Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-12
THE STAMP COLLECTING FAD.
PEilntely Has More VOtarfes Than
Ever and Prices Arc Higher.

From the Boston Transcript.
In Europe the interest in collecting
stamps has been steadily increasing since
1910, when the first issue was made. Ger
many is the country of all in the world
most interested in 1t, and there is hardly
town or village there but has its stamp
society and it's stamp enthusiasts. England
comes next, and the interest there is also
strong. The largest collection in the world
is owned by Count Ferrari, an Italian
noble, and it would be impossible properly
TO estimate its value. Some of the largest
collectors in the world are Indian princes,
and in connection with this fact 1t may
be mentioned that a short time ago ma
tive prince of Afghanistan paid dealer
in London the large sum of $4,000 for
collection of Afghanistan stamps. The ex-
PLANTATION is that from their form OF IS
sue it is a most difficult thing to get
complete collection OF Afghanlstan Stamps,
and the price paid represented the great
labor involved in making the collection
rather than the value of the stamps them-
selves.
To show how great the interest in stamp
collecting in this country is 1t Is only
necessary to state that one OF the London
dealers who recently came to TINS coun.
try had in two weeks from the time OF
his landing sold $4,000 worth of stamps.
This shows that It is rapidly becoming a
most important branch of BUSH SIS: Across
the street from the Transcript ONCE Is
stock company, the whole business or
which, and large business IT is, too, Is
buying and selling stamps. The collect
ing here is done by the best classes IN the
community-lnen of education and rehne-
ment and necessarily of means. They are
largely professional men-doctors lawyers
and clergymen, who turn to stamp colieet-
ing as a relaxation from their work by
many persons 1t is regarded as a iad, put
it is a fad which has been steadily 1ncreas-
irg the number of its devotees since the
first stamp was issued, and to Wnlch tnese
devotees are always true, Tor there IS no
single known case of regular coilector
losing his interest entirely. Ihat the IN.
terest Is increasing is shown by tne iac,
that while rare stamps can De ulsposeu
of with the greatest ease, at good prices
IT is difficult to secure them. In Boston
many of the oldest and most drlstocIalic
families are making collections OF stamps,
and there are half dozen coiiections mere
that are worth $4,000 at the lowest estl-
mate while three are worth more man
1000 A society has been formed. Whicn
numbers among its members many OF the
people who stand highest III oosloii so
ciety.
Some High Prices.
The highest priced postage stamps In the
world are those of a certain issue of Mauri-
thus There are only about twelve OF these
in existence, and two are held by London
dealer at 5000 each. They were bought by
him for $500 for the two. The stamps
rext in value are some Hawaiian stamps,
one of which was recently sold to Boston
collector for s1.50O, this being the approx
mate price, as the sale was made IN con-
nection with other stamps. Some OF the
United States, war and internal revenue
stamps are extremely valuable. two OF
them specially so. These are two stamps
of the unusual denomination of 5000 each,
which 1t was necessary to place on bonds
Of the Union Pacific railroad during the
civil war. One of them is known to be in
the possession of Boston collector, and if
placed on sale would probably bring be-
tween s, OO0 and $1,000.
Perhaps the most interesting stamp of all
to Boston people is the famous tea
stamp" which was the cause of 1.-The Bos-
ton tea party" 1t is of dull slate color,
about the size of an ordinary postage stamp
and bearing a coat Of arms, above which is