The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1894-11-06
POSTAGE STAMP FAD.
1T BEGAN AS A HARMLESS AMuSE-
MENT AND BECAME A MANIA.

MEN ANU 6ECAME p MANIA.
Millions of Dollars Are Locked Up In Bits
of Paper That Have No Real Wholesome
of the Rare Specimens For Which Fabu-
Ious Prices Are Asked and Given.
The postage stamp mania is one OF
the most curious of human fads, re-
marks New York writer. A collection
of coins is at the most worth the weight
of the metal Not so collection OF
stamps The fashion may go out as II
came In, and then the stamps will be
only so much waste paper.
The fad broke out in 1851 in the form
of a few sporadic cases among school
boys and maiden ladies. 1t was not only
q harmless fad, but in the case of the
sohoolboys it was even an educative
one. 1t proved the easiest, the pleasant
est and the most efficacious way OF
driving knowledge of geography into
the adolesoent mind.
But now that these first few sporadic
attacks have developed into something
alarmingly like an epidemic one begins
to speculate whether the craze OF the
philatelist is not distinct bar to hu-
man progress, inasmuch as 1t consumes
a large amount of brain force and vital
energy that might better be turned into
other and luore useful channels OF &C
tivity.
In the Nz6hsj States alone there Is an
organization called the American Phila-
telio association, which numbers 1000
members. But this represents only a
small fraction of the philatelists actual
" in the country.
The greatest and most famous OF hv-
ing philatelists considered merely
from the philatelist point of VIEWS
M. Philippe de Ferrari, dignihed,
courteous and white haired old gentle
man who lives in Paris. He is son Of
the late Duchess de Galliera, who was
also passionate lover of stamps.
His collection is valued at $500, 600.
He has been known to pay $500 for an
album which contained only single
stamp that he coveted. For more valu-
able collections he has never limited his
expenditures.
Next to the Ferrari collection comes
that of Baron Arthur de Rothschild.
which is SO valuable that its owner, with
the true jealousy of the collector, re-
serves the pages containing his raresi
treasures for the delectation only OF
himself and his most intimate friends.
Now, what constitutes the enormous
value of these collections? 1t is not the
number of the specimens. There are
more than 5000 different varieties Of
stamps now actually in existence. A
certain number can be obtained at com
paratively light expense.
But the rarer ones command large
prices. Never mind whether the rarity
was created by age or accident.
The MacMahon stamp In France is
the blue rose, the unattainable ideal Of
the collector. When the marshal was
president of France, his wife was anx
ious to see his image set in stamps.
Designs were accordingly prepared,
but the postal commissioner rejected
them and adopted another design. New
ertheless there is legend that some Of
these MacMahon stamps got into circu
lation. If single specimen ever turns
up, 1t will be priceless
Another lost pleiad is postage STAMP
Issued by the government of British
Guiana in 1866. 1t has disappeared from
the market, and specimens held in the
hands of private collectors are valued
at $3.50.
A set of four 1850 stamps also issued
in British Guiana bring anywhere from
$4OO to $500, and set of four 1861
Hawaiian stamps are valued at 81, 800.
The 10 and 80 cent reunion stampl
bring $500 The New Brunswick 8 cent
stamp, with the head of O'Connell. II
rarely parted with under $3.50.
Rare is also the black Canadian II
penny stamp, valued at $125.
! But the collector does not stop at le
gitimate issues of stamps. He gives
fancy prices for varieties Of shades, fol
perforations, errors and waternarks.
At a recent stamp exhibition in Wen
ma an enthusiastic collector named Gil
webb displayed with pride the error
of France stamp of % confines
printed in blue instead of black, the
terror of Afghanistan and STAMP
with missing ornament in corner.
DR.. Mailman of Vienna had ever
more wondrous delights to unfold. fol
he was the proud possessor of the two
rare "errors'' of the Cape of Coco
Hope, stamps of penny and penot
respectively, which are blue instead O
red and red instead of blue.
Such errors" fetch very higf
price, kept down only by the uneasines'
of creating new values" by wanting
misprinting.
No article on philately could be com
plete without some notice of the 1000,
900 postage stamps myth. This still
survives in vague and uncertain forms
in the rural districts, where it is believ
ed that some vast benefit, financial o.
other, will accrue to any one who col
lects 1000, 900 stamps and forward
them to the proper address, But thu
proper address is never known.