The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-03
A CRAZE FOR STAMPS.
THE NEW COLUMBTAN HAS MADE
THE FEyER BREAK our AGAIN.
cancellation by the Postofiice Increases TIC
Value OF stamps-Taik With
New York Broker.

has received big impetus as the result
Of the issuance Of the Columbian series
OF stamps, says the New York World.
Collectors. and especially those in foreign
countries. went wild the moment these
stamps appeared. and interest in them
materially increased when 1t became
known that the issue would be continued
during the Columbian year only. The
value constantly advanced, as the col
lectors realized that the supply would
necessarily be very limited.
The issue I'm all Is worth 1854, ana the
stamps are Of the following denomina-
lions: one cent, 2, 3, 4, ., g. s, 10, To- 30,
90, 81, 81. 50, 81, s.. and yellow ten-cent
special delivery stamp. AS these stamps
depict various events in the life OF CO.
1umbus. and are totally different In
every respect to all previous sets issued
be- the government. the dealers are
naturally most anxious 10 lay In good
supplies for future use.
A downtown shipping broker, with ex-
tensive connections abroad, speaking OF
the present demand for stamps SAID:
"Our house has been literally flooded
with requests for stamps from europe,
South America, and ASIA. The chief
demand IS for the Columbian issue, but
the stamp hunger is 50 vigorous that al
most anything satisfies IL. Nearly an
our European agents have written 10 US
usually the heads OF firms writing person
al letters-begging US 10 send the Co
lumbar stamps. In many instances the
entire set was wanted cancelled, as can
collation. by the post-0flice enhances the
value and proves the authenticity OF
the stamp.
"As the stamps OF large denominations
rarely circulate here, we have repeatedly
sent over envelopes with old paper In
them, on which was pasted the entlre SET
or at least half of it. In that way, we
are able to have the stamps cancelled.
Almost all our Office boys wanted the
stamps. and we let them have them unh
the foreign demand became so great that
We were obliged 10 protect ourselves.
Now the mail boy cuts off all the stamps
and turns them over 10 the chief clerk,
who keeps a list Of the applicants ana
sends off a batch by every steamer. 50
many calls We're made here and from
abroad that we jOkingly dubbed our cher
clerk the manager Of our stamp depart
ment."
Many years ago-some thirty or forty
probably--a paragraph appeared in all
the papers asking kindly disposed per-
sons to save their old stamps and SEND
them 10 n certain address IN the city
nv degrees the story was circulated that
a wealthy lady had offered 10 give a
young girl a complete education, If by
patience and perseverance, she proved
herself worthy Of such kindness. Inc
task set was the collecting of l,ODOOO
hostage stamps in one year. The stamps
poured I'm, but the lady failed TO material
lie. Then another story was substituted,
and IL was said that when the l,V@Vo
stamps were collected. some charitable
parson had promised 70 give the young
girl a large sum OF money, winch sne
was 20 devote to foreign missions.
1t was also reported that certain I'M
scrupulous persons had discovered
means OF removing the cancellation, and
were making quite 4 fortune by selling
the stamps as new. Naturally the post
office authorities were alarmed when the
runor reached them. but u thorough IN
vestigati0n proved the absurdity OF the
story.
After that It was said that the Chinese
used them TO decorate their walls
and that I'm their eagerness 70 obtain
the stamps they would even give their
babies to the missionaries for n handful
OF them. The next story circulated was
that the stamps were wanted to found
4 Christian village I'm Africa.
II Is more than likely that the original
million stamp story was the intention or
some dealers brain. who, seeing ms
supplv OF merchandise diminishing, im-
posed upon a crelulous public 20 pee
penish his stock.
All over the world thousands Of per-
sons are gathering stamps for their own !
private collections and when their an
uaals TO friends and acquaintance Iail' |
they naturally turn 10 the dealers 10 |
supply the deficiencies I'm their dearly /
loved albums. As they grow older the /
craze becomes intensified, and from pay /
ing "a few cents when a boy, for miss
ING STAMP OF a certain series, man VIII |
give hundreds Of dollars for a niue /
faded piece of paper that the uninitiated
would throw into the waste paper basket
Thus il is the dealers live and carry on
such a profitable business.
However, some Of the stamp stories
are true. The report of the African VII
lace to be built through the sale or
stamps arose from an appeal from
seminary i'm Tiegc, Belgium. Hhe MONKS
send ali over the world asking for
stanps and receive enormous quantities
without being Obliged to pay for them.
,rbese they dispose Of 10 the dlnereht
dealers and private collectors ana the
amount they realize each year-Whlch is
devoted 70 mission Work
in Africa.