
green and our old 8 cents green changed
to vermilion. This year sees the new de-
sign OF a l cent stamp. aud the following
year Q8S8) we find further color altera-
tions. as follows:-4 cents, carmine; 5
| cents, indigo blue; 80 cents, puce brown,
and 80 cents, purple. This brings us
down to the present issue, which was
made in 1890, and with which we are all
more or less familiar. consisting Of the
following Stamps:-1 cent, blue; 2 cents,
carmine; 8 cents, purple; 4 cents, dark
brown; 5 cents. chocolate; 6 cents, brown
red; 10 cents, green; Is cents, dark blue;
30 cents, black, and 80 cents, orange.
In 1873 were issued stamps for the eX'
elusive use OF the different official depart
ments at Washington. Each set was
printed in a color of its own, and the set
consisted Of from six to eleven denomi.
nations or values, of the same general de-
sign as the issue of 1870, ranging from ]
cent TO 80 cents. They were not used
after 1883. and are now becoming scarce.
Postage due stamps were first issued in
1878. and the l0-cent blue special delivery
III 1888.
Closely related to the adhesive postage
stamps come the stamped envelopes.
These were first issued in 1858, and up to
the present time about 300 varieties have
appeared. The war and post. Office de.
partments also Issued stamped nvelo pes.
1t is a popular fallacy to think that be.
cause q stamp is old it necessarily is rare.
Such is lar from being the case. The
value OF any article or commodity de-
ponds upon its scarcity aud the demand
there is Tor it. Stamps are no exception
to this rule. While there are varieties OF
The 1888 issue worth IS cents, some used
SO long ago az 1851 are worth only one
cent. The difference III the number OF
Quantity used and i'll existence causes the
diff in value.
Common one cent and two cent tai ps
used since 1872 are worth only about ten
cents a thousand, which really will no,
pay Tor the time required to take them OH
tue envelopes. But the denominations
that are little used are worth more, while
the thirty cent aud ninety cent vaIues,
even In the late issues. are worth several
cents each. Generally. even in the older
issues, where one stamp is found worth
81 there will be found 100 worth only one
cent each. Fssn ssge -.
Considered in the general wav, the
values of stamps used before 1870 will
average about as fo1lows;-One cent,
three cents each; two cents, two
cents each; three cents, ssope-half
cent each; five and ten cents. fifteen cents
each; twelve, fifteen, t~wentyefenr and
thirty cents, twenty-five cents each;
ninety cents. $l.50 each. .Boi;
Adealer seldom will pay more than
one-fourth or one-third the price a stamp
is cataIogued at. ~ SOW n ss4E !
ADVICE TO COLLECTORS.
The money value of -FOUR collection
will depend less on the number of stamps
it contains than on their condition aud
scarcity. The writer's collection mum
hers about 500 varieties. and is worth
about SIS. II contains mostly the cheap
est stamps. very few being worth, more
than So. But the pleasure it has affarieti
is worth much more than the amount oil
monev it represents.
| In conclusion. il you commence y col