The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-15
TREASURES ON OLD BOTTLES.
AS MUCH AS $500 PAID FOR OLD
MEDICINE STAMPS.

A Field Tina Offers Prizes to eltilful Pros.
pectOrs-Rarities Found in Old DRUG
StOres-GrOwing Attention to I'M.
n NJ" COIlectiOns-SpeOial Album.
'On the shelves of many a drug store
there rest, unnoticed and unvalued, shop
worn and time stained bottles Of patent
medicine bearing revenue stamps for which
stamp collectors would gladly pay as much
as $780," said a dealer. at Is not at
all unlikely that among these stamps are
new varieties with which collectors are
not acquainted and which would bring
sums far in excess of that mentioned.
"No branch Of stamp collecting has made
more rapid strides during the last few
years than this one Of medicine stamps,
which with match stamps are now eagerly
sought. These two particular lines now
have a distinct following in the philatelio
world, known as the M. & M collectors.
"The medicine stamps embrace the
denominations Of 1, 2, s, 4, 8, 8 and 10
cents. On q bottle Of medicine which sold
for 20 cents was placed a one cent stamp,
and one cont additional was required for
each additional value Of rs cents, a bottle
Of medicine which sold for 50 thus bearing
an eight sent stamp.
There are nearly 800 varieties OF medi-
cine stamps, and it is thought that there
are still many in existence Of which at
present no record has been found, While
these stamps were issued by private con-
Germs they were all made under the direct
supervision Of the Government authori-
ties, to whom the different designs had to
be submitted before they could be issued.
aWhila fhora ara yoanv hiOh nriNaH iaalpn
among the medicine stamps, still there
are plenty that can be bought for a few
cents, and, as they vary greatly in size
and shape, they form a collection Of never
ending interest, There are no stamps
which as a series begin to approach them
for beauty and clever engraving.
"one Of the biggest collectors Of medi-
oine stamps in this country got his valuable
collection in such q way that 1t involved
hardly any expenditure. He travelled
around the country In the interest Of a firm
Of druggists. In order to get his medicines
on the market he made agreements with
druggists to take in exchange for his goods
all the old patent medicine they had in
stock.
"The druggists we're only too happy to
separate themselves from the apparently
useless stuff that had go long taken up
room on their shelves, and by this means
the collector came into possession OF many
old bottles dating back to the Civil War,
Upon which he found revenue stamps,
many Of them Of the rare varieties. Some
Of the varieties which came into his hands
were unknown up to that time. and are now
worth several hundred dollars each.
The limited number Of medicine stamps
is due K the fact that most Of the bottles
we're destroyed as fast as their contents
were consumed. Some persons make a
habit Of saving old medicine bottles, and
such folks sometimes discover rare stamps;
but it is the drug stores, especially old and
obscure ones, that are the real prospecting
ground for the hunter of old stamps.
There are plenty of these stores which
still have lots Of old bottles either on their
shelves or slowed away in the cellars, dust
and cobweb covered, forgotten and con-
sidered worthless, but bearing stamps the
sight Of which would make the mouth of a
stamp enthusiast water.
"A collector Of medicine stamps who
travels all over the country in search Of
varieties says that in his own town recently
there were discovered several valuable
stamps in a drug store that he had passed
twice a day regularly for a number of years,
but which, being so close at hand, he had
not thought of overhauling."
The rarest Of the medicine stamps is the
one cent denomination in red, issued by
J. c. Aver & Co. OF Lowell, Mass. Accord
ing to the best information this stamp was
not regularly adopted, but was rather q
proof. However, there were 1880 of them
issued, each Of which is now worth $500
to the collector.
The design shows a central tablet, with
an arched label above and below. on which
are the words u. S. Int. Rev and PRO
prietary." There are also the words "Pre-
pared by j. C, Aver & Co., Practical and
Analytical Chemists, Lowell, U. s. A"
OF the same design and denomination
and issued in equal numbers to the above
were stamps Of the same firm printed in
carmine, purple, orange, green and blue,
all Of which are worth $500 each,
In the same class of rarity is the -four
cent black stamp printed on old paper,
issued by Thomas E. Wilson, M. D.. Of
Louisville, KY, in 1867. There were only
$3.50 of these stamps originally issued.
The design shows a facsimile signature in
color of Thomas E. Wilson, NJ. D." Above
is inscribed United States Internal
Revenue while below is -Four Cents"
This is supposed to be the greatest rarity
Of the medicine stamps, as only one copy
of it is known to exist, and that one is i'm
perfect. 1t is said that the reason for it's
scarcity was that DR.. Wilson had a partner,
and these stamps were issued without
consulting him. The partner became angry
because the name of the firm did not appear
on the stamps and threw nearly the whole
issue into the fire.
The specimen now in existence had been
used and was found in a Western town.
Its value is not estimated, but it is certainly
worth a great deal more than any other
private die stamp.
The watermarked stamp Of A. W. Chase &
Co., issued from 1877 to 1880, at Toledo, Ohio,
follows closely the Aver stamps in point
of rarity. The total number Of this issue
on watermarked and silk paper was TIA.
The stamp is printed in black and is valued