Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-20
MISTAKE STAMPS IN DEMAND
CLERKS HAND EN- OUT LIKE
HOT CAKES ON COLD DAY.
Many Collectors, With Visions of
Premium in the Future, Make
Large Purchases.

Talk about hot batter cakes on frosty
morning" an employe of the city post Of
flee remarked today. You should have
seen how quickly those mistake stamps
were gobbled up following the publica-
ton of that story in The Evening Star.
The Stars were yet damp from the press
when the rush began at the stamp Win
dows Wednesday afternoon. 1t was like
the press of humanity about a candy bar
gain counter in a department store, only
the mild-eyed postal clerks were not SELL
ing CONNECTIONS at cut rates, but red, ripe
postage stamps with the words 'one'
and two spelled out instead of using
the Arabic numerals 1 and ,, so that
all the world might read and understand,
as required by the International postal
regulations
The figures 1 and are understood the
world around, whereas the words lone"
and two are Choctaw to the peoples
of many nations in various countries and
chimes. Hence, in the wisdom of the
trainers of the regulations, it was re-
quested that figures be used. BY an over
sight the request was not complied with
and the stamps at once took on a pros
pective value relics and souvenirs for
the future. Hence they sold like hot
cakes.
Increase in Sales.
To illustrate the great increase in the
sale of the stamps following the publica-
ton in The Star Wednesday Postmaster
Barnes said today that the sales Tuesday
and Wednesday up to afternoon amounted
to about 500, while yesterday approx
mately $4,000 stamps, or 1000 books con-
tanning II stamps each, were disposed of
at % cents per book.
Stamp collectors with visions of a har-
vest of coin in the future in the stamps
on the face of which Uncle Sam has
made mistake purchased many of the
books of stamps and packed them away
for future consideration. Men in groups
about the stamp windows related stories
of bononzas that had been reaped by
those who bought up the nickels with a
''V' stamped on their faces and the word
cents omitted by mistake, and about
the noted eagle pennies of 1857. which
possess high premium in the rare coin
market because, according to popular be-
lief, vat of gold was accidentally al
lowed to empty its contents into vat
containing the composition from which
the flying eagle cents were manufac-
tured.
Thrifty Lads Busy.
Thrifty lads who are engaged as minor
merchants in the rare stamp business
bought up some of the books of stamps
with the view of adding to their ex-
cheQuer in the days to come when stamp
collectors will clamor for copies of the
stamps bearing evidence of the mistake
on their red and blue faces. There were
other purchasers who did not care a fig
about future values. They were only en-
crossed as to the needs of the present.
While the rush for the mistake stamps
was in progress downstairs in the city
post office the high officials of the Post
Office Department upstairs were endeav-
oring to explain how it happened. The
third assistant postmaster general, who
appeared to be in charge of the interna-
tional stamp issue, stated that the clause
in the international postal regulations
bearing on the matter was only sug-
gestive to the use of the numerals 1
and 2. instead of spelling them out" as
the proofreader would express it. He said
the clause was in no sense obligatory
upon the cooperating governments. 1t
was admitted, however. that it were bet
ter that the regulations had been fol-
lowed.
The statement was also made that ap-
proximately 2,OOO,O00 of the stamps had
been printed, and if the department con-
sidered it advisable the plates can be
changed and figures substituted for the
words lone" and 1.-TWO"