INTERESTING TO PHILATELISTS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XV, Issue XXI, 23 November 1895, Page 646

INTERESTING TO PHILATELISTS.

About two weeks ago two janitors employed in the Courthouse at Louisville, Ky., were ordered to destroy a lot of old papers and rubbish in one of the rooms in the basement of the Courthouse, and while handling the papers one of the men noti ed several peculiar bluishcoloured stamps upon the papers. Attracted by the unusual appearance of the stamps, he tore them from the

papers. Some ot the local dealers were visited. The stamps were recognised as being of a rare St. Louis or * bear ’ variety, which were issued by the city during the years 1845 and 1846, in denominations of 5, 10. and 20 cents. The local agents were so anxious to buy that the janitors became wary. When the janitors called the next morning the dealers were willing to raise their price just double what they had at first offered. The news had spread to New York and St. Louis, and in three days several stamp collectors from each of these cities were in the city. The two janitors sold the whole lot for over $5,000, and then made a still hunt for more. They found one or two a day, and sold each for $3O. They became jealous of each other, dissolved partnership, and each hunted alone every day in the Court-house, their ‘ stamp mine ’ being kept a secret. The agents who made the purchases say that several of the stamps are worth from $5OO to $l,OOO each.