Stamp Collecting.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXX, Issue VII, 14 February 1903, Page 474

Stamp Collecting.

The growth of surcharged stamps is beginning to have the result of causing collectors to question whether they are worth collecting as distinct varieties. A catalogue has already appeared in Paris which does not include surcharged stamps. South American Republic should note this fact.

Collecting fiscal stamps is evidently growing in popularity, and it would be well for holders of New Zealand revenue stamps of the early days not to part with them too readily. Recently a gentleman in London offered to pay £lOOO for a tine collection of fiscals.

The “Metropolitan Philatelist” has a protest against stamp catalogues. In referring to collecting fiscals the writer states: “Many things can be said in their favour, but that which is most likely to attract converts is the absence of a catalogue, practically putting every amateur on the same footing. In its day the catalogue was a great institution and help to stamp collecting, but that day has passed; its principal use at the present time is to act as a scarecrow, and show would-be collectors the impossibility of having a complete collection.”

A new letter card is to be issued next month in this colony. It has been designed by an old Auckland boy, Mr G. N. Sturtevant, of the Government Printing Office, Wellington. On the address side are the Royal arms and the words “New Zealand.” The letter card stamp at the right hand top corner is of plain design. At the bottom and left hand is a typical stretch of New Zealand beach,

with Maoris and a canoe. A clump of nikau palms and cabbage trees appears at the side. The back of the card bears vignette ivictures of New Zealand scenery and genre. This will no doubt mean that the supply of 1} letter eards surcharged “one penny” is about done.

“I was born in 1862,” remarked a gentleman this week. An enthusiastic stamp .collector promptly said: “Pity your father did not buy you 100 of the penny New Zealand stamps issued that year.” “Why?” asked the gentleman. “It would only have meant locking up 8/4,” replied the collector, “and I could get yon £2O each for them.” The gentleman walked sadly away ruminating upon the fact that was money in stamp collecting if 8/4 could increase to £2OOO in 41 years. The issue that year was rouletted, and on pelure paper, which, being so very flimsy, resulted in few stamps being saved undamaged. These are now so scarce that some catalogues do not even quote a price.

A correspondent from the Thames enquires if Niue and Penrhyn Islands have issued 3d., 6d., and Is. stamps; also whether there are any varieties in the water marks. So far we have not seen any stamps from these islands over the 21d, but one of the London Philatelic journals publishes a letter from a contributor, which states that the higher values are on sale at Penrhyn Island. It was also stated some time ago that the higher values were to be issued for both islands. If they are, they will no doubt be on the current issue of New Zealand stamps, on what is caled Cowan permanent paper, single lined water mark. Star. N.Z.

The same correspondent also asks whether all the present New Zealand stamps are now printed on permanent

paper and perforated 11 all round. The answer to this query is that as supplies of the higher values on the other papers run out, they are appearing on the new paper, which, it is to be hoped, will be ]>ermanent. for we have had somewhat too many changes already in the lower values. The water mark of the new stamps is the single line Star, N.Z., and the usual perforation is 14, though in the Id. and Id. values they may be found occasionally compared II x 14. Appended is a list showing the varieties in the lower values since the universal penny post was adopted;

1. —Waterlow, thick soft paper, double-lined Star, N.Z. id. Perf. 11, 4 shades, green, yellow ditto, bronze ditto, dark ditto. Jd. Perf 14. Id. Perf. 14 x 11. id. Perf. 11 x 14. Id. Perf. 11, 2 shades. Id. Perf. 14. 2. —Basted Mills, thin hard paper, double-lined Star, N.Z. Ad. Perf. 14. Ad. Perf. 14 x 11. Jd. Perf. 11 x 14. Id. Perf. 14. Id. Perf. 14 x 11. Id. Perf. 11 x 14. Id. Perf. 11. 3. —Cowan’s, no watermark. Ad. Perf. 14. Id. Perf. 14. ' Id. Perf. 14 x 11. 4. —Cowan, permanent paper, singlelined, Star, N.Z. id. Perf. 14. Id. Perf. 14, pale. Id. Perf. 11 x 14. Id. Perf. 14, blued. All the issues except No. 4, Cowan’s, single-line Star, N.Z., should be scarce in the future, as they were only in use a short while. Another issue that should become valuable is the 6d. printed

on thicker paper, with no water mark excepting the trade mark in the centre of each sheet, “Lisbon Superfine.” These were only issued for a short while, and the new ones are on the permanent paper. It was the extraordinary demand for Ad. and Id. stamps when the universal penny post was introduced that caused the varieties of paper to be used.

The 12 pence black stamp of Canada is catalogued at 500 dollars, and one on an envelope sold in London for £ 120. The rarity of this stamp is due to the fact, first of all, that there were not many collectors in 1851, coupled with the fact that the postage to England at that time being 1/ sterling, and owing to deprecated currency these stamps were sold at a little under that figure, they would not frank a letter to the Mother country. The reason for the value being expressed 12-pence rather than one shilling was that in territory adjacent to the United States the expression “shilling” was nsed for 12A cents, about 64d., and in other localities “shillings” of different valnations were used, but 12-penee could mean nothing but twelve pennies, or one shilling sterling.