Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-02-22
Miseellaneous 8saains.
CONFEDERATE STAMP RARITIEs.
Several Issues Worth From $1,000 to

i
| Among the rarest of the postage
stamps are the homely Confederate
issues, used on letters transported
through the south in the early year
Of the civil war. Nearly every ont
of them is unpleasing to the eye. ye
they are treasured specimens in th'
collections of those fortunate enough
! to possess them.
| At the beginning Of the war no reg
ular Confederate stamps were q
hand. and the postmasters were auth
orized to receive money in paymen
for the postage on letters to be for
warded. Small change was so scarce
and in order to facilitate matter!
| postmasters issued local stamps OF
their own design and sold them tt
| patrons a number at time. These
stamps could thereafter be presented
to the postmaster in payment of post
age.
Confederate provisional stamps and
envelopes include 144 different varie'
ties, and the majority are held at
very high premium. OF many varie'
ties not more than one specimen Il
known. although It Is not at all I'M
probable that other specimens OF
some Of these rarities are now resting
on old wartime letters, slowed away
and forgotten.
So scarce are the stamps and sc
rarely do they come up for sale thai
the standard catalogues do not men
ton the prices at which they are held
When a specimen does come to light
II usually changes hands at private
sale and thus not even expert collec'
tors are always aware Of the approx
innate value Of rare issues. In wha'
follows most of the estimates OF the
value of the stamps mentioned were
supplied by E. NJ. Carpenter and A
W. Batcheller.
Leading the rare Confederate
stamps are the issues of Goliad, Tex
Eight varieties are known. All are
practically unobtainable.
The scarcest are the five cent gray
and the ten cent red, with the name
"Goliad" mispelled at the top OF
square ornamental type border. Ir
the centre is the denomination either
"5" or 40" at the bottom being the
word postage" At the left hano
side Is the name of the postmaster
~. A. Clarke" On the opposite side
is the word postmaster"
Both of these rarities are valued al
$500. Another variety. OF the de-
nominations of five and ten cents
without the name of the postmaster
is valued at $1,000 when it appears
on pink paper. while on ordinary pa
per q specimen Is quoted at $500. the
FIVE cent and the ten cent dark blue
are likewise valued at $500 apiece.
In the fifteen hundred class Is @
five cent blue stamp issued at Living
ston, Ala. It is rather ornamental ir
pattern. At either side Is the inscrip'
ton Livingston postmaster" In the
centre. on a shield. is the numeral II
with a sun and spreading rays over
head. while at the extreme top and
bottom are the words paid" and
cents"
Also of the same value Is rated the
two cent green gray stamp OF Macon
Ga. This sows the words "two cents
in the centre of a small rectangular
stamp of ornate border. The stamp
Is unpretentious in design, but Is the
scarcest of all the stamps issued al
Macon.
Three other types were issued al
Macon. all of the denomination OF fVe
cents. The designs were somewhat
alike-square frames Of typeset bor-
der with the words five cents" in two
lines. One design contained the adj
ditional words "postoffice Macon
Ga"
This in gray blue is worth S35
while in gray green the value Is
placed at s25. The five cent yello"
with ornamental border is valued al
$50. while the five cent yellow WITH
plain border Is quoted at $40.
OF the six varieties Of stamps issued
at New Orleans only two are rare
the five cent red on white paper and
the five cent red on blue paper. Al
the top and bottom Of these stamp:
Is the name Of the postmaster. j. F
Riddell."
In the centre is the figure "5" above
which Is the word paid" and below
Gents" Surrounding this I'm two
semicircles. the ends Of which almos
meet. are the words New Orleans
in the upper and "postoffice" in the
lower semicircle. The red on white
stamp is valued at $1,000. the red or
blue at $500.
The Baton Rouge green stamp /:
one of the very rare specimens. There
are several varieties. the general de-
sign being that of square made uT
of ornamental type border.
At the top of the rare green are the
words in small type "p. o. Baton
hOu6t, Id. DtlO" ~ Wv ''''>
is paid two cents" while at the bot
tom is the name of the postmaster
~. Mccormick"
This stamp is valued at $1,000. Two
other designs of the five cent demon
ination, made up of border. with
the name Of the postoffice at the tor
and the postmaster at the bottom. bu
without the words paid" and cents
at either side of the large numera
the colors being green and carmine
are valued at $50 and 500 each.
A collector in Washington recent
ly found one of the five cent rec
stamps issued at Pittysylvania cour'
house. Va. The postmaster at thai
time was ]. P. Johnston and his name
was at the bottom of the stamp
which is elaborate in design.
At the top is the customary "paie
cents. The value Of this rarity
| which is the only known variety Is
| sued at this postoffice. is $500.
Gonzales. Tex, furnished two
stamps which are among the scarces
of the Confederate issues. The de-
| oil rantonPlP