The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-02-03

The number of stamp collectors ap-
pears to increase from year to year,
and everything seems to point to the
fact that we are on the verge of a
regular boom" in the pursuit of this
hobby The fact that the present
King of England is an ardent stamp
collector is of itself sufficient to set
the fashion; besides, the advent of a
new king means an issue of new
stamps bearing his enigy, not only for
the United Kingdom, but for the num-
erous British colonies, and this is gen
orally fround to a fresh incentive to
the stamp collector.
The stamps most priced by collec-
tors are the first issue of Mauritius, a
penny and twopence, of 1S47. 1t is
difficult to afFix a definite value to
these stamps, but today they are prob
ably worth G15OO to $4,000 each,
though they are not the rarest stamps
known 1t is not many years since
they could have been obtained for
G2O each, and by many persons that
price was thought at the time to be
ridiculously high. This will give some
idea of how scarce stamps increase in
value
In the year 1904 specimen of the
twoDenny blue Mauritius of 1S47 was
put up for auction. It was by no
means perfect, for, though it is IN
used, the gum was wanting, which is
reckoned defect by collectors.
Nevertheless, it was sold for e145O,
the actual purchaser being the Prince
of Wales, now King of England.
Both the penny and the twopenny
Mauritius were contained in the col
lection of stamps belonging to the
late Sir William Avery, of the Bir-
mingham weighing machine making
company. His collection was sold by
his executors for e24,5O0 Compiled
throughout a long life, from the age
of eight, is considered to be the larg-
est collection of postage stamps in
the world, next to that contained in
the British Museum. 1t comprises
nearly 100000 stamps, and represents
almost completely the postal systems
of every country in the world.
The tendency of stamp collectors
nowadays is to specialize-that is, 20
confine their attention to the postal
issues of only few countries, or
even of only one. For example, many
collectors confine themselves en-
tirely to the stamps of Great Britain
and the British colonies. Complete
collections of any single country are
much sought after. Recently, in Paris
collection comprising only Swiss
stamps was sold for approximately
$4,000 by NJ. Paul Mirabaud, the mil
lionaire banker, but in the Avery col
lection there are several unique
pieces which are absent from the
Mirabaud one. Unused copies of the
double Geneva stamp fetch 975 each
The G24,50O obtained for the Avery
collection is by no means record
The following are the prices recently
realized at the sales of notable stamp
collections: Ayre collection, 945,oOO;
Mann collection. 100000; Paul col
lection, G1l,4OO; Thompson collec
ton, $1,000.
Among other rarities, blue TWO
cent missionary stamp of Hawaii DAT
ing from 1851, is now worth at least
$1,000. The two-pence black QS5l)
of Canada, is value at &1OO. This
stamn was also in the Avery collec
ton, as was the cents on blue paper
of British Guiana, valued at 92OO.
Even comparatively common stamps
sometimes increase greatly in value
We remember the time when a tri
angular Cape of Good Hope could be
bought for a halfpenny. The cheap
est three-cornered Cape costs today
about half a crown, while some of the
rarer varieties run up to ESQ.
The two-cent rose QS5D of Birth
Guiana is another philatelic, A pair
of these were sold for G40O each
The collector who posses a complete
series of British Guiana is rich man
for there are many stamps of great
price among the numerous issues OF
the colony. The same price as that
last mentioned (G4OO) was paid FOL
fourpenny blue of Western Aus
tralia (frst issue). The high price
was solely due to the fact that the
center had been accidentally invert
ed; the ordinary stamp without this
/ ...-. 90 ;,,,,,,,os-fo,, &c ouIU worth / Dc