The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-16

Proposition THAr FACES STAMP
COLLECTORS


W"
,S-s.p.
~ W."
Stamp colIectors are DISCUSSING whss
course TO pursue II tho present plans re-
atiue 10 United States postage stamps
are carried out.
It n proposed 10 place the name OF thu
State and city Of issue on all tho United
States postage stamps sold at the principal
post Offices. There are some eco of these
post Offices. Twenty-six OF them will
nave the name engraved on all the din erent
denominations, while the other 6,e74 Offices
will nave the name printed across the face
Of their stamps after they have been en-
'graved.
There are now issued stamps OF the de-
nominations of 4, ., 3, 4, 5, Q, 8, 10, Is, Is
and so cents, and 81, u aud IS, and a ten
cent special delivery stamp. Multiply these
fifteen by six thousand, and there 10 the
total Of $4,000 varieties. The proposition
that confronts collectors can be under
stood when 5000 stanps are supposed 10
represent all the diff erent varieties pro-
viously issued In the W hole world.
Collectors are by no means overjoyed
ut this prospective Hood OF stamps, to
collect which " ill try not only their patience
but also their pocketbooks.
While the majority OF the specialists wiz
begin with the accumulation Of used stampS
bearing the different names, which, being
fairly plentiful, viii not represent 90 much
of an outlay, the advanced collector will
want unused copies In bis albums as well.
and right here the ~iatteping Of the pocket
book will begin.
The face value Of the present denomina-
tons is lust se.17. Under the proposed
system. TO get a complete set OF unused
stamps OF all varieties, and that will un-
doubtedly be the aim Of certain collectors,
will represent an outlay of SIS $40.
This is a good deal OF money 10 sink in
A set of postage stamps, but there will he
collectors who will make the expenditure
Judging by what they have done in the
past. There have been collectors who
nothing but postmarks-that
is, original letters with the hand stamped
postmarks oil the thousands Of diff erent
post offices. Collectors in Germany for a
number of years nave collected stamps OF
old Germany and WurtemJurg, which bear Z
the names OF the diff erent towns and cities.
the German issues show only about.
500 varieties.
If a person carefully thought out a plan
TO give stamp collectors trouble il could
hardly be more successful than this new
Of Uncle Sans. As has been the
case not a few times before, the United
states Government should make a ire
mendous profit out of the new stamps.
Thousands OF dealers all over the world
Law In a stock OF the new stamps in
condition to supply their customers.
Expert stamp collectors now say tina no
what action lie taken in regard to
the printed stamps, they will at first GER
tainly take up the engraved stamps of the 1
twenty-six cities. Each collector In order
TO get a fun set of these stamps will be forced
TO turn over to the Government s.4l %.
It is estimated that in France, England.
and Germany there are more than two million
and there are supposed to be
half a million in this country. One can see.
therefore, that this plan will be a very -.
profitable one for Uncle Sam even II the
purposes for which the stamps are issued
are not fulfilled.
After the collector has completed his
first twenty-six series Of these stamps
then he will yearn for more varieties and
naturally enough will take up the stamps
the printed And here
again he will also want the unused as well
as the used issues, which he will proceed
10 buy to the limit of his resources.
The ordinary postage stamps are SUP
posed to cost the Government less than
cents a thousand. while the special de-
livery stamps cost less than 10 cents a
From these figures the profit y.
10 the Government from the sale of STAMPS
to collectors may be estimated
A man who has collected stamps for
years said in sreakinx Of the o
before him tina he will undoubtedly
get each one of the stamps issued by the
twenty-six important post oclces. that Is.
those with the names engraved upon them.
and he thinks this will be the course fol-
lowed by all the collectors at first. He does
not think much intrest will be taken IN The
with the printed names, at least
not in the beginning.
In the course Of time, however. be would.
not be SURPRISED II the gathering of all the
were taken up not only In this :
but in others, for IL Il A matter
II record that almost as much interest ia
in American stamina hv kono,1r 81