The San Francisco call., 1906-04-06
SHOWS STAMPS
! To ENTHUSIASTS
Henry J. Croker Exhibits
Rare Hawaiian Collection
Before Sending to London
ONE is WORTH $4,000
Two-Cent Missionary" With
: Date of 1851 Has Only One
Counterpart in the World

About thirty OF the best known stamp
collectors OF San Francisco gathered at
The residence Of Henry ]. Crocker on
Wednesday evening to view his collection
Of Hawaiian stamps. which ranks as the
finest IN the world in point of rarity and
value, and which he is about 10 send for
exhibition in the third International Phil
stelic Exhibition. to be held in the Royal
horticultural Society's Hall, London.
England, beginning May % II is safe TO
say that Il viii bring to its owner on re-
turning the first gold or silver medal. The
collection has already won first medals
at several philatelic displays in America
and Europe. The Prince of Wales is the
patron of the London exhibition, which
viii be supported by the philatelic socie-
t3es OF the world. Mr.. Crocker is a mem
Der OF the committee, in company with
many collectors OF worldwide note.
COLLECTION WORTH $4,000.
This display Of Hawaiian stamps, which
IS a part Of Mr.. Crocker's collection of
general stamps. which ranks as seventh
IN the noteworthy collections of the uni
verse, IS catalogued at $4,000, and when
consigned to the care Of the express COM
pany for its long voyage will carry an
insurance OF $4,000. The gem among the
Hawaiian copies. and over which every
guest fingered almost lovingly, is the
early 2-cent missionary stamp Of 1851,
which occupies the place Of honor under
glass IN the initial page Of the first book
OF the exhibit. OF this particular stamp,
which sold at auction for $3.50 and which
Mr.. Croker sought TO purchase for two
or three years before finally securing 1t,
only two copies are known, the other ap-
pearing in the Tapling collection in the
British Museum. 1t is now valued at
about $4,000, and, apart from the unique
1-cent British Guiana Of 1885, which ex-
fists only IN the collection Of Ferrari Of
Paris, is probably the rarest stamp in the
world. II is also interesting from the
fact that the day after its issue the Ha-
waiian postoffice burned down. Another
stamp in the exhibit has the honor of be-
ing the only one of the sort in the United
States. It is the 1-cent Hawaiian, which
is valuable among the error stamps in
that il is without the y cent" at the bot
tom. The only other known stamp like
this is in Hawaii
EARLY MISSIONARY STAMPS.
There is also in the Crocker collection a
set Of all the error stamps Of the Provi-
sional Government, worth over 500 each.
Among other rarities are a strip of three
scent ultramarinas, imperforated hori-
zontally. worth 800; a 2-cent black
uumeral tete beche and a 6-cent green Of
1865. imperforated in pair.
Other stamps dear to the heart of the
collector are ten Of the early and 13
cent missionaries, a strip Of three Is
cent missionaries, being unique, and espe-
cially interesting in sequence and ar
rangement are eleven complete plates Of
the Hawaiian numerals, now exceedingly
rare. A number Of the missionary stamps
appear on the original letters on which
they were sent and range in value from
$1,000 to $500 each. There are some fine
ones among the surcharged issues. Mr..
Crocker is the recognized authority on
the stamps Of the Hawaiian Islands, hav-
ing written several important articles on
the plating Of the numerals. Altogether
the collection is one that will give the
collectors of the world a rare treat when
seen at the London exhibition.