FO STAMP COLLECTORS

Evening Star, Issue 22892, 25 February 1938, Page 3

FO STAMP COLLECTORS

[By Philatelist.]

COVER COLLECTING. The following article on ‘ Cover Collecting,’ should be of ir L erest to all collectors (it was written oy B. *• H. Grant, F.R.P.S.L., and first appeared in ‘The Stamp Lover ). Cover collecting has increased considerably of late years, and has achieved such a measure of popularity I am not sure that it would be incorrect to say nuisance—-that some remarks on this aspect of collecting might be both helpful and timely. The craze for first-day covers in particular has become an obsession for some, although I cannot see that their value is much greater than those used during the period of issue concerned. Sanity is not always preserved. The chief objection to the inclusion of covers in a collection seems to me to be the space they must necessarily occupy it it is carried out to any great extent, although, like blocks of stamps, an occasional cover interspersed in the pages is an added attraction, and, judiciously, done, is decidedly pleasing. Again it must he realised that the back is often as interesting as the front, especially when something philatelic is denoted, such as the back-stamping, which often shows the route traversed and time taken in transit, and it is difficult without splitting open a cover so as to show front and back, to display such covers satisfactorily, while this method, of course, occupies even still ttnore valuable album space. Corner mounting is that most usually adopted, so that the cover can bo slipped in and out for inspection without difficulty, and any notes of back stamps, etc., can be annotated below the cover. Up till quite recent times the average collec- . tor was quite content to leave covers alone, or at most to limit the inclusion of these to a few here and there, or to the specialist, who generally arranged to get his own covers when he wanted them direct. Nowadays it is a different story. Every time a new issue appears, particularly if it is in any way commemorative, collectors are encouraged by Press advertisements to buy covers on every conceivable occasion, with all the usual exhortations about their potential rarity and' value, with prices arranged accordingly. I venture to suggest that owing to their increasing numbers, modern covers will rarely achieve much value, and as to the philatelic importance of the average one, this is often nil, for it denotes neither the correct postage nor serves any useful philatelic purpose. Like many others, I am not averse _ to covers, especially if in good condition, and I have no wish to disparage the collection of such, no matter of what, nature they may be, but I do think that ill covers should be classified into three well-defined groups and recognised accordingly. Stamp collecting is not intended to- be standardised on autocratic lines, and everyone should be free to collect what and how he likes. Provided certain _ fundamental principles are observed, it_ should be quite an easy matter to divide covers into three general classes, and I would suggest . the following:—(1) Those which have actually dime, or can perform, postal dnties in accordance with the postal rates of the country concerned (2) ’ collectors covers: Those which have performed postal duty, but ' obviously bear excessive postage: (3) souvenir covers., ■ Group 1 speaks for itself, but •' may need amplifying. Where the letter postal rate, for instance, is Id per ounce, it is qhite absurd to see a cover bearing -2Jd, etc., 'but 2d, 3d, 4d, up to a reasonable amount may be accepted. _ Similarly. when the postal rate is I4d for the first ounce and Id for each additional ounce, letter covers should bear 2Jd, 3Jd, 4id, etc, and not 2d, 3d, and 4d (which- would place them really in group, 2). It would not be wise to place these always in group two, although small envelopes bearing ss, 10s, or £1 stamps are so obviously group two that nothing further need be said. As a rule, it is not at all difficult with registration fee to, reach 9d, or even Is for letters, and although excess postage may. have been paid, for no reason other than to secure used copies, a correct postal rate is denoted. Then again, • I nave received letter packets and book post communications- bearing odd ainouilts' to as much as 2s 7d in stamps', the correct rate, but these covers are usually so obvious that they at once fell in group 1. It is, however, a very difficult matter to limit the covers to those with actual postage for the communications sent, and the nest and only best things to do is to see that a reasonably correct postal rate is represented. Now, we, come to groups 2 and 3. I suggest that the bulk of the covers seen, particularly foreign ones, fall under one of these headings. I will be quite frank, and say that I have a good many, but I have always regarded them in their true perspective. Let us turn to the Silver Jubilee covers of 1935. In almost all cases these come under group 3, a very interesting and attractive lot, but souvenir covers nevertheless. Most hear the complete set of stamps nicely postmarked by obliging postmasters and a joy to behold, but let us regard them as souvenir covers—souvenirs of a great event, and the will be none the less. If we try to regard them as falling in group 1, let me remind you of the saying: “ We deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” I am aware that in some cases the covers may also fall under group 1, and if they do so much the better; hut I contend in any case such covers are mainly of the third category. A similar state of affairs will exist with the Coronation issues, as the total face value in most cases is slightly im excess of the combined postage and registration fee for an ordinary letter. Group 3 I have separated from group 2 because the latter involves more particularly norma! issues which do not come under the heading of souvenirs. For instance, 1 have seen a cover hearing no less than six £1 stamps of a popular British colony—for the country Concerned an utterly impossible postal rate—and which in any case no ordinary envelope could possibly carry. This is an extreme case, but how many covers are there in collections with stamps to the value of 5s and over which obviously come under this heading? There is, of course, no why a person should not affix a shilling’s worth of stamps to a lid letter if he wishes to do so. The Post Office usually regards such a procedure with awe and wonderment, and does not always appreciate the weaknesses of stamp collectors. At the time of the Silver Jubilee, I remember sending off a lot of covers with the four British stamps on them to various people who had asked for them, postage s]d against

4Jd (registered), and the postal official was careful to point out to me that I had overstamped the lot by a Id each, and completely failed to appreciate why I had done so. Even my explanation seems to _ have left this cold and unsympathetic Civil Servant emotionless! Anyway, from the philatelic point of view, they could be regarded as coming under group 1 (as well as grout) 3) M they represented a correct postal rate up to under six ounces, and for all anyone would know, they might have contained correspondence quite easily to that weight. In the case of high-value stamps, it is sometimes urged that the stamps be soaked off and inserted in a collection, trying to forget the source from which they emanated. This deception seems to me rather weak. Either a stamp has done its correct work or it has not, and it seems to me far better to leave it on the envelope for all to see, for it can always be regarded as a postally used copy whichever way one views it, and it looks just as nice on a cover as off it, and its category being obvious, no harm is done. I am always suspicious of postally used high values in collections! The real value of such covers in my opinion decreases in proportion to the higher the face value of the stamps on it. A cover representing a small correct postal rate under group 1 is much more interesting and of greater philatelic importance than one with a high value coming under group 2. Those im group 2 are sometimes called “ philatelic covers,” which I think is a misnomer. Surely a philatelic cover should be one which is of philatelic importance, such as those falling under the first group. I should prefer to call the second group “ Collectors’ Covers.” It cannot be denied that cover collecting has come to stay. It is very difficult to agree 'what _ the future of modern covers will be in view of the large quantities which are _ now sold. An evil which needs_ checking is the practice of mass registering, i.e., the registering of covers sent in bulk under one packet. This seems to me a serious menace, and I have seen several of these covers emanating from a certain country, which, fortunately, are identifiable, by their registration label. I consider such covers come under none of the three groups I have mentioned, and are valueless. They cannot always be easily identified, and hence their danger lies, as arrival backstamps are not always applied to registered by the postal authorities in certain cities. Nearly all the air mail experimental flights would naturally fall under group 1. An anomaly is that covers of bygone days which suspicion would place on group 2, are often of considerable value, due to their scarcity, hut the classification would still hold good. Take, for instance, early West Indians or Great Britain. I have seen many covers of these which fall in group 2, but which are worth a lot of money, and undoubtedly are extremely interesting and_ desirable items to have in a collection. Any stigma they might possess has long ago ceased, whereas similar covers of the present day may be looked upon askance. Possibly 50 years hence, these, too, will be viewed in much the same light as their earlier brethren.

It is, therefore, unwise to criticise too harshly, and since everyone must be a law unto himself so far as collecting is concerned, let us treat all covers as interesting, but not overrating their philatelic importance. Group 3 are intensely interesting, and if combined with group 1. as they often are, they should also serve a practical use. Those in group 2 must always he suspect, but remember the similar covers of bygone days.