this department is conducted in the interest of stamp and coin collectors, and the editor will be pleased to answer any question on these subjects so far as possible. correspondents should address editor stamp department.
this is the height of the auction season. one auction a day is a fair average, and several lists with reserved prices have been sent out to prospective buyers, who are asked to compete against each other by mail. the straight auction where no stamp is held at a reserve will always commend itself to collectors. in the few instances where it was suspected that "a string was attached to the valuable stamps," such dissatisfaction was aroused that no self-respecting or far-sighted dealer will countenance any thing which savors of unfair bidding.
in the issue of january 5 i referred to a rumor that the bureau of engraving contemplated a new issue of u.s. stamps. although no official notice has been given, it is believed the government intends to issue the new set during the international postal union convention which meets in washington this spring. i advise young collectors to look up the blank spaces especially in the current issue. for instance, the guide-lines now used make eight varieties of the 1c. and 2c. stamps, viz., guide-line at the top, bottom, left, or right, and the lines at top and left, top and right, bottom and left, and bottom and right. then there are the three varieties of triangles in the 2c. stamps, and also the marked varieties in the color of the early compared with later printings.
baltimore.—the nova scotia 1c. black is worth 30c.; the 5c. blue about 10c.
e. c. wood.—u.s. stamps issued before 1861 are not available for postage, but all issues from 1861 are valid to-day.
j. e. kinter.—the "army and navy" is not a coin, but is one of the many war tokens issued in 1861.
j. mann.—the early portugal have been reprinted. the argentine 1892 2 centavos and 5 centavos were formerly high-priced, but of late they can be bought for 75c to $1 for the two.
a. danby.—the cape of good hope first issue were triangular. they are slowly advancing in value.
j. joyner and j. rasmussen.—we do not sell albums or stamps or coins, nor supply catalogues. refer to advertisements of dealers.
j. r. avery.—you can buy a very good 1834 half-dollar from a coin-dealer for 75c.
h. l. underhill.—your stamp is a swiss revenue stamp.
h. lek. demarest.—an unused u.s. stamp which has been creased cannot have the crease removed without taking off the original gum. trondhjem stamps are norway locals. a revenue stamp with one side unperforated is worth a little less than one with all four sides perforated.
d. d. wardwell.—apply to any dealer for list of s.s.s.s. stamps. confederate bills are worthless, as there are millions of them in existence. the san francisco find of $20,000 u.s. revenues will not affect the value of the stamps.
g. h. c. and e. d. beals.—no value.
c. w. walker.—the half-penny is worthless. u.s. half-cent, 1809, is worth 10c.
j. smythe.—i know very few collectors of postal cards, and personally never collected them. i think it would pay you to join the postal-card society if you are going to collect cards on anything like a fair scale. at auctions postal cards bring very small prices, but probably there are no rarities in the lots offered in this way.
a. a. fischer.—the water-marks on the tuscany stamps, first issue, are in four horizontal rows of three crowns in each row. it requires quite a block to see an entire crown. the second issue is on a paper bearing interlacing lines, with an inscription running diagonally from the lower left to the upper right corner.
philatus.
