The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-11-12

much for the cupidty of resident of Homo
lulu, who determined to make money while
the mania had full sway Through one Of
the largest printing firms in San Francisco
he had an electrOtype made 10 exact lmita-
lion of tina Provisional Government sur
charge. with the evident purpose of coun-
terfeiting the surcharge on some OF the
rarest denominations. The matter is be-
| ing closely watched by the local dealers
and collectors, aud sensational expose Is
! promised in the near future.
| Reprints are stamps struck from the
! original plates of issue that have become
obsolete. They IRE mostly produced by
official authority, but frequently by pr-
vate parties who have secured the plates
| ny purchase OF theft. When made by
| Government sanction they lose little, if
any, OF their philatelic value. but when
| private parties are responsible for their
! appearance they constitute one of the most
! serious banes to collectors.
| Essays and proofs are labels made by
| the postal authorities for experimental
| purposes only and are never intended for
| use. They frequently, however. get into
| irresponsible hands aud are palmed off as
errors or rare issues.
| Facsimies are just what their name i'm
| plies, aud, though they seldom deceive, are
! considered detrimental to the best interests
| OF phllately.
| There are quite a number of smaller
/ CUuuiIlCo WilfCU w NV Hcoi-
tate to augment their revenues at the ex-
| pense OF collectors. This is done in sew
eral WAYS. They issue provisional stamps
when there is no postal necessity for
them, or obligingly cancel stamps to order
and sell them to dealers at considerable
below face value Though there is moth
! ing absolutely Illegal in these proceedings,
they cume outside the pale OF pbilatellc
! ethics, and where the facts are known
! collectors refrain from purchasing these
| Issues for revenue only
Split PROFESSIONALS are stamps cut in half
| to prepay postage at the rae represented
| by each portion OF the severed specimen.
| These are collected only ON the original
envelopes and are classed among the
| rarest stamps. Errors are accidental
faults In the design, printing. value or
color OF the stamps, and are naturally eX-
tremely scarce. Both these classes of rari-
/ ties are initiated. and are among the most
dangerous pitfalls set for the unwary
! phiateist.
Before the perforatlEg process was
adopted for easily operating stamps they
| had TO DO cut apart. Thus many stamps
we're issued identical in, every respect, ex-
cept that the earlier issue was unperfor-
ated and the more recent one perforated.
In yearly all cases the unEerforated Is the
rarer, and frequent resort is had to trim
ming perforated stamps with large mar
| gins, so as to make appear to have been
/ ISSUED In an On perforated condition.
! In no other pursuit is so much done On
! faith in the inherent honesty of humanity.
| This generous confidence is sometimes,
| however, sadly misplaced. Valuable con-
| signmenIs of stamps are sent to dealers
and collectors by others of the fraternity
without other guarantee OF the consignee's
reliability than what may appear from his
advertisement in some stamp journal. As
result Of this loose style of conducting
operations phlaletic circles are thrown
into copvulsi0ns of anger and Indignation
at irregular intervals by the exposure and
! disappearance of an individual who has
secured valuable lots of stamps on nothing
| but his assurance. Losses of this kind
sometimes run into the thousands of dol
! lars. 1t is surprising that more of these
! disastrous results are not developed ard
! that they are not speaks strongly of the
! general honesty of collectors. One of the
| outcomeS Of the existence of these pbila-
| letic blatk sheep is the publication of a
+! monthly journal known Rs the Philaletic
| Fraud Reporter, in which the names of the
| uD trustworthy are printed.
| Ii there are any who still hold to the
| idea that stamp-colecting is merely
| schoolboy's pastlme these facts may help
to undeceive them by showing the care,
time and money that is involved in indulg-
ing In this still rapidly growing hobby.